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How to Time Your Product Launch for Maximum Success

How to Time Your Product Launch for Maximum Success

Thomas Robinson and Ela Veresiu

Over 30,000 new products are launched annually, yet 95% fail. Recent examples, such as the contrasting fates of Google Glass and Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, highlight how timing can make or break technology adoption. A new Journal of Marketing study finds that timing is more than a logistical decision—it is a strategic tool that determines whether stakeholders embrace or reject innovation. 

Our research team uncovers how firms can strategically time their technology launches by aligning internal coordination with stakeholder readiness. Success comes when managers treat timing as a dynamic, strategic process that creates trust, clarity, and excitement among stakeholders.

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Key Findings 

The Four Timing Scenarios

We identify four timing scenarios that shape the outcomes of tech launches: 

  1. Antagonistic Timing: Low firm coordination and low stakeholder readiness create a “delegitimate” launch moment. For example, Google Glass failed in 2013 because of privacy concerns and cultural resistance. 
  1. Synergistic Timing: High firm coordination and high stakeholder readiness lead to a successful launch. Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses exemplify this, entering a market now open to augmented reality eyewear. 
  1. Flexible Timing: High stakeholder readiness but low firm coordination. Stakeholders drive the market, requiring firms to act swiftly to meet demand. 
  1. Inflexible Timing: High firm coordination but low stakeholder readiness. Firms must work to build trust and align expectations to overcome skepticism. 

Timing as a Strategic Process

Timing is a social game that requires tact, patience, and foresight. Launching too early risks overwhelming stakeholders, while launching too late can result in missed opportunities. Success lies in calibrating firm actions to meet stakeholder readiness. 

Firms must build market readiness by addressing four key factors: utility, legislative standards, shared values, and interpersonal trust. These efforts ensure stakeholders view the launch as credible, relevant, and aligned with their needs. 

Lessons from Technology Markets

The journey from antagonistic to synergistic timing often involves reintroducing products that failed previously. For instance, the augmented reality market took a decade to mature after Google Glass, paving the way for current successes. Flexible and inflexible timing scenarios are transitional stages. Managers navigating these moments must focus on bridging gaps between stakeholder expectations and firm actions. For example, firms facing inflexible timing need to create boundaries and trust to make disruptive technologies more accessible. 

Practical Recommendations for Managers 

Understand the Timing Scenarios: Managers must assess whether their launch moment aligns with stakeholder readiness and internal coordination. Identifying the current scenario—antagonistic, synergistic, flexible, or inflexible—provides a roadmap for action.

Managers should be aware that individuals’ timing norms may differ by technology type, as evidenced by Google’s various product launches occurring in different market timing situations: Google Glass was launched in antagonistic timing, Google Gemini and its extension Google Lumiere are facing flexible timing, and Google Fitbit 6 was launched in an inflexible timing situation

Build Stakeholder Readiness: Invest in education, marketing, and regulatory alignment to create a foundation of trust and familiarity. These steps help stakeholders understand the product’s value and reduce resistance. 

Treat Timing as a Continuous Process: Rather than viewing timing as a single decision, managers should approach it as a series of adjustments. This dynamic approach ensures launches remain aligned with evolving market conditions.

Decision Tree

So how can managers make the right decision? We provide a decision tree with suggestions for marketing research:

Before launching a product, managers must ensure alignment between their firm’s and stakeholders’ timing norms (e.g., consumers, influencers, regulators). This involves market research through surveys or interviews to identify optimal timing (see potential questionnaire below). If timing norms align, the market is ready and a launch date can be set immediately. Misalignment requires further analysis of stakeholders’ willingness to adapt, using specific questions to gauge flexibility.

If stakeholders are willing to adapt, managers should use strategies like preannouncements, demos, and soft releases to cocreate an ideal launch moment. Publicizing minor imperfections can help build readiness, especially in market-driving situations. For stakeholders unwilling to adapt, managers should focus on building trust by controlling the product’s scope and allowing gradual changes to prepare the market.

If these approaches fail, managers should consider waiting for the market to mature naturally before revisiting the decision-making process. However, if the market remains resistant, any launch risks failure, necessitating a revision of the product.

Sample Questionnaire

Questions to gauge if a firm’s employee and stakeholder timing norms are aligned:

  1. Do you watch out for new technology releases?
    a. Probe: If so, for which product categories?
    b. Probe: If so, how do you hear about new tech product releases?

  2. How do prospective technology innovation releases make you feel? (e.g., excited, horrified,
    worried, hopeful)
    a. Probe: What kinds of technologies are you most excited about?
    b. Probe: What kinds of technologies are you most scared of?
    • i. Probe: What changes would have to happen to switch your fear to enthusiasm
      for the new technology?

  3. Do you feel equipped to incorporate prospective technology innovations at your workplace?
    a. Probe: How do you feel equipped or not?

  4. Do you feel equipped to incorporate prospective technology innovations in your home?
    a. Probe: How do you feel equipped or not?

  5. Do you feel equipped to incorporate prospective technology innovations in your hobbies and
    leisure activities?
    a. Probe: How do you feel equipped or not?

  6. Is [the specific function] of [firm’s new technology] useful to you? (Question relates to
    pragmatic legitimacy pillar)
    a. Probe: If no, can you describe a future situation where [specific function] of this
    technology would become useful you?

  7. Does [specific function] of [firm’s new technology] make you feel anxious? annoyed? angry?
    displeased?
    a. Probe: If yes, can you describe a future situation where [specific function] of [firm’s
    new technology] would not make you feel positive emotions?

  8. In your opinion, are there current laws and official regulations in place to regulate [specific
    function] of [firm’s new technology]? (Question relates to regulative legitimacy pillar)
    a. Probe: If yes, please describe the current laws and regulations that you think apply.
    b. Probe: If not, what laws and regulations should be put in place in the future to regulate
    [specific function] of this technology?

  9. Do you think the world would be a better place overall with [firm’s new technology]?
    (Question relates to normative legitimacy pillar)
    a. Probe: Please describe your answer.
  10. Do you think [specific function] of [firm’s new technology] can improve your standing
    among your peers at work? Among your family and friends? (Question relates to relational
    legitimacy pillar)
    a. Probe: If no, can you describe a future situation where [specific function] would not
    compromise you with your peers at work? At home and in your social circles?

  11. Can you currently make sense of [specific function] of [firm’s new technology]? (Question
    relates to regulative cultural-cognitive legitimacy pillar)
    a. Probe: If no, can you describe a future situation where [specific function] of this
    technology would make sense to you?

  12. When do you think [firm’s new technology] should be launched?
    a. Probe: Please justify your answer.

Questions to gauge if stakeholders are willing to change their timing norms:

  1. Are you willing to change your practices and habits now if a new technology was created that
    significantly improved society?
    a. Probe: If no, can you imagine a future where you would change your practices and
    habits for this prospective technology? What would this future look like?

  2. Are you willing to change your practices and habits now if a new technology was created that
    made your work routines easier and/or more efficient?
    a. Probe: If no, can you imagine a future where you would change your practices and
    habits at work for this prospective technology? What would this future look like?

  3. Are you willing to change your practices and habits now if a new technology was created that
    made your home life and routines easier and/or more efficient?
    a. Probe: If no, can you imagine a future where you would change your practices and
    habits at home for this prospective technology? What would this future look like?

  4. Are you willing to change your practices and habits now if a new technology was created that
    made your hobbies and leisure time more entertaining?
    a. Probe: If no, can you imagine a future where you would change your practices and
    habits during your leisure time for this prospective technology? What would this future
    look like?

  5. Are there certain industries where you are comfortable with a company releasing an unfinished
    technological innovation for consumers to try and test?
    a. Probe: Which industries?

  6. Are there specific industries where you think companies should never release a technological
    innovation before it is fully finished and thoroughly tested?
    a. Probe: Which industries?

Timing is not just about “when” but about “how.” Firms that treat timing as a strategic tool can transform innovation into market success. Whether rescuing a failed product or launching a groundbreaking new technology, aligning firm actions with stakeholder readiness is key to achieving synergistic timing. 

Read the Full Study for Complete Details

Source: Thomas Robinson and Ela Veresiu, “Timing Legitimacy: Identifying the Optimal Moment to Launch Technology in the Market,” Journal of Marketing.

Go to the Journal of Marketing

Thomas Derek Robinson is Senior Lecturer of Marketing, City St George’s, University of London (Formerly Cass Business School), United Kingdom.

Ela Veresiu is Associate Professor of Marketing, York University, Canada.

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