What is the Pre-Queue?
The Pre-Queue is a virtual waiting room that opens before high-traffic Secret Lair sales. Its purpose is to help manage site traffic and give all users a fair chance to purchase once the sale begins.
When can I enter the Pre-Queue?
The Pre-Queue is generally available one hour before the sale is live, usually at 8:00am PT. You can join by adding a product to your cart and proceeding to checkout.
Do I need to stay on the page during the Pre-Queue?
Yes. To ensure your spot is preserved and your session remains active, keep your browser open until the sale begins. Leaving or refreshing the page may affect your queue position.
How is my position in the queue determined?
Customers in the Pre-Queue will have their position randomly assigned when the site goes live. Anyone who joins after the sale starts is placed at the back of the queue in the order they arrive.
Will adding a drop to my cart early reserve them?
No. Adding products to your cart does not reserve them. Please see the Terms and Conditions for more information.
Why did my queue time change so much?
The time shown in the queue is an estimate. It is based on current queue conditions, including how many customers are waiting, how quickly customers are being admitted to the site, and whether people ahead of you leave the queue.
Because those conditions can change during a sale, your estimated wait time can change too. For example, you may initially see a longer wait time, then see that estimate drop significantly as more customers are admitted to the site.
This does not mean you lost your place in line.
Your queue position is maintained by the waiting room system. The estimated time may move up or down as the sale progresses, but your spot is not affected by refreshing queue information, by the estimate changing, or by the queue moving faster than it did when you first joined.
Why does the estimate sometimes drop suddenly?
At the start of a high traffic sale, the waiting room may begin at a lower entry rate so we can monitor site performance and make sure checkout, payment, and inventory systems are stable.
As the sale continues, we may increase the number of customers who are allowed onto the site. When that happens, the queue can move faster, and the estimated wait time may drop quickly.
In some cases, customers ahead of you may also leave the queue. That can also cause your estimated wait time to improve.
Could my wait time also increase?
Yes. While the estimate often improves as the queue moves, it may also increase if traffic conditions change or if the flow of customers into the site needs to be adjusted.
We do this to help protect the shopping experience and reduce the risk of site errors, checkout problems, or overselling during periods of very high demand.
Does the queue time guarantee when I will enter the site?
No. The queue time is only an estimate. It is meant to give you a general sense of progress, but it is not a guaranteed entry time.
The best thing to do is keep your queue page open and follow the instructions shown on the page. When it is your turn, you will be directed to the site.
Does a changing queue time mean something is wrong?
Not usually. A changing queue time is expected during high demand sales.
The estimate is responding to real time queue conditions. If the queue starts moving faster, your wait time may drop. If traffic needs to be slowed, paused, or adjusted, the estimate may increase.