> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://crevio.co/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Waitlists and approvals

> Review every buyer before they get access, and charge them only when you approve

Turn on **Require approval** on a price variant and buyers apply instead of buying. You see who applied and their answers to your questions, then approve or deny each request. A paid buyer's card is saved when they apply and charged only if you approve them.

Use it for anything where you choose who gets in: a cohort with limited seats, a coaching program, a community, or a high-ticket service.

## Turn on approvals

1. Go to **Products** and open the product.
2. Edit the price variant and open **Advanced options**.
3. Tick **Require approval (waitlist)**.
4. Optionally pick a **Checkout form** to ask buyers questions when they apply. See [checkout forms](https://crevio.co/docs/features/pricing.md#checkout-forms).
5. Save.

You can also tick the option under **Advanced options** when you create a product.

## What buyers see

* The product page button says **Join waitlist**, and there is no **Add to cart** button for that price variant.
* At checkout they fill in your checkout form, if you picked one. For a paid price variant they enter their card, which is saved but not charged. For a free one they enter their name and email.
* After applying they see "You're on the waitlist" and get an email saying the same. For a paid price variant, both tell them they haven't been charged.

## Get notified

When someone applies, you get an email with their name and answers, and a notification in Crevio. Their answers also show up as a submission in **Forms**. Turn this off under **Settings** > **Notifications** > **Waitlist Requests**.

## Review requests

Open **Waitlist** in the sidebar. It opens on **Pending**, newest first.

* Filter by status (**Pending**, **Approved**, **Denied**, **All**) or by product.
* Click **View answers** to read what someone wrote.
* Click **Approve** or **Deny** on a row, or tick several rows and use **Approve selected** or **Deny selected**.
* **Approve all** approves every pending request in the current view. Approvals run in the background, so refresh after a minute to see them finish.
* **Export CSV** downloads the current view, with one column per question.

You can also ask Crevio to list, approve or deny requests for you. It asks before it approves or denies anyone.

## What approving does

Approving works like the buyer completing a normal purchase at that moment:

| Price variant | What happens on approval |
| - | - |
| Free | The buyer gets access. |
| One-time payment | Their saved card is charged the price, including tax if you collect tax and any discount from the checkout link they used. |
| Subscription or payment plan | Their subscription starts on the saved card, including any free trial and setup fee. |

The buyer gets the usual purchase confirmation email, and the purchase shows up under **Orders**.

## When a card is declined

If the saved card is declined when you approve, nobody is charged and the request is denied automatically. It shows as **Card declined**. The buyer gets an email explaining that the payment didn't go through, with a link to apply again with another card.

## Denying a request

Denying emails the buyer that their request wasn't accepted. Nothing is charged. A denied buyer can apply again.

## Limits

* **Approval products are checked out on their own.** A buyer can't put a price variant that needs approval in a cart with other products. This is by design: each approval charges one saved card for one request.
* **Card only.** PayPal isn't offered for price variants that need approval, because a PayPal payment can't be saved and charged later.
* **No discount code box.** Buyers can't type a discount code when they apply. A discount attached to a [checkout link](https://crevio.co/docs/features/checkout.md) still applies.
* **No shipping address.** Crevio doesn't ask for a shipping address when someone applies, so approvals don't suit physical products you need to post. Collect the address yourself after approving, or sell those products without approval.
* **One pending request per buyer.** Someone who already has a pending request for a price variant can't apply for it again until you decide.
* **Requests don't expire.** A request stays pending until you approve or deny it. The longer you wait, the more likely a saved card has expired or been replaced and gets declined.
* **Sold out still lets people apply.** When **quantity available** is `0`, buyers can still apply, but you can't approve anyone until you raise the quantity.
* **No approving existing owners.** You can't approve someone who already owns the product.

## Test it yourself

Sign in as an admin of your account and apply from your own product page. It's a test request: no card is taken, it's labelled **Test** in **Waitlist**, and approving it gives test access without charging anyone.


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