New Study Reveals How Timing Drives Tech Product Launch Success
TORONTO, ON – Friday, January 24, 2025 – Launching a new tech product is a high-stakes game, with over 30,000 launches each year and a staggering 95% failure rate. The difference between success and failure? Timing.
That’s the key finding from a new study published in the Journal of Marketing by Ela Veresiu, Associate Professor of Marketing at York University’s Schulich School of Business, and Thomas Derek Robinson, Senior Lecturer of Marketing at Bayes Business School, University of London. Their article, “Timing Legitimacy: Identifying the Optimal Moment to Launch Technology in the Market”, reveals how strategic timing can make or break the adoption of innovative technologies like Ray-Ban’s Meta Smart Glasses.
The researchers found that product launches are much more than just a logistical decision – timing is a strategic tool that determines whether stakeholders embrace or reject innovation. “Timing is not just about ‘when’ but about ‘how,’” says Professor Veresiu. The study highlights that firms must align internal actions with market readiness to create trust, clarity, and excitement – all key ingredients for successful launches.
Recent case studies underscore the importance of timing. The failed 2013 launch of Google Glass was a result of “antagonistic timing”, a term the researchers coined to describe a product launch where low internal coordination met a market unprepared for augmented reality. In contrast, Ray-Ban’s Meta Smart Glasses succeeded because of “synergistic timing,” entering a market ready for such innovation with strong internal alignment.
The researchers outlined four key timing scenarios that every manager should understand:
- Antagonistic Timing – Low firm coordination and low market readiness lead to rejection.
- Synergistic Timing – High coordination and readiness create optimal conditions for success.
- Flexible Timing – High market readiness but low coordination demands swift internal action.
- Inflexible Timing – High coordination but low market readiness requires building trust and alignment.
To harness the power of timing, managers should assess timing scenarios by evaluating the alignment between internal coordination and stakeholder readiness, by building market readiness to foster trust and reduce consumer resistance, and by treating timing as a process rather than viewing it as a one-time decision.
The study emphasizes that even failed products can find new life through strategic timing. The augmented reality market, for instance, took nearly a decade to mature after Google Glass, paving the way for today’s successes. By recalibrating their approach and understanding market dynamics, firms can turn setbacks into opportunities.
“When firms align their actions with stakeholder readiness, they can transform innovation into market success,” says Professor Veresiu.
Ela Veresiu is available for interviews.