How it works
When a delay is active, Alva defers the license key until the delay elapses and then delivers it on its own. Nothing else waits: the customer's file downloads and links arrive in the immediate download email exactly as they always do. Only the license key is held back. Because the key simply isn't assigned yet, it stays invisible everywhere it would otherwise show — the customer account, order status page, download page, and POS — until its delivery time arrives. The delay is measured from the purchase time, so a 7-day delay means the key lands 7 days after the order is paid, no matter how long a fraud check took.
When to use it
A delivery delay is useful whenever a key should not be usable the instant someone buys. Three common cases:
- Launch or release-date coordination — keys go live on a specific date even if pre-orders or early purchases arrive sooner.
- Drip or cohort access — align when a key activates with a course or cohort start.
- Anti-resale cool-down — a built-in waiting period adds friction before a freshly bought key can be resold or abused.
Set a store-wide default
The store-wide default applies to every product unless that product overrides it.
1. Open the License keys settings
In the Alva admin, go to Settings and open the License keys card. It links to the License key delivery delay page.
2. Choose immediate or delayed
Pick Deliver immediately (the default) or Delay delivery. When you choose to delay, enter an amount and pick a unit — minutes, hours, days, or weeks.
Alva Settings → License key delivery delay page. Show the timing dropdown set to "Delay delivery", a "7" amount field, and the unit dropdown set to "days", with the Save button visible. No real customer data.
3. Save
Click Save. New purchases follow the default immediately — there's nothing to re-process for existing orders.
Override per product
Any product with license keys attached can set its own timing in the product page's License Keys section. The License key delivery timing control offers three modes:
- Use store default — inherit whatever the store-wide delay is set to. This is the default for every product.
- Deliver immediately — send the key right away, ignoring any store-wide delay.
- Delay delivery — set this product's own delay with an amount and a unit, overriding the store default.
Save the product and the new timing applies to its next purchase.
What customers see
A delay never leaves a customer wondering where their order went. The normal download email still arrives immediately at purchase time with their files and links, plus a note that their license key will be delivered on a given date. Once the delay elapses, Alva sends a separate "your license key is ready" email containing the key. The two-email flow keeps the immediate confirmation intact while making the timing of the key explicit.
Limitations
The delay applies to license keys only. File downloads and links are never affected — they always go out immediately, even on a product that also delays its key. The delay is always measured from the purchase time, not from fraud approval or any later event, so the delivery date is predictable from the order date.
FAQ
Does the delay affect file downloads or links?
No. Only license keys are delayed. File downloads and links are always delivered immediately, even when a product also has a delayed license key.
When does the delay start counting?
The delay is measured from the purchase time. A 7-day delay means the key is delivered 7 days after the order is paid, regardless of how long a fraud check takes.
Can I delay keys for one product but not others?
Yes. Set a store-wide default, then override individual products to use the store default, deliver immediately, or set their own delay amount and unit.
What does the customer see during the wait?
The normal download email arrives immediately with a note that the license key will be delivered on a given date. A separate "your license key is ready" email is sent once the delay elapses.
See also
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Last updated 2026-06-19