Write the Cart Dates: Online Courses That Make Money

A wave is two dates: when people can pay, and when they cannot. An evergreen cart has no close date, so it is not a wave.

Updated October 19, 2026.

The runway

• Open date and close date, on a calendar you will keep.
• The seat cap you can teach. Blank is allowed. A copied number is not.
• The retrospective: one sentence on what you will not repeat. Write it after the close, before the next open.

Live dates are separate

If you must be live, use the live cohort gate. Refund stage is the funnel.

FAQ

Can I extend the close date?

Only by writing the new date before you tell buyers. A silent extension is an evergreen cart.

What if nobody is on the waitlist?

You can still open on the date. You cannot claim heat you did not count.

Does this set the price?

No.

Last reviewed

October 19, 2026.