Chair of the Department of Marketing at National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) Zhuo Xin-you has observed the phenomenon of waiting in queues in Taiwan and discovered the tourists’ average durable time of waiting to ride a facility is half an hour. Similar phenomenon has also occurred in other consumer markets.

UDN reports, this research is co-written by Zhuo and his teacher Professor John Heywood of Ohio State University and has been awarded the Outstanding Author Contribution prize in the Emerald Literati Network Awards, beating more than 5,000 academic pieces.

Zhuo says it’s common to see people lining up in Taiwan. But it is the first time the international academic field has awarded a research paper regarding queuing.

The title of the research paper is “An Optimal Queuing Wait for Visitors’ Most Favorite Ride at Theme Parks.” The research sampled 1,440 people visiting the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, Janfusun, Leofoo Village, Lilliput and Lihpao Land in order to understand the level of tolerance of people for waiting to ride a facility.

ETtoday reports, Zhuo discovered in terms of the domestic theme park, people would spend 17.89 minutes to line up for a ride because “it should be fun.” Yet people become upset after waiting for over 30 minutes. On the other hand, people appear to be unable to associate the rides that no one lines up for with high-quality service.

The research also found the duration of waiting in lines and riding the attractions result in extreme responses. People are willing to spend an average of 17.89 minutes waiting in lines. 30 minutes is the turning point. If the waiting duration takes more than expected, people begin to feel crowded and irritated. The customers may give up and disputes may occur once they wait for more than 30 minutes.

The research also mentioned that the longer people wait, the less attractive the facility is. But if it takes no time to obtain the commodity or if there is no one lining up for it, people cannot associate it with high quality service. The 30 minutes become the turning point of one’s mood while waiting in lines and play a key role in marketing tactics.

The writer India Yoyo talks about the donut boom in Taiwan with friends and says in an article that the young generation in Taiwan are depressed because they are unable to get recognition in the workplace and don’t feel a sense of accomplishment in life. They need small and instant happiness to soothe themselves. She once heard a girl with a Krispy Kreme box in hand talking to the other side of the phone saying, “It only took me three hours to get it!” and waited eagerly the other to respond.

But if so many people are willing to suffer the chilly winter weather in the Xinyi District just to purchase donuts, then are these people willing to wait the same amount of time with the same attitude for a longer happiness, or to achieve the sense of identity that is longer then instant happiness?

Translated by June
Edited by Olivia Yang

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