This manuscript is conceptually based in the areas of e‐consumer behaviour and e‐services marketing. Specifically, it examines the phenomenon of waiting in terms of the role it plays in the functionality of service delivery over the internet and the effect waiting has on how consumers behave online. A number of previous studies have identified a link between the ‘quickness’ of web sites and the site's overall functionality. The existing knowledge on consumer waiting behaviour in the general context of traditional or ‘off‐line’ services and in the specific context of online services is reviewed. A qualitative empirical study of consumer behaviour in online waiting situations is undertaken. The factors that determine how e‐consumers behave when faced with online waiting situations are identified and explored.