How to Set Up Shopify Product Pre-Orders

Pre-orders are a powerful tool for Shopify brands — they generate revenue before inventory arrives, validate demand for new products, and build anticipation. But they also carry risk: if fulfilment is delayed or communication is poor, they create frustrated customers and support overhead. Done well, they are one of the most efficient cash-flow tools available to a growing brand.

Native Shopify Pre-Order Options

Shopify does not have a native pre-order feature, but you can replicate basic pre-order behaviour by setting a product to 'continue selling when out of stock' and setting inventory to zero. This allows purchases to be made but gives you no way to communicate expected despatch dates, manage pre-order specific messaging, or separate pre-order fulfilment from standard orders.

Recommended Pre-Order Apps

• Pre-Order Now by Website on Demand — replaces Add to Cart with a Pre-Order button, supports mixed cart warnings
• Fordeer Pre-Order Manager — supports partial payment and expected date display
• Timesact — highly configurable, supports countdown timers and mixed cart
• Shopify Flow (Plus only) — can automate tagging and notifications when pre-order stock arrives

Key Setup Considerations

Whichever method you choose, there are non-negotiable communication requirements. The expected despatch date must be visible on the product page, in the cart, and in the order confirmation email. Customers must know they are pre-ordering before they purchase — surprises at fulfilment stage generate chargebacks and negative reviews.

Payment Capture Options

You can capture payment immediately at pre-order (simpler operationally) or authorise and capture on despatch (better for customer trust but requires careful payment window management — card authorisations expire after 7 days on most processors). For most Shopify brands, immediate capture with a clear refund policy is the lower-risk choice.

Best Practices

• Never launch a pre-order without a confirmed supplier lead time
• Build in a buffer — announce a date you are confident you can beat
• Send a proactive update if the date moves, even if stock is coming sooner
• Tag pre-order customers in Klaviyo for targeted despatch communications
• Remove the pre-order flag immediately when stock arrives