How to Set Up Pre-Orders on Shopify (Without Overselling or Disappointing Customers)

Pre-Orders Can Be a Revenue Superpower — Or a Customer Service Disaster

Pre-orders are one of the most powerful tools available to Shopify merchants. They let you sell products before they arrive, gauge demand before committing to large stock orders, bridge the revenue gap during out-of-stock periods, and build excitement around new product launches. When done well, pre-orders convert interested customers into paying customers and keep cash flowing even when shelves are empty.

When done badly, pre-orders create a string of disappointed customers who ordered, waited, and never received adequate communication. The damage to trust — and to your review profile — can take months to repair. This guide is about setting up pre-orders the right way.

Does Shopify Support Pre-Orders Natively?

Shopify does not have a dedicated pre-order feature built into its core platform. However, there are several ways to implement pre-orders, ranging from a simple workaround using Shopify’s “continue selling when out of stock” setting to purpose-built pre-order apps that give you full control over pre-order quantities, messaging, and customer communications.

The right approach depends on your volume and complexity. A single pre-order product for a product launch can be handled with a manual workaround. An ongoing pre-order programme across multiple SKUs needs a proper app.

Method 1: The Simple Workaround (For Single Products)

For a one-time pre-order on a single product, the simplest approach is to enable “Continue selling when out of stock” on that product variant, set the inventory to zero, and update your product page copy clearly to communicate the pre-order status and expected ship date.

Update your checkout confirmation email template to include pre-order messaging for orders containing this product. Make sure your fulfilment team knows to hold these orders until the stock arrives rather than attempting to fulfil immediately.

The limitation of this approach is control. There is no cap on how many pre-orders you can take, so if you have limited stock coming in and you sell more pre-orders than you can fulfil, you have created a problem. Only use this method if you are confident in your supply and do not need to cap pre-order quantities.

Method 2: Pre-Order Apps (For Ongoing or Complex Pre-Orders)

Apps like Pre-Order Now, PreOrder Wolf, or Timesact give you dedicated pre-order functionality: capping the number of pre-orders available, displaying pre-order specific messaging on product and cart pages, handling mixed carts (pre-order and in-stock items together), and automating customer communication throughout the fulfilment journey.

Key features to look for in a pre-order app include: inventory cap controls (maximum number of pre-orders), estimated ship date display, automatic “Add to Cart” button conversion to “Pre-Order” when stock hits zero, mixed cart handling, and automated email sequences when the pre-order ships.

Automated email sequences are particularly important. A customer who pre-ordered six weeks ago and receives an unexpected shipping notification without any updates in between may not even remember their order — and may be more confused than delighted. Regular, proactive communication (“Your pre-order is on its way — expected to ship in 2 weeks”) maintains engagement and reduces customer service burden.

Setting Realistic and Reliable Ship Dates

The single most important thing you can do to make pre-orders work is set honest, conservative ship dates. Merchants consistently underestimate lead times and overestimate their ability to hit deadlines. Every missed pre-order ship date damages trust and generates customer service tickets.

Take your realistic expected delivery date from the supplier. Add a buffer for inbound logistics, receiving, quality check, and any processing time. Then add another buffer for the unexpected — customs delays, production issues, shipping carrier delays. The result is your pre-order ship date.

If you hit the ship date early, customers are delighted. If you miss it — even by a few days — customers feel lied to. The asymmetry strongly favours conservative dates.

Handling Mixed Carts and Checkout Clarity

One of the trickiest aspects of pre-orders on Shopify is when a customer adds both in-stock and pre-order items to the same cart. Shipping them together means the in-stock items wait until the pre-order arrives. Shipping them separately means two shipping charges or two fulfilments to manage.

Your checkout must make this clear to customers. If pre-order items will delay in-stock items, say so. If you will ship in-stock items immediately and the pre-order separately, say so — and be clear about whether there is an additional shipping charge. Customers who are surprised by delays or unexpected charges become unhappy customers.

Most pre-order apps handle mixed cart logic, but verify the exact behaviour before going live. Test the checkout experience from a customer perspective with a test order that includes both product types.

Charging at Order vs Charging at Shipment

A common decision point for pre-orders is when to charge the customer: at the time of ordering, or when the item ships. There are arguments for both. Charging upfront secures the sale and provides cash flow. Charging at shipment reduces the risk of chargebacks from customers who ordered, waited, and then changed their minds.

For pre-orders with ship dates more than 30 days out, charging at shipment is generally safer from a chargeback risk perspective — card networks have rules about charging for goods not yet shipped that vary by card brand. Check the current terms applicable to your payment processor and card network before deciding.

Building a reliable pre-order system on Shopify is achievable with the right tools and the right process discipline. The key ingredients are honest ship dates, clear checkout messaging, proactive customer communication, and a fulfilment process that can actually deliver on the commitments you made when taking pre-orders. The Shopify development team at OneOnic helps merchants build and configure pre-order systems that work — visit our portfolio or contact us to discuss your needs.

The merchants who do pre-orders best treat them as a relationship, not just a transaction. From the moment a customer places a pre-order to the moment they receive it, every touchpoint is an opportunity to build trust. Done right, pre-order customers become some of your most loyal buyers — they have demonstrated patience and belief in your products before those products even existed in their hands.