How to Set Up Shopify Pre-Orders: Step-by-Step Guide

In 2012, Nike offered pre-orders for the Nike+ FuelBand and it was sold out within minutes. That is the power of anticipation. 

Pre-orders are a great way to determine demand and create hype around your product. It helps you sell a product even before it arrives from suppliers. But setting up pre-orders in your Shopify store is a whole process.

You need the right strategy, the right tools, and a system that keeps customers informed. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of setting up pre-orders on Shopify.

What are Shopify Pre-Orders?

Pre-orders allow customers to purchase a product before it is officially released or available in stock. Essentially, Shopify stores offer the product for sale in advance, and customers commit to buying it, often with the promise of receiving it as soon as it becomes available.

Pre-orders are commonly used for new product launches, limited-edition items, or made-to-order products.

How pre-orders are different from backorders

Pre-orders might seem similar to backorders but they are not. 

Pre-orders apply to products that have never been available before and are set for a future launch, whereas backorders apply to previously available items that are temporarily out of stock but expected to return soon.

Pre-orders come with a known waiting period, so customers are prepared for a delay. Backorders create the impression that the item will be restocked soon, making customers expect quicker fulfillment. 

The table below explains the key differences between pre-orders and backorders:

Benefits of Offering Pre-Orders on Shopify

Before we help you with the process of setting up pre-orders on Shopify, let’s dive deep into the benefits of offering pre-orders

1. Increases sales opportunities

Businesses have to wait days or even months before inventory is in stock and they can start selling. But why wait when customers are already interested?

Pre-orders let you capture sales before a product is even available. Instead of hoping for demand after launch, you’re locking in orders upfront. This helps businesses avoid uncertainty because if people are already buying, you know the product will sell.

There’s also psychology at play. When customers know they have to wait for something, it makes the product feel more exclusive. Think about limited-edition sneakers or a new iPhone. The wait itself creates anticipation, and anticipation drives sales.

And from a business perspective? Less risk. More predictable cash flow. A clearer picture of demand before you invest too much in inventory. It’s not just about selling early, it’s about selling smart.

2. Helps with demand forecasting

Inventory is tricky. Order too much, and you’re stuck with products collecting dust. Order too little, and you miss out on sales. It’s a delicate balance, and when businesses get it wrong, it costs them, a lot. In fact, retailers in the U.S. held $740 billion worth of unsold goods in 2023.

Pre-orders take the guesswork out of demand. Instead of hoping a product sells, you already know there’s interest before you even start full-scale production. Fewer unsold items mean fewer markdowns, less wasted money, and a profitable supply chain.

This means you can save costs, plan smarter, invest better, and avoid the frustration of overstocked shelves or last-minute stockouts. 

3. Higher customer engagement

People love getting early access to something special. Whether it’s a limited-edition sneaker drop or a new gadget, exclusivity makes customers feel like they’re part of something bigger.

Pre-orders tap into that. They give shoppers the chance to secure a product before anyone else, which makes them more invested in the brand. And when people feel like insiders, they’re more likely to share their excitement, whether it’s posting about it online or telling friends.

This isn’t just about selling products early. It’s about creating a deeper connection with your customers. The more engaged they are, the more likely they’ll come back for future launches. And when that happens, you’re not just making a sale, you’re building loyalty.

How to Set Up Shopify Pre-Orders 

We’re now at the juicy part of the blog. Here’s a step-by-step process for setting up pre-orders on Shopify store:

Step 1: Build a pre-order strategy

Before you start taking pre-orders, define your strategy by considering key factors: your business goals, payment structure, timelines, marketing approach, and which products to offer.

Shopify provides three payment options: full payment, partial payment, or pay later, each with its own benefits.

• Full payment requires customers to pay the entire amount upfront, ensuring immediate cash flow to fund production. This works well for businesses needing early revenue but may put off customers if the wait time is long
• Partial payment allows customers to place a pre-order with a deposit, making it easier to commit, especially for high-ticket items. However, it requires tracking and collecting the remaining balance
• Pay later charges, customers, only when the item is ready to ship, reducing hesitation and improving conversions. However, this means you won’t receive immediate cash flow

Beyond payment, set clear expectations on delivery timelines and use marketing tactics like exclusive sneak peeks, countdown timers, early-bird discounts, and influencer collaborations to build anticipation. Choose products suited for pre-orders, such as limited editions or high-demand items. 

A well-planned pre-order approach ensures a smoother experience for both you and your customers.

Step 2: Select a pre-order app

Once you've created a pre-order strategy, the next step is choosing a pre-order Shopify app that helps automate pre-orders, track inventory, and manage customer expectations.

The best apps allow you to:

• Select among different payment options
• Update stock automatically
• Send notifications when products become available

You’ll want to choose an app that fits your specific needs. Look at the following things as you come down to a decision 

• Payment flexibility: Check if it supports full payment, partial deposits, or pay-later options
• Stock management: See if it automatically updates inventory when new stock arrives
• Customer notifications: Sends alerts for pre-orders and back-in-stock updates
• Customization options: Allows custom messaging, badges, and checkout settings

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Here are some of the top Shopify pre-order apps to consider

• PreOrder Globo: A great option for businesses that want to offer both pre-orders and back-in-stock notifications. It lets you tag items as pre-orders, display expected shipping dates, and alert customers when an item is available again. 
• Preorder, Back In Stock ‑ Stoq: This app is great for stores looking for flexibility in payment options. It supports full or partial payments, provides estimated shipping dates, and ensures stock is updated automatically when new inventory arrives.
• PreOrder Now: PreOrder Now is a simple solution that allows you to enable Shopify pre-orders on out-of-stock items. It also displays mixed card alerts, partial payments, and back-in-stock notifications. 

Step 3: Install and configure the app

Once you’ve picked a pre-order app, the next step is installing and setting it up on your Shopify store.

• Install the app: Head to the Shopify App Store, search for your chosen app, and install it
• Grant permissions: Allow the app to manage product availability, stock updates, and order processing
• Configure basic settings: Decide if pre-orders should apply to out-of-stock products, set up deposit options (if needed), and customize pre-order messaging
• Set shipping expectations: If the app allows, add estimated shipping dates so customers know when to expect their order

Make sure to take your time with this step. A clear setup ensures your pre-orders run smoothly and customers have the right information from the start. 

Step 4: Set up pre-order products

Now, it’s time to enable pre-orders for specific products. Inside the app dashboard, select the products you want to make available for pre-order. Most apps allow you to:

• Set availability dates: Define when the product is expected to ship
• Customize the pre-order button: Replace the standard “Add to Cart” button with a “Pre-Order Now” option
• Enable customer notifications: Keep buyers updated on shipping timelines via email or SMS

If you’re offering multiple variants (like different sizes or colors), double-check that pre-orders apply to the right SKUs so customers can’t accidentally order something that won’t be released or restocked.

Step 5: Test the pre-order process

Before going live, walk through the pre-order experience as if you were a customer. Add a pre-order product to your cart, go through checkout, and confirm that:

• The pre-order button displays correctly
• Any pre-order messaging (like expected shipping dates) is clear
• Customers receive order confirmation emails with pre-order details

How to Use Pre-Order Data to Improve Inventory Planning

Pre-orders aren’t just about early sales—they’re a real-time indicator of demand. Ignoring this data means missing out on insights that could help you stock smarter, reduce over-ordering, and avoid stockouts.

Here is how to use pre-order data to improve inventory planning: 

1. Set up a pre-order system that captures data

Use pre-order apps designed to simplify pre-order tracking and provide detailed analytics, so instead of guessing demand, you have clear data to work with. 

These tools make it easy to spot trends, understand buying patterns, and adjust inventory decisions accordingly.

With these apps, you can track pre-orders down to the SKU level. This is because it’s not just about knowing a product is in demand, you need to see which specific variants, sizes, colors, and models, are selling the most.

These apps give you real data to make smarter inventory decisions, reducing waste and ensuring your stock matches what your customers are looking for.

2. Analyze pre-order trends for smarter reordering

Inventory planning isn’t just about what to restock, it’s about when. One way to stay smart with your reorders is to watch pre-order trends. If a product is selling faster than expected, that’s a sign to place restock orders earlier to avoid delays. The key is to catch these patterns early before they become inventory problems.

Prediko’s AI-powered supply planning can help process your pre-order data into accurate purchasing recommendations, making reordering simple and precise.

• 1-click PO creation, factoring in days of stock, lead time, sell-through rate, and forecasted demand
• Health tracking for pre-ordered items to see which products need urgent reordering to meet pre-order commitments
• 90+ real-time metrics to use pre-order data to adjust future restock plans and avoid under or over-ordering

3. Adjust your buying strategy based on pre-order insights

Pre-orders don’t just bring in early sales, they give you a sneak peek at demand before stock even arrives. If you pay attention, they can completely change the way you plan inventory.

Here’s how: Compare pre-order data with past sales. If a product is getting more pre-orders than it ever sold before, that’s a signal to increase stock levels. If only certain sizes or colors are selling fast, you don’t need to over-order every SKU, you just need to stock up on the ones people want.

This is where Prediko’s AI demand planning helps. It automates demand forecasting by analyzing historical sales, growth trends, and seasonality, making sure your inventory aligns with sales goals.

With AI demand planning, you can

• Use a top-down or a bottom-up planning approach. Set clear sales targets and align inventory purchasing decisions
• Compare actual revenue to planned revenue in real-time
• Apply 100+ customization filters to break down inventory planning by SKU, category, or product type
• Keep inventory purchases aligned with growth projections, so that you’re always ordering based on actual demand, not just assumptions

Common Pre-Order Challenges & How to Overcome Them

Pre-orders sound great in theory. But in practice? Things don’t always go smoothly. Here are some common pre-order challenges and their solutions.

1. Handling unexpected demand surges

Sometimes, a product takes off faster than expected. A simple pre-order can suddenly turn into a flood of orders, and if you’re not ready, you risk frustrating customers with delays.

💡Solution: To prevent this, set order limits, compare pre-orders with past sales, and adjust purchase orders. For automating this, tools like Prediko help forecast demand and recommend the right stock levels.

2. Long lead times impacting pre-orders

Customers don’t love waiting. If your supplier takes longer than planned to deliver your inventory, it can lead to order cancellations, delayed deliveries, customer complaints, and lost customer trust.

💡Solution: Track pre-order volume across SKUs and products using your pre-order app and adjust your purchase orders accordingly.
Youri Moskovic, founder of Prediko, also shares on a webinar for Limited Supply how brands can diversify supplier network.

• If your brand primarily sells in the U.S., sourcing from Mexico can reduce lead times compared to China.
• European brands can explore suppliers in Portugal as an alternative to longer supply chains.

By having backup suppliers, brands can ensure faster restocking and avoid revenue losses due to unexpected production delays.
If traction is higher than expected, place additional POs well in advance to avoid running out. If demand is slower, adjust POs before overcommitting to your suppliers.

3. Managing customer expectations on delivery

Nothing annoys a customer more than an unclear or delayed delivery date. If they don’t know when their order is coming, they might just cancel it altogether.

💡Solution: Set realistic shipping timelines from the start and use automated updates to keep customers informed. A simple email about their order status can reduce cancellations and keep them excited about their purchase.

4. Handling cancellations & refunds

Pre-orders have longer waiting periods, which can lead to order cancellations if customers change their minds. Unclear refund policies can also contribute to frustration and lost loyalty.

💡 Solution: Make your cancellation policy clear from the start and offer flexibility where possible, such as partial refunds or store credits, to retain customer trust. Consider offering perks like discounts or cashback for pre-order customers to keep them engaged.  

Set Up Pre-Orders on Shopify using Prediko

Pre-orders help you secure early sales, predict demand, and plan your future purchases. But without the right tools, they can become difficult to track and manage, leading to stock issues and unhappy customers.

With tools like Prediko, you can

• Automate pre-order tracking: Pre-order stock is automatically deducted from your inventory count, so you never oversell.
• Forecast demand with accurate insights: Pre-orders are logged as actual demand, giving you a clearer picture of future stock needs.
• Ensure smooth fulfillment: Since pre-order sales are treated as confirmed sales, they’re factored into supply planning to prevent delays.

Prediko makes it easy to manage pre-orders alongside regular inventory, reducing manual work so that you always have the right stock at the right time.

Start your 14-day free trial with Prediko and see how you can use your pre-order data to increase your cash flow, better forecast your inventory demand, and improve overall customer experience.

FAQs

Q. Can I do pre-orders on Shopify?

Yes, Shopify allows pre-orders through third-party apps. 

Q. How to set up pre-orders on Shopify?

You can set up pre-orders by using a pre-order app like Stoq or PreOrder Globo from the Shopify App Store. Install the app, configure settings, and start accepting pre-orders.