How to Set Up Pre-Orders on Shopify
Actionable, tested steps — plus the Shopify apps that make it faster, with honest notes on pricing and fit.
Pre-orders let you capture demand before products even hit your warehouse, lock in revenue on launch day, and gauge interest for inventory planning. Whether you’re restocking a bestseller or launching something new, setting up pre-orders on Shopify takes less than an hour if you use the right approach. This guide walks you through every viable method — from built-in options to apps that actually make the process seamless.
Can You Set Up Pre Orders on Shopify Without Apps?
Yes, but with limits. Shopify’s native inventory system doesn’t have a dedicated “pre-order” toggle, so most merchants use workarounds that require manual tracking or ongoing attention.
The simplest native method involves creating a product with zero inventory and a future availability date. Customers can purchase, but you’ll need to manually fulfill orders when stock arrives. This works for one-off launches but becomes painful as your pre-order volume grows — especially when you’re managing multiple products or variants.
If you’re selling digital products or made-to-order items, Shopify’s native “draft” order workflow can work, but it lacks the customer-facing clarity of a real “Pre-Order” button. Most growing stores eventually need a dedicated pre-order app to avoid fulfillment headaches and communicate shipping dates clearly.
How to Set Up Pre-Order on Shopify Using Dedicated Apps
Pre-order apps integrate directly with your theme to display “Pre-Order Now” buttons, manage inventory thresholds, and automate customer communications. The three options below represent the best balance of features, ease of use, and pricing for most Shopify stores.
Option 1: PreOrder Now
If you want a straightforward pre-order solution that handles the basics without bloat, PreOrder Now delivers. It’s particularly strong for stores that need to toggle pre-orders on and off across multiple products based on timing.
- Mixed Cart Alerts: Automatically notifies customers when they have both pre-order and in-stock items in their cart — critical for managing fulfillment expectations
- Bulk Preorder Management: Apply pre-order settings to multiple variants, products, or tags at once, saving time on large catalogs
- Preorder Scheduling: Set specific dates and times for pre-orders to go live automatically — perfect for product launches
- Free plan available with a 4.5 rating from over 1,000 reviews
Option 2: Preorder | Notify Me Timesact
For stores prioritizing hype and customer capture, Preorder | Notify Me Timesact combines pre-order functionality with waitlist and back-in-stock mechanics. It’s built for brands treating launches as events.
- Product Tag System: Activate preorder, back in stock, restock, and coming soon statuses using simple tags — no complex configuration required
- Partial Payment: Collect deposits upfront and the remainder when products ship, reducing cart abandonment on high-ticket items
- Back in Stock Emails: Automatically capture emails and send notifications when products restock — turns sold-out pages into list-building opportunities
- Free plan available with an impressive 4.9 rating
Option 3: Essent Preorder Back in Stock
For maximum flexibility — especially if you need custom payment schedules or want a fully branded button experience — Essent Preorder Back in Stock is the most powerful option. It handles everything from simple pre-orders to complex deposit structures.
- Full Preorder & Backorder Support: Works for out-of-stock, coming soon, and made-to-order products
- Fully Customizable Button: Match your theme with custom “Preorder Now” buttons on products, collections, search results, and Quick Buy overlays
- Payment Flexibility: Supports pay in full, partial payments, split payments, deposits, and deferred payment schedules with configurable due dates
- 5.0 rating — the highest among pre-order apps — with a free plan available
How to Allow Pre Orders on Shopify: Key Configuration Steps
Regardless of which app you choose, the core setup process follows a similar pattern. Here’s what the configuration typically looks like:
- Install the app from the Shopify App Store and grant it necessary permissions (products, themes, orders)
- Select which products to enable for pre-order — either individually, by collection, or by tag
- Set inventory rules: Choose whether pre-orders are available when inventory hits zero, a specific threshold, or manually for all variants
- Configure button text: Replace default “Add to Cart” with “Pre-Order Now” or custom messaging
- Set shipping expectations: Display estimated shipping dates or ranges so customers know when to expect delivery
- Test the flow: Add a pre-order item to cart, complete a test checkout, and verify the order appears correctly in your admin
Most apps handle the storefront display automatically, injecting the pre-order button where your “Add to Cart” normally appears. If you’re using a custom theme, you may need to adjust the product template, but the best apps work out of the box with major themes like Dawn, Prestige, or Turbo.
How to Set Up Pre Order on Shopify for Product Launches
Launches require timing precision. Here’s how to structure a pre-order campaign that builds momentum rather than creating confusion:
- Create countdown anticipation: Use a coming soon page or email waitlist 1-2 weeks before launch
- Set a specific launch time: Apps like PreOrder Now let you schedule pre-orders to go live at an exact date and hour — avoid the “midsnight launch” confusion by picking a time that matches your audience’s timezone
- Limit quantities if needed: If you’re doing a limited run, set maximum pre-order quantities per customer to prevent hoarding
- Offer an incentive: Early buyers often get a discount, free shipping, or exclusive colorways — factor this into your margin calculations
- Communicate clearly: Include shipping estimates on the product page, in cart, and in confirmation emails. Ambiguity here is the #1 cause of pre-order cancellations
How to Set Up Pre Orders on Shopify: Common Mistakes to Avoid
Pre-orders fail when merchants treat them as “just another product type.” Here’s what trips people up:
- Unclear shipping dates: Never launch a pre-order without a specific window. “Coming Soon” isn’t good enough — customers need a date or range
- Mixing pre-orders with in-stock items: Without mixed-cart alerts, customers accidentally order both and expect a single shipment. This creates support tickets and refund requests
- No inventory buffer: If you pre-sell 100 units but only produce 95, you’re creating a shortfall before day one. Plan conservatively
- Ignoring payment processing: If you’re using partial payments, verify your payment processor supports authorizations and captures. Some setups require manual follow-up
FAQ
Can I set up pre-orders on Shopify without paying for an app?
You can use manual workarounds like setting inventory to zero and using draft orders, but it doesn’t give customers a clear pre-order experience and creates significant fulfillment overhead. For any store with more than a handful of pre-order products, an app is worth the investment — and all three recommended options have free plans.
How do I handle pre-orders that mix in-stock and pre-order items in the same cart?
This is where dedicated apps shine. PreOrder Now includes mixed cart alerts that automatically notify customers about the split fulfillment. Without this feature, customers assume everything ships together, leading to frustration when in-stock items are held hostage by pre-order items that haven’t arrived.
What happens if a pre-order item is delayed or cancelled?
Your pre-order setup should include clear refund policies and communication channels. If you’re using partial payments (available in Timesact and Essent Preorder), you can issue partial refunds if only a deposit was collected. Always communicate delays proactively — customers are far more understanding when they’re informed early.
Recommended apps for this
The tools we’d reach for — each links to its Shopify App Store listing.
PreOrder Now
Running out of stock doesn’t have to mean losing sales. With PreOrder Now, let customers preorder before items are back, so you…
Preorder | Notify Me Timesact
Create hype with presales on new product launches with Timesact Preorder. Never miss a sale by creating waitlists on sold out…
Essent Preorder Back in Stock
Set up pre-orders, presale or Back in Stock campaigns for out of stock, coming soon and made to order products. Offer pay in…