Eliza, Author at PreProduct

How to Take Pre-orders on Shopify POS (Trade Shows, Retail & Events)

Paragon FX Group walked away from a single convention with $10,000 in pre-orders. Not website orders placed later. Not “check us out online” business cards. Actual transactions, processed in person, on the convention floor. As they put it: “We might have lost those sales if customers had to order from the website.”

Here’s the problem: if you’ve tried to take pre-orders through Shopify POS, you’ve likely discovered that it doesn’t work. Shopify’s native pre-order functionality is limited to online stores only. That means anyone selling at trade shows, conventions, pop-up shops or retail locations has been stuck telling excited customers to “visit our website later.” A Shopify pre-order app can solve the online side, but POS has remained a gap.

That friction kills sales. This guide shows you how to solve it with a working Shopify POS pre-order integration, so you can capture orders on the spot, whether you’re at Comic-Con or your own retail store.

What is a Shopify POS pre-order? A Shopify POS pre-order is an order placed through Shopify’s Point of Sale system for a product that isn’t yet available to ship. Unlike standard POS transactions that fulfill immediately, pre-orders include a fulfillment hold until stock arrives, allowing merchants to take in-person orders at trade shows, conventions and retail events for upcoming products.

Why Shopify POS Doesn’t Support Pre-orders Natively

If you’ve searched for how to enable pre-orders on Shopify POS, you’ve probably hit the same wall everyone else does. According to Shopify’s own documentation:

“Pre-order products are only supported on the Online Store and Custom Storefront sales channels.”

This isn’t a bug or a missing setting. Shopify POS does support selling plans for subscriptions, so the infrastructure exists. Pre-orders just haven’t been added to POS yet. Native support may come in the future, but even then you’d still need a pre-order app to manage the workflow: listing products, communicating with customers, triggering charges and releasing fulfillment holds.

What this means for retail merchants

For online-only stores, this limitation doesn’t matter. But if you sell in person, you’re at a disadvantage. Trade shows, conventions, pop-up events and retail stores are high-intent environments. Customers are physically present, holding your product, ready to commit. Asking them to “order online later” introduces friction that kills conversions.

Think about the typical trade show scenario. A customer loves your upcoming product. They want it. But it won’t ship for another 60 days. Without a pre-order option on your POS device, you’re stuck with awkward workarounds:

Handing out business cards and hoping they remember to order
Writing down names and emails manually
Asking them to scan a QR code to your website
Creating a “placeholder” product and hoping your fulfillment team knows not to ship it

None of these are reliable. All of them add friction. And in a busy convention environment where attention spans are short, friction means lost sales.

The Shopify Community forums are filled with merchants asking for this functionality. Posts date back to 2020, with merchants describing custom webhook solutions and manual workarounds. The demand is clear; the native solution isn’t.

How to Enable Pre-orders on Shopify POS

PreProduct bridges this gap with a dedicated Shopify POS integration that extends pre-order capabilities to your in-person sales channel. It’s the same pre-order functionality you’d use on your online store, adapted for the POS environment.

How it works

When you enable the integration, PreProduct adds a Pre-orders tile to your Shopify POS Smart Grid. This gives staff a visual indicator that pre-order functionality is available and active.

When a customer wants to pre-order a product:

Staff adds the pre-order item to the cart (just like any other product)
PreProduct requires a customer profile with email and shipping address before checkout
Staff sets the order to “ship” (PreProduct reminds them) so Shopify knows it needs fulfillment later
The order can be paid upfront, or left unpaid for later invoicing via draft order
PreProduct automatically adds a fulfillment hold to prevent premature shipping
The pre-order appears in your PreProduct dashboard alongside online pre-orders

The experience for staff is streamlined. They see clear indicators when items are on pre-order, reminders about shipping requirements and visual cues throughout the process.

Payment flexibility

Unlike workarounds that require full payment upfront, PreProduct’s POS integration supports two payment approaches:

Charge upfront: The customer pays the full amount at checkout, just like a regular POS transaction. The fulfillment hold prevents your team from shipping before stock arrives.

Invoice later: If you’d rather collect payment when the product is ready to ship, you can leave the order unpaid in POS. PreProduct will create a draft order invoice that you can send when you trigger charges. This mirrors the charge-later pre-order payment model that 43.8% of pre-order listings use online.

What stays consistent across channels

The POS integration enforces the same rules as your online store:

Fulfillment holds prevent orders from flowing to your 3PL or warehouse until you release them (see our guide on how to manage pre-order inventory in Shopify)
Mixed cart policies apply; if you don’t allow customers to mix pre-orders with in-stock items online, the same rule applies in POS
Pre-order tagging marks orders so they’re identifiable in your Shopify admin
Customer communication flows work the same; customers receive the same emails and portal access

This means your operations team doesn’t need separate processes for online versus in-person pre-orders. Everything consolidates into a single workflow.

Best Use Cases for Shopify POS Pre-orders

Not every merchant needs POS pre-orders. But for certain business models, the ability to take pre-orders in person is a significant competitive advantage.

Taking pre-orders at trade shows and conventions

This is the highest-impact use case. Trade shows are unique selling environments: customers are physically engaged, often excited about exclusives or early access, and ready to make impulse decisions. The window is short. Once they walk away from your booth, the sale often disappears.

Paragon FX Group’s experience illustrates this perfectly. They sell collectibles and props, the kind of products that generate excitement at conventions. Their $10,000 in pre-orders came from customers who were ready to commit on the spot. Without a way to process those orders in person, they would have handed out flyers and hoped for the best.

The easier you make it to order, the more orders you’ll close. A dedicated POS pre-order integration qualifies as “streamlined.” Pen-and-paper signup sheets do not.

For high-ticket items, charging upfront secures commitment while the customer is engaged. With PreProduct’s fulfillment holds, you don’t have to worry about premature shipping.

In-person pre-orders at pop-up shops and retail events

Pop-up shops often feature products that aren’t yet available for immediate purchase. Maybe you’re showcasing a new collection that won’t ship for another month. Maybe you’re testing demand in a new market before committing to inventory.

In these scenarios, pre-orders serve two purposes:

Revenue capture: You close sales while customers are engaged, rather than hoping they’ll remember to order online later
Demand validation: Pre-order volume tells you which products resonate before you place production orders

For fashion brands especially, pop-ups are marketing investments. The goal isn’t just immediate sales; it’s building a customer file and validating product-market fit. Pre-orders at the event accomplish both.

Retail stores with long lead times

Some retail models involve products that can’t be fulfilled immediately. Made-to-order furniture, custom jewelry, personalized goods and specialty items often require weeks or months between order and delivery.

Without a pre-order system, these businesses typically resort to manual processes: paper order forms, follow-up calls to collect payment and spreadsheets to track fulfillment. A proper POS pre-order integration brings these transactions into your normal Shopify workflow, with automatic fulfillment holds and payment tracking.

The average cancellation rate for pre-orders is just 5.4%, meaning customers who commit tend to follow through. This makes pre-orders a reliable revenue forecasting tool for made-to-order businesses.

Setting Up Pre-orders on Shopify POS: Step-by-Step

Getting started requires a few prerequisites and configuration steps. Here’s what you need.

Requirements

Shopify POS Pro: The integration requires a paid Shopify POS plan. POS Pro enables the “Ship all items” functionality that’s essential for pre-order workflows. Without it, Shopify POS marks orders as fulfilled immediately, which breaks the pre-order process.

PreProduct app installed: You’ll need an active PreProduct subscription. If you’re already using PreProduct for online pre-orders, you’re halfway there.

Smart Grid configuration: Your POS Smart Grid must have the “Ship all items” tile enabled. This is what allows staff to mark orders for shipping rather than immediate pickup.

Enabling the integration

In PreProduct, navigate to the Integrations screen
Scroll to the Shopify POS card and click to activate
Click Open POS Settings to access Shopify’s POS sales channel admin
Under POS apps, find Pre-order support for Shopify POS
Add both extensions to your POS configuration
In the POS settings, go to Customize > Smart Grid and verify the “Ship all items” tile is active

That’s it for the technical setup. The integration is now live.

Training staff on the workflow

Staff need to understand a few key points:

Customer information is required: Before a pre-order can be added to cart, the customer must be attached to the session with both an email address and shipping address. If this information is missing, staff will see a prompt telling them to add the customer first.

Orders must be set to “ship”: When a pre-order item is in the cart, PreProduct adds a staff note reminding them that the order contains a pre-order and needs to ship. Staff should click the “Ship all items” tile in Smart Grid, or click the line item and select “Ship” from the menu. This tells Shopify the order still needs to be fulfilled later. If they skip this step, Shopify treats it like a pickup and marks the order as fulfilled immediately.

Payment can be collected now or later: Depending on your setup, staff can process full payment at checkout or leave the order unpaid for later invoicing. Make sure they know which approach you’re using.

For the complete technical documentation, including screenshots and troubleshooting, see the full POS integration guide.

Best Practices for Taking Pre-orders in Person

Once your integration is live, a few practices will help you maximize results.

Always capture complete customer information

The integration requires email and shipping address for good reason. Without contact information, you can’t send order updates, payment reminders, or shipping notifications. Make collecting this information a natural part of the conversation, not an afterthought at checkout.

For trade shows, consider having customers fill out a brief form on a tablet before you add items to cart. This speeds up checkout and ensures you have accurate information.

Communicate lead times clearly

In-person customers may have different expectations than online shoppers. Make sure staff can clearly articulate when the product will ship, what payment will look like (upfront vs. invoiced later) and how customers will receive updates.

For longer lead times (60+ days), transparency is essential. Customers who understand the timeline are less likely to cancel or file chargebacks. The pre-order’s expected ship date should be mentioned verbally and confirmed in the order receipt. Consider building a pre-order email sequence to keep customers informed throughout the waiting period.

Choose your payment approach

For POS pre-orders, you have two options: charge upfront or invoice later. Charging upfront locks in the sale immediately and works well for most convention scenarios. Invoicing later (via draft order) gives flexibility if customers prefer to pay when the product ships.

Track pre-order performance by channel

Once you’re taking pre-orders both online and in person, compare performance across channels. Are convention pre-orders converting at higher rates? Are in-store customers selecting different products than online buyers?

PreProduct’s dashboard consolidates all pre-orders regardless of source, making this analysis straightforward. Use the insights to inform future event participation and inventory planning.

Shopify POS Pre-order Limitations

No solution is perfect, and it’s important to understand where the POS integration has constraints.

Deferred-charge isn’t supported: Shopify POS doesn’t support purchase options, which power the deferred-charge model online. This means the “vault the card now, charge later” flow doesn’t work on POS. Instead, POS pre-orders left unpaid will receive a draft order invoice when you trigger charges. PreProduct handles this automatically, even if you have a mix of online and POS pre-orders for the same listing.

Capture-only pre-orders don’t work: If you use capture-only pre-orders online (where you send a payment link when ready), this model isn’t supported through POS.

Requires POS Pro: The free Shopify POS Lite plan won’t work. You need POS Pro for the shipping functionality that makes pre-orders possible.

Staff need to follow the prompts: Unlike online stores where the pre-order flow is automatic, POS requires staff to follow specific steps. PreProduct shows in-app messaging to guide them (reminders to add customer info, set orders to ship, etc.), but if they skip these prompts the workflow breaks.

These limitations are Shopify platform constraints, not PreProduct constraints. Until Shopify extends native pre-order support to POS, workarounds are necessary for certain functionality.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shopify POS Pre-orders

Does Shopify POS support pre-orders natively?

No. Shopify’s official documentation states that pre-order products are only supported on Online Store and Custom Storefront sales channels. POS is not included.

What payment options work with Shopify POS pre-orders?

Two options: charge upfront (full payment at checkout) or leave unpaid and invoice later via draft order. True deposit pre-orders (partial payment now, balance later via vaulted card) aren’t supported on POS due to Shopify limitations. For deposit workflows, you’d need to use your online store.

Does deferred-charge (pay later) work on POS?

Not through the standard vaulted card method. Shopify POS doesn’t support purchase options. However, you can leave orders unpaid at checkout and send draft order invoices later when you’re ready to collect payment.

Do I need Shopify POS Pro?

Yes. POS Pro is required because it enables the “Ship all items” functionality. Without this, Shopify marks orders as fulfilled immediately, breaking the pre-order workflow.

Will POS pre-orders sync with my online pre-orders?

Yes. All pre-orders appear in your PreProduct dashboard regardless of source. Fulfillment holds, tagging and customer communication work the same across channels.

Start Taking Pre-orders at Your Next Event

The gap between in-person enthusiasm and online conversion is where sales go to die. Customers who are ready to buy at a trade show, convention or pop-up shouldn’t have to navigate to your website later. They should be able to commit on the spot.

With PreProduct’s Shopify POS integration, you can capture those orders immediately. Same pre-order workflow as your online store. Same fulfillment holds. Same dashboard.

If you’re already using PreProduct for online pre-orders on Shopify, enabling POS takes minutes. If you’re new to PreProduct, the integration is included on all plans.

Don’t be the booth handing out business cards while competitors are processing orders.

Pre-sell With PreProduct

7 day free trial with all plans

Contents

Why Shopify POS Doesn’t Support Pre-orders Natively
- What this means for retail merchants
How to Enable Pre-orders on Shopify POS
Best Use Cases for Shopify POS Pre-orders
Setting Up Pre-orders on Shopify POS: Step-by-Step
Best Practices for Taking Pre-orders in Person
Shopify POS Pre-order Limitations
Frequently Asked Questions About Shopify POS Pre-orders
Start Taking Pre-orders at Your Next Event

Pre-Order Button: Design, Copy & Best Practices That Convert

Your pre-order button is where anticipation turns into action. It’s the moment a visitor decides to trust you with their money for a product that doesn’t exist yet. Most merchants slap “Pre-Order Now” on their product page and call it done. But the more savvy brands treat their pre-order button as a conversion tool worth optimizing.

Your button needs to convert immediately, not after visitors come back a second or third time. The design, copy and surrounding elements all play a role in whether someone clicks or bounces.

This guide covers what actually works. We’re drawing on data from over $85 million in pre-order revenue processed through PreProduct, plus industry research on conversion optimization. You’ll learn what high-converting pre-order buttons look like, what copy performs best, and how to avoid the mistakes that cost merchants sales.

What Is a Pre-Order Button?

A pre-order button is the call-to-action that allows customers to purchase a product before it’s available to ship. It replaces the standard “Add to Cart” button on product pages when an item is on pre-order, signaling to customers that they’re committing to a product with a delayed fulfillment timeline.

The pre-order button serves three distinct purposes:

Captures revenue early for products that aren’t yet in stock
Sets expectations that the product will ship at a later date
Creates urgency around limited availability or exclusive access

Unlike a “Notify Me” or waitlist signup button, a pre-order button results in a completed transaction. The customer either pays immediately, pays a deposit, or has their payment method saved for a future charge. This is a critical distinction because pre-orders generate actual revenue, while waitlists only capture intent.

Pre-order button vs Add to Cart vs Notify Me

Button Type	Customer Action	Revenue Generated	Best For
Add to Cart	Purchase in-stock product	Immediate	Products ready to ship
Pre-Order	Purchase product before availability	Immediate or deferred	New launches, restocks
Notify Me	Email signup for availability alert	None (lead capture only)	Unknown restock dates

When you have a firm timeline for product availability, a pre-order button is almost always preferable to a “Notify Me” button. You capture revenue instead of just capturing emails.

Why Your Pre-Order Button Design Matters

Pre-orders can convert at significantly higher rates than standard ecommerce purchases because customers arriving at a pre-order page often have stronger purchase intent. They’ve already decided they want the product; the question is whether they’ll commit now or wait.

Your button is the focal point of that experience. Visitors scanning a product page will look at the product image, the price, and then the call-to-action. If your pre-order button doesn’t immediately communicate what’s happening and why they should act now, you lose the conversion.

The stakes are high because pre-order customers are your most engaged buyers. They’re willing to pay for something before it exists. According to data from over one million pre-orders, the average cancellation rate is just 5.4%. These are committed customers, but only if you convert them in the first place.

Design details matter more than most merchants realize. Small changes to the button and surrounding elements, like adding countdown timers or limited quantity badges, can meaningfully impact your pre-order revenue.

Pre-Order Button Copy: What Should It Say?

The text on your pre-order button needs to accomplish two things: make the action clear and set the right expectation. Generic button text like “Buy Now” creates confusion when products aren’t ready to ship.

Effective pre-order button text options:

“Pre-Order Now” – Clear and direct. Works for most situations.
“Reserve Yours” – Creates exclusivity. Good for limited releases.
“Order Now – Ships [Month]” – Includes shipping timeline. Reduces support tickets.
“Pre-Order – Pay $X Deposit” – Transparent about deposit model. Good for higher-ticket items.
“Secure Your Order” – Implies scarcity without being pushy.

The best button copy depends on your pre-order payment model. If you’re charging upfront, “Pre-Order Now” works well. If you’re taking a deposit, the button should communicate that. If you’re charging later, consider “Reserve Now – Pay When It Ships.”

Supporting text is just as important as the button itself. The area immediately around your pre-order button should include:

Expected shipping date or window (e.g., “Ships March 2026” or “Ships in 4-6 weeks”)
Payment terms if using deposits or charge-later (e.g., “Pay 20% now, rest when shipped”)
What’s included if there are pre-order bonuses or early-bird pricing

One unexpected finding from our data: 90.4% of pre-orders are not discounted. You don’t need to offer a discount to convert pre-orders. Customers are often willing to pay full price for the guarantee of getting a product when it launches. This means your button copy should focus on the product value and timeline, not necessarily on savings.

What NOT to say on your pre-order button:

“Add to Cart” – Misleading when the product won’t ship immediately
“Buy Now” – Doesn’t set pre-order expectations
Just “Order” – Too vague, doesn’t communicate timing
“Coming Soon” – Not actionable, better for a landing page CTA

Your pre-order policy should handle the detailed terms and conditions. The button copy should focus on clarity and action.

Pre-Order Button Design Best Practices

Visual Design Elements

Your pre-order button should stand out from the rest of your product page while still fitting your brand. Here are the key design considerations:

Color and contrast

The button color should create clear visual contrast against your page background. If your site has a white background with black text, a bold color like orange, green, or blue draws attention to the call-to-action. The goal isn’t to be jarring; it’s to make the button the obvious next step.

Many brands use a different color for pre-order buttons than their standard “Add to Cart” buttons. This visual distinction helps reinforce that this is a different type of purchase. Consider using a slightly different shade or adding an icon (like a calendar or clock) to differentiate.

Button size and placement

Pre-order buttons should be at least as large as your standard “Add to Cart” button, if not larger. A small or de-emphasized button signals uncertainty about the offer. Make it prominent.

Placement should follow standard ecommerce conventions. Position the button near the product price, above the fold on desktop, and easily accessible without scrolling on mobile. Customers expect the buy button in a specific location; don’t make them hunt for it.

Sticky and secondary buttons

For longer product pages with detailed descriptions, specs, or image galleries, a single above-the-fold button may not be enough. By the time customers finish reading, the buy button is far out of view.

Sticky buttons solve this on mobile. A fixed button bar at the bottom of the screen stays visible as users scroll through product details. When they’re ready to commit, the button is right there. Most Shopify themes support sticky add-to-cart functionality, and this works with pre-order buttons too.

On desktop, consider adding a secondary pre-order button below the fold. Place it after your product description, after customer reviews, or at the end of a comparison section. Wherever a customer might finish reading and be ready to buy, give them a button. These secondary buttons should use the same text and styling as your primary button for consistency.

Mobile-first considerations

The majority of ecommerce traffic now comes from mobile devices. Your pre-order button design must prioritize mobile users.

On mobile, this means:

Button should span the full width of the screen or nearly so
Tap target should be at least 44×44 pixels (Apple’s recommendation)
Supporting text should be visible without scrolling past the button
Use a sticky button bar for longer product pages

Test your pre-order page on actual mobile devices. What looks good in a desktop browser preview may not work well with actual thumbs tapping actual screens.

Urgency and Scarcity Elements

The most effective pre-order buttons don’t exist in isolation. They’re surrounded by elements that create urgency and reinforce the value of acting now.

Countdown timers

Countdown timers work because they transform a passive decision (“I’ll think about it”) into an active one (“I need to decide before time runs out”).

Use countdown timers for:

Early-bird pricing deadlines
Pre-order windows that close at a specific date
Limited-time bundles or bonuses

Don’t use fake or evergreen countdown timers. Customers notice, and it damages trust. If the deadline isn’t real, skip the timer.

Limited quantity badges

Displaying “Only 50 left” or “Limited to 200 units” creates genuine scarcity that motivates action.

This works particularly well for:

Limited edition products
First production runs with genuinely limited inventory
Products with capacity constraints (like events or services)

If your pre-order has a limit, display it. If it doesn’t, don’t fake it. You can also display the number of pre-orders already placed (social proof) rather than what’s remaining (scarcity).

Progress bars

A crowdfunding-style progress bar can be effective for certain types of pre-orders. Showing “75% funded” or “450 of 500 units sold” creates momentum and social proof.

Progress bars work best for:

Products that need a minimum order quantity to go into production
Limited runs where you want to show demand
Campaigns with a funding goal (Kickstarter-style on your own store)

Pre-Order Button Examples From Top Brands

The best way to understand effective pre-order buttons is to see them in action. Here are patterns that work across different industries:

Electronics and tech gadgets

Tech brands often show shipping dates directly in or near the button. “Pre-Order – Ships December 2026” removes ambiguity. They also frequently display expected specifications or features near the CTA to justify the wait.

Fashion and apparel

Fashion brands use pre-orders for seasonal collections and limited drops. The most effective buttons emphasize exclusivity (“Reserve Your Piece”) and often include early-bird incentives. Size selection remains visible and functional even on pre-order items.

Home and kitchen

These brands typically have longer lead times and higher price points. Deposit-based pre-orders are common, with button text clearly stating the deposit amount. Supporting copy often includes production and shipping timelines.

Consumables and food

Limited batches and seasonal items work well with pre-orders. Button copy often includes the specific product run (“Spring 2026 Batch”) and expected delivery windows.

For more inspiration on pre-order page design, see our pre-order landing page examples guide.

How to Add a Pre-Order Button on Shopify

There are two primary approaches to adding a pre-order button to your Shopify store: using a dedicated app or customizing your theme manually.

Option 1: Using a Pre-Order App (Recommended)

For most merchants, a Shopify pre-order app is the right choice. Apps handle the complexity of pre-order management, including:

Automatically replacing “Add to Cart” with “Pre-Order” on selected products
Managing different payment models (charge upfront, charge later, deposits)
Setting expected shipping dates and displaying them to customers
Preventing premature fulfillment with automatic holds
Sending pre-order specific email communications

When evaluating pre-order apps, look for:

Button customization – Can you change the text, color, and style to match your brand?
Payment flexibility – Does it support charge-later and deposits, or only upfront payments?
Shipping date display – Can customers see when the product will ship?
Mobile optimization – Does the button and supporting elements work well on mobile?
Integration with your checkout – Does it work with Shopify’s native checkout?

Many pre-order apps, including PreProduct , take over your store’s existing buy button when a product is on pre-order. This means button styling (size, color, shape) is handled through your normal theme editor or page builder. You don’t need to worry about the pre-order button looking different from the rest of your store. The pre-order specific wording and messaging is configured within the app itself.

If you sell internationally, consider adding translations for your button text. “Pre-Order Now” works in English, but you’ll want localized versions for other markets.

PreProduct supports all of these features and integrates natively with Shopify. You can customize the pre-order button text, show deposit amounts, display shipping dates, and use your store’s existing button styles. Check out the complete Shopify pre-order guide for a full walkthrough.

Option 2: Manual Theme Customization

It is possible to add a pre-order button without an app by modifying your Shopify theme code. This involves creating a custom product template that:

Changes the button text to “Pre-Order”
Enables “Continue selling when out of stock” for pre-order products
Adds conditional logic to show pre-order messaging

The manual approach has significant limitations:

No built-in payment flexibility (you can only charge upfront)
No automatic fulfillment holds
No customer portal for pre-order status
Requires theme code changes that may break with updates
No dedicated pre-order reporting or management

For brands just testing whether pre-orders work for their products, the manual approach might be a starting point. For anyone serious about running pre-orders at scale, an app is the right investment.

Pre-Order Button Mistakes to Avoid

After processing over a million pre-orders, we’ve seen the mistakes that cost merchants sales. Avoid these common errors:

Hiding the shipping timeline

Customers need to know when they’ll receive their product. Burying the expected ship date in product descriptions or FAQs leads to confusion, support tickets, and cancellations. Put the shipping timeline near the button where customers can’t miss it.

Using standard “Add to Cart” text

When the button says “Add to Cart” or “Buy Now” but the product won’t ship immediately, customers feel misled. This damages trust and increases cancellation requests. Always use button text that clearly indicates a pre-order.

Ignoring mobile users

With most ecommerce traffic coming from mobile, a pre-order button that’s hard to tap or surrounded by cluttered elements loses conversions. Test your pre-order page on actual mobile devices before launching.

Not differentiating from in-stock products

Pre-order products should look visibly different from in-stock items. Use badges, different button colors, or other visual cues. Customers browsing your collection should immediately understand which products are available now versus on pre-order.

Skipping pre-order-specific emails

The button starts the relationship, but pre-order email sequences maintain it. Customers who pre-order need confirmation emails with clear timelines, updates if dates change, and notification when their order ships. The button is just the beginning.

Overcomplicating the checkout

Once someone clicks your pre-order button, the path to completion should be smooth. Don’t add unnecessary upsells, pop-ups, or distractions. Pre-order customers have already decided; let them finish the transaction.

Key Takeaways

Your pre-order button is more than a clickable element. It’s the conversion point where product interest becomes revenue. Getting it right requires attention to copy, design, and the supporting elements around it.

Remember these principles:

Use clear button text that sets pre-order expectations (“Pre-Order Now” not “Buy Now”)
Display shipping timelines prominently near the button
Design for mobile first; most of your orders will come from phones
Consider using urgency elements like countdown timers and quantity limits when genuine
Test button copy and design; small changes can significantly impact conversions

Most pre-orders don’t need discounts. 90.4% of pre-orders in our data are sold at full price. Focus on communicating value and building trust rather than racing to the bottom on price.

If you’re ready to start taking pre-orders on Shopify, the PreProduct app handles the technical complexity so you can focus on your product launch. For merchants who prefer to start manually, our how to do pre-orders on Shopify guide walks through every step.

Pre-sell With PreProduct

7 day free trial with all plans

Contents

What Is a Pre-Order Button?
Why Your Pre-Order Button Design Matters
Pre-Order Button Copy: What Should It Say?
Pre-Order Button Design Best Practices
- Visual Design Elements
- Urgency and Scarcity Elements
Pre-Order Button Examples From Top Brands
How to Add a Pre-Order Button on Shopify
- Option 1: Using a Pre-Order App (Recommended)
- Option 2: Manual Theme Customization
Pre-Order Button Mistakes to Avoid
Key Takeaways

How to Run a Pre-order Campaign: Complete Guide for Ecommerce Brands

A pre-order campaign is more than just flipping a switch and hoping customers find your product. It’s a coordinated effort to build anticipation, capture demand, and generate revenue before your inventory even arrives. Yet most merchants treat pre-orders as an afterthought, missing out on the strategic advantages that come from proper campaign planning.

The difference between “having pre-orders enabled” and “running a pre-order campaign” can be significant. A coordinated launch concentrates demand into a defined window, creating momentum that builds on itself. That kind of energy doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from deliberate marketing, clear communication, and a phased approach that builds excitement before launch day.

This guide breaks down exactly how to plan and execute a pre-order campaign from start to finish. We’ll cover everything from choosing the right payment model to post-campaign analysis, backed by insights from over $85 million in pre-order sales.

What Is a Pre-order Campaign?

A pre-order campaign is a structured marketing effort designed to sell products before they’re available to ship. Unlike simply enabling pre-orders on your store, a campaign involves deliberate phases: building anticipation, launching with momentum, sustaining interest through the pre-order window, and following through with clear communication until fulfillment.

Pre-order campaigns make sense in several scenarios:

New product launches where you want to validate demand before committing to large inventory orders
Restocks of popular items where you know demand exists but need time to replenish
Limited edition releases where scarcity and exclusivity drive urgency
Seasonal products where timing matters and you need to capture intent early
Made-to-order items where production only begins after orders come in

The key distinction is intentionality. A campaign has a beginning, middle, and end. It has marketing assets, email sequences, and clear timelines. It treats the pre-order period as an opportunity rather than an inconvenience.

Why Run a Pre-order Campaign Instead of Just Enabling Pre-orders?

Merchants who treat pre-orders as campaigns rather than features see better results across multiple dimensions.

Revenue concentration matters. When you launch with coordinated marketing, you compress demand into a shorter window. This creates visible momentum that feeds on itself. Customers see other people buying, which validates their decision to purchase. Social proof builds naturally when you have a defined launch moment.

Demand forecasting becomes more accurate. A campaign gives you a cleaner signal of actual demand. Instead of trickling orders over weeks or months, you get a concentrated burst that helps you understand how many units you’ll actually sell. This informs production decisions, inventory planning, and future marketing spend.

Customer acquisition costs can decrease. When you build anticipation before launch, your audience is primed to convert. Email subscribers who’ve been warmed up convert at higher rates than cold traffic. Influencer partnerships generate more impact when coordinated around a specific launch date rather than an evergreen availability.

Brand building compounds. Successful pre-order campaigns become part of your brand story. Customers remember being part of a launch. They share their excitement on social media. They become advocates who bring others into your next campaign.

The data supports treating pre-orders as strategic opportunities. Our analysis of 1 million+ pre-orders reveals patterns in payment models, pricing, and timelines that successful merchants use to optimize their approach.

Phase 1: Pre-Campaign Preparation (4-6 Weeks Before Launch)

The work you do before opening pre-orders determines how successful your campaign will be. This preparation phase covers three critical areas: payment model selection, timeline setting, and asset creation.

Choose Your Payment Model

Your payment model affects customer psychology, cash flow, and operational complexity. There’s no universally right answer; the best choice depends on your specific situation.

Charge upfront works best when:

Your lead time is relatively short (under 30 days)
You have established trust with your audience
You need cash flow immediately to fund production
You’re offering limited quantities where demand certainty matters

Charge later (collecting payment at shipping) works best when:

Your lead time is longer or uncertain
You’re launching a new product where customers may be hesitant
You want to maximize pre-order volume by reducing purchase friction
You’re comfortable with the operational complexity of deferred charging

According to our data, 43.8% of pre-order listings use charge-later payment models. This suggests many merchants find that reducing upfront commitment increases total pre-order volume.

Deposits (partial payment now, balance at shipping) work best when:

You’re selling higher-ticket items where full payment feels risky
You want some commitment without the full friction of charge-upfront
You need partial cash flow now but don’t want to charge the full amount

For a deeper comparison of these approaches, see our complete guide to pre-order payment models.

Set Realistic Timelines

Nothing damages a pre-order campaign like missed shipping dates. Customers are surprisingly patient when expectations are set correctly from the start. They become frustrated when promises are broken.

Our data shows that the most common shipping timeframe for pre-orders is 121-150 days, representing 28.1% of all pre-orders. This tells us that customers are willing to wait several months for products they want, as long as they know what to expect.

Best practices for timeline setting:

Add buffer to your estimates. If your manufacturer says 8 weeks, tell customers 10-12 weeks. Under-promising and over-delivering builds trust.
Plan for delays. Manufacturing issues happen. Have a communication plan ready for if (when) timelines slip.
Be specific when possible. “Ships in Q2” is less compelling than “Ships week of May 15th.” Specificity signals confidence (although this needs to be balanced with the need for the last point!)
Account for shipping transit time. Your timeline should reflect when customers receive products, not when you ship them.

The gap between pre-order open and delivery should be reflected in your pre-order policy. For example, a pre-order with a 6 month ETA should probably be a charge-later or deposit listing. Where as charging upfront for a pre-order shipping in two weeks is absolutely fine.

Build Your Marketing Assets

Before launch day, you need everything ready to go:

Product photography and video. Even if your final product isn’t ready, you need compelling visuals. Factory samples, 3D renders, or prototype images work fine as long as you’re transparent that final products may vary slightly.

Landing page or product page. Your pre-order product page needs to clearly communicate that this is a pre-order, when customers can expect delivery, and how payment works. Ambiguity creates support tickets and cancellations.

Email sequences. Draft your launch announcement, reminder emails, and post-purchase communication before you go live. You’ll want:

Teaser emails for the weeks before launch
Launch day announcement
Mid-campaign reminders for those who haven’t purchased
Order confirmation with clear pre-order terms
Shipping updates as you approach fulfillment

For detailed guidance, see our pre-order email sequence guide.

Social content calendar. Plan your posts for each day of the campaign. Behind-the-scenes content, customer quotes, progress updates, and deadline reminders all keep momentum going.

Phase 2: Building Anticipation (2-4 Weeks Before Launch)

The pre-launch period is about priming your audience so they’re ready to buy the moment pre-orders open.

Email List Warm-up

Your existing subscribers are your most likely customers. Start warming them up:

Tease the product. Share glimpses without revealing everything. Create curiosity.
Offer early access. Let subscribers know they’ll get first dibs on pre-orders.
Build a VIP list. Create a separate signup for people who want launch notifications. This segment is your highest-intent audience.

Social Media Seeding

Use social platforms to build buzz:

Behind-the-scenes content showing product development, manufacturing visits, or design decisions
Countdown posts as launch day approaches
Influencer seeding by sending samples to creators who will share their honest reactions on launch day

Pre-launch Landing Page

If you’re not ready to take pre-orders yet, create a coming soon page that captures email addresses. This builds your launch list while creating a sense of anticipation. Include:

Product imagery
Brief description of what’s coming
Expected launch date
Email signup form
Social proof if available (press mentions, early reviews, etc.)

https://shop.mattel.com.au/collections/coming-soon

Phase 3: Campaign Launch (Days 1-7)

Launch day is your biggest opportunity for momentum. Concentrate your efforts here.

Launch Day Execution

Everything should fire simultaneously:

Email blast to your full list, with VIP early access going out slightly earlier if you offered it
Social media announcement across all platforms
Influencer activation with coordinated posts from creators who received samples
Paid advertising launch if you’re running ads, start them now to capture the launch momentum

The goal is creating the feeling that something is happening. When customers see activity across multiple channels, social proof kicks in.

First Week Momentum

Keep the energy going through week one:

Daily social updates showing order counts, customer reactions, or production progress
User-generated content requests asking customers to share their purchase excitement
Progress tracking like “500 units claimed, only 200 remaining” creates urgency without being manipulative (as long as numbers are real)

Consider adding a crowdfunding-style progress bar to your product page. Visual progress indicators tap into the same psychology that makes Kickstarter campaigns compelling.

Phase 4: Mid-Campaign Management (Week 2+)

After the initial launch burst, maintaining momentum requires consistent effort.

Maintaining Momentum

Weekly email updates to your list highlighting progress, new testimonials, or behind-the-scenes content
New angles and content that give you fresh reasons to reach out to your audience
Genuine scarcity messaging if you have limited quantities or a deadline approaching

The key is providing value with each touchpoint, not just asking for the sale repeatedly.

Customer Communication

For customers who have already pre-ordered:

Order confirmation with crystal clear terms on when they’ll be charged (if charge-later) and when they’ll receive products
Shipping timeline reminders as you approach the estimated date
Production updates if you have interesting progress to share

Good communication during the pre-order period reduces cancellations. Our data shows an average cancellation rate of 5.4%. Merchants who communicate proactively typically see rates below this average.

Phase 5: Campaign Close and Post-Launch

Closing the Campaign

If your pre-order has a deadline:

Last chance messaging in the final 48-72 hours creates urgency
Deadline reminders via email and social media
Final conversion push with any remaining incentives you’re offering

Be specific about what happens when the deadline passes. “Pre-orders close Sunday at midnight” is more compelling than “pre-orders ending soon.”

Post-Campaign Analysis

After your campaign closes (or after you fulfill and ship), review your performance:

Pre-order conversion rate: What percentage of product page visitors placed pre-orders?
Email signup to pre-order conversion: How many of your launch list actually bought?
Average order value: Did bundling or upsells work?
Cancellation rate: How does yours compare to the 5.4% average?
Time to charge (if charge-later): How long between order and payment collection?
Payment success rate: Did deferred charges go through smoothly?

If you experience failed charges during collection, our guide on recovering failed Shopify payments covers dunning strategies and best practices (for example, PreProduct has a failed charge flow that can be initiated).

Pre-order Campaign Metrics That Matter

Track these KPIs to optimize future campaigns:

Conversion metrics:

Pre-order page conversion rate
Email click-to-purchase rate
Ad ROAS for pre-order campaigns

Financial metrics:

Average order value
Revenue per email subscriber
Cost per pre-order acquisition

Operational metrics:

Cancellation rate
Support ticket volume
Charge success rate (for deferred payment models)

Engagement metrics:

Email open and click rates throughout campaign
Social engagement on pre-order announcements
Referral/share rates

For benchmarks on pricing and other factors, our 1M pre-orders report shows that the most common price range for pre-order products is over $250, representing 26.8% of listings. This suggests pre-orders work particularly well for higher-ticket items where customers are willing to wait for quality.

Common Pre-order Campaign Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not communicating delivery timelines clearly. Vague shipping estimates create customer anxiety and support burden. Be as specific as possible, and if anything changes, communicate immediately.

2. Overpromising and under-delivering. Whether it’s product features, quality, or timing, broken promises destroy trust. It’s better to launch with realistic expectations than to set yourself up for disappointment.

3. Missing early-bird incentives. Give customers a reason to buy now rather than later. Limited-time pricing, exclusive bonuses, or early access to future products can compress your sales into the launch window.

4. Ignoring post-purchase communication. The sale isn’t over when someone pre-orders. Keep customers engaged and informed throughout the waiting period. Silence breeds anxiety and cancellation requests.

5. Not having a cancellation recovery plan. Some cancellations are inevitable. Have a process for handling them gracefully, and consider whether you can win back cancelled customers with future offers.

Pre-order Campaign Ideas by Industry

Different product categories call for different approaches.

Fashion and Apparel

Seasonal collection drops where the entire collection launches on pre-order before production
Limited colorways available only through pre-order
Collaboration pieces with designers or influencers
Made-to-order models that reduce waste and overproduction

Consumer Electronics and Gadgets

New product launches where pre-orders fund production runs
Next-gen product releases before current inventory is depleted
Founder’s edition packaging or features exclusive to pre-order customers

Food and Beverage

Seasonal products (holiday items, limited flavors)
New flavor launches with exclusive early access
Subscription box previews where subscribers get first access to new products

Home Goods and Furniture

Custom/made-to-order pieces where production begins after order
New collection launches before warehouse stock arrives
Exclusive finishes or materials available only through pre-order

For more pre-order best practices across industries, we’ve compiled data-driven strategies from merchants running successful campaigns.

Conclusion

Running a successful pre-order campaign is where you do more than just enable ‘pre-order’ on your store. It’s where you put in intentional planning across five phases: preparation, anticipation-building, launch, mid-campaign management, and post-campaign analysis.

The merchants who see the best results treat pre-orders as strategic marketing events rather than operational necessities. They choose payment models that match their business needs, set realistic timelines with built-in buffer, and communicate consistently throughout the customer journey.

Key takeaways:

Start preparing 4-6 weeks before you want to open pre-orders
Choose a payment model based on your lead time and customer trust level
Build anticipation through email warm-up and social seeding before launch
Concentrate marketing efforts on launch day for maximum momentum
Communicate proactively with customers throughout the waiting period
Analyze results to improve future campaigns

If you’re running pre-orders on Shopify, tools like PreProduct can help you manage payment collection, customer communication, and fulfillment holds. But regardless of what tools you use, the principles remain the same: plan deliberately, launch with momentum, and communicate clearly.

Your next product launch deserves more than a passive pre-order button. Give it a campaign!

Pre-sell With PreProduct

7 day free trial with all plans

Contents

What Is a Pre-order Campaign?
Why Run a Pre-order Campaign Instead of Just Enabling Pre-orders?
Phase 1: Pre-Campaign Preparation (4-6 Weeks Before Launch)
Phase 2: Building Anticipation (2-4 Weeks Before Launch)
Phase 3: Campaign Launch (Days 1-7)
- Launch Day Execution
- First Week Momentum
Phase 4: Mid-Campaign Management (Week 2+)
- Maintaining Momentum
- Customer Communication
Phase 5: Campaign Close and Post-Launch
- Closing the Campaign
- Post-Campaign Analysis
Pre-order Campaign Metrics That Matter
Common Pre-order Campaign Mistakes to Avoid
Pre-order Campaign Ideas by Industry
Conclusion

Shopify Split Payments: How to Let Customers Pay in Parts

Payment flexibility matters more than most merchants realize. According to Baymard Institute, 10% of shoppers abandon their carts because there aren’t enough payment methods. For merchants selling higher-ticket items or running pre-orders with long lead times, that’s revenue walking out the door. Split payments can be the difference between a completed order and an abandoned cart.

But here’s the catch: Shopify doesn’t natively support split payments for online checkout. You can’t split a transaction across two credit cards or let a customer pay half now and half later without some workarounds. The good news is there are several ways to make split payments work on your store. This guide breaks down your options so you can pick the right approach for your business.

What Are Split Payments on Shopify?

Split payments let customers divide a purchase into multiple transactions. This can mean:

Splitting across payment methods (two credit cards, card + gift card)
Partial payments (deposit now, balance later)
Installments (pay over several weeks or months)

These terms often get used interchangeably, but they work differently on Shopify. For a deeper dive into partial payments, deposits and deferred charges, see our Shopify partial payments guide.

Why Split Payments Matter for Your Store

The data makes a strong case. Shopify reports that Shop Pay Installments reduces abandoned carts by 28%, with one in four merchants seeing a 50% increase in AOV after enabling it. For pre-orders specifically, payment flexibility plays an even bigger role. According to data from over 1 million pre-orders, 43.8% of pre-order listings use charge-later models where customers pay nothing upfront. Removing that upfront friction helps validate demand before you commit to inventory.

The Shopify Split Payment Limitation

Let’s be clear about what Shopify can and cannot do natively.

What Shopify does NOT support:

Splitting an online checkout across two credit cards
Letting customers pay a portion now and the rest later (without apps)
Multiple payment methods in a single online transaction

What Shopify DOES support:

Split payments at point of sale (POS) for in-person transactions
Draft orders with manual partial payments
Shop Pay Installments (BNPL through Affirm)
Shopify Plus B2B partial payments

The limitation comes down to how payment gateways work. Security requirements make it difficult to hold multiple payment methods in a single checkout session. This is why most split payment solutions for online stores require either manual processes or third-party apps.

Technical note: Only certain payment gateways support storing card details for later charges. Shopify Payments and PayPal support vaulted cards, which means they can securely save a customer’s payment method to charge later without the customer taking any additional action. This distinction matters when choosing how to handle split payments, and we’ll cover it more in the third-party apps section.

5 Ways to Accept Split Payments on Shopify

1. Shopify POS (In-Person Sales)

If you sell in person, Shopify POS supports split payments natively. Customers can pay using any combination of:

Multiple credit cards
Cash and card
Gift cards and card
Store credit and other methods

This works well for retail stores, markets and pop-ups. The catch is obvious: it only works for in-person sales. If your business is primarily online, you’ll need one of the other options below.

2. Draft Orders (Manual B2B Method)

Draft orders let you create custom invoices with partial payment requirements. Here’s how it works:

Create a draft order in Shopify admin
Set a deposit amount or percentage
Send the invoice to your customer
Manually record additional payments as they come in

Best for: B2B transactions, custom quotes, one-off large orders where you’re already in direct contact with the customer.

Limitations:

Manual process that doesn’t scale
No automation for balance collection
Requires hands-on management of each transaction

For low-volume, high-touch situations, draft orders work fine. For anything at scale, you’ll want a more automated solution.

3. Shop Pay Installments (Native BNPL)

Shop Pay Installments is Shopify’s built-in buy now, pay later option, powered by Affirm. Customers can split purchases into 2-4 interest-free payments.

How it works:

Customer selects Shop Pay Installments at checkout
Affirm runs a soft credit check
If approved, customer pays in bi-weekly installments
You receive the full payment upfront (minus fees)

Eligibility requirements:

Store must be in the US, Canada or UK
Must use Shopify Payments as your gateway
Orders typically between $50-$3,000

Best for: In-stock items with immediate shipping. Shop Pay Installments charges the customer right away and you ship the product. It’s not designed for pre-orders or products with long lead times.

For more on installment options, see our Shopify payment plans guide.

4. Shopify Plus B2B Partial Payments

If you’re on Shopify Plus with B2B customers, you can now set deposit requirements directly on payment terms. This is a relatively new feature that lets you:

Require a percentage upfront on wholesale orders
Record partial payments in the Shopify admin
Manage payment schedules for net terms

Best for: Wholesale accounts, B2B customers on net-30/60/90 terms, enterprise clients who expect deposit and balance payment structures.

This feature is limited to Plus merchants with the B2B channel enabled.

5. Third-Party Apps

For most online stores, third-party apps are the practical solution for split payments. But not all apps work the same way. There are two fundamentally different approaches:

Invoice-based apps (Split Partial Deposit, SpurIT, etc.):

Send payment links via email for the balance
Customer must click a link and complete payment manually
Works with any payment gateway
Requires customer action for each subsequent payment

Vaulted card apps (PreProduct):

Customer completes checkout once, card stored securely
Balance charges happen automatically, no customer action needed
Requires Shopify Payments or PayPal
Single checkout experience, multiple charges
Supports multi-step payment plans where customers choose their installment count

This isn’t just a feature difference. It’s an architectural distinction that affects customer experience and conversion rates. With invoice-based apps, every balance payment is a potential drop-off point. The customer has to open an email, click a link, and re-enter payment details. With vaulted card apps, the customer goes through the buying flow once and you handle the rest.

App Type	Customer Experience	Gateway Requirement	Best For
Invoice-based	Multiple touchpoints, customer action required	Any gateway	Non-Shopify Payments stores
Vaulted card	Single checkout, automatic charges	Shopify Payments or PayPal	Stores wanting seamless experience

For stores using Shopify Payments, vaulted card apps provide a better customer experience. For stores on other gateways, invoice-based apps are your only option.

When to Use Each Split Payment Method

Choosing the right method depends on your situation. Here’s a quick framework:

Use Shopify POS if:

You sell in person (retail, markets, events)
Customers want to split across cards or payment types at the register

Use draft orders if:

You handle low-volume, high-value B2B transactions
You’re already in direct contact with each customer
You need complete flexibility on payment terms

Use Shop Pay Installments if:

You sell in-stock products that ship immediately
Your orders are typically $50-$3,000
You use Shopify Payments and are in the US, Canada or UK

Use Shopify Plus B2B if:

You’re on Plus with B2B customers
You need deposits on wholesale orders
Your customers expect net terms with partial payments

Use third-party apps if:

You sell pre-orders or products with lead times
You want deposits or charge-later models
You need automated balance collection

Use Case	Best Method	Why
In-person retail	Shopify POS	Native support, no setup needed
B2B wholesale (Plus)	Shopify Plus B2B	Built-in, no extra apps
Low-volume custom orders	Draft orders	Flexible, manual control
In-stock BNPL	Shop Pay Installments	Native, customer-friendly
Pre-orders and deposits	Third-party apps	Automation, payment flexibility

Split Payments for Pre-orders

Pre-orders need a different approach because you’re selling products that don’t exist yet, or haven’t arrived. The timing between order and fulfillment changes everything.

The most popular pre-order payment models:

Charge-later: $0 upfront, charge when ready to ship. This is the most common approach, with 43.8% of pre-order listings using it according to PreProduct data. It removes upfront friction and lets you validate demand before inventory investment.
Deposits: 20-50% upfront, balance when ready. Works well for higher-priced items where you want customer commitment.
Multi-step plans: Spread payments across the production timeline with multi-step payment plans. Customers choose how many installments they want, and charges happen automatically on a schedule you define. Common for crowdfunding-style launches or higher-ticket pre-orders.

For a complete breakdown of payment models and when to use each, see our pre-order payment models guide.

The key for pre-orders is that vaulted card technology makes a significant difference. Customers only go through checkout once. No invoices, no payment links, no additional friction when it’s time to collect the balance.

Common Questions About Shopify Split Payments

Can I split a Shopify checkout between two credit cards?

Not natively. Shopify’s online checkout only supports one payment method per transaction. To split across cards, you’d need to use draft orders (manually) or a third-party app that supports multiple payment captures.

What if the second payment fails?

This is where dunning workflows matter. Good split payment apps will automatically retry failed charges and notify customers. For a deep dive on recovering failed payments, see our failed Shopify payments guide.

Which payment gateways support vaulted cards?

Shopify Payments, PayPal and Cybersource can securely store card details for deferred charging. Other gateways don’t support this, so you’ll need invoice-based solutions instead.

What’s the ideal deposit percentage?

Most merchants find 20-50% works well. Lower deposits reduce friction; higher deposits secure more commitment. It depends on your product price point and lead times.

Can I use Shop Pay Installments for pre-orders?

Shop Pay Installments charges customers immediately, so it’s designed for in-stock products. For pre-orders where you want to charge later, you’ll need a different approach like charge-later or deposit pre-orders.

Making Split Payments Work for Your Store

Split payments aren’t one-size-fits-all. The right approach depends on whether you’re selling in person or online, whether you use Shopify Payments, and whether you need deposits for pre-orders or installments for in-stock products.

Here’s the quick version:

In-person? Shopify POS handles it natively
B2B on Plus? Use the built-in partial payments feature
In-stock products via buy-now-pay-later (ship now)? Shop Pay Installments (powered by Affirm)
In-stock products via vaulted card (ship later)? We actually have a sister app to PreProduct called Payment Plans that is designed for non-pre-orders.
Pre-orders or custom orders? Third-party apps with vaulted card support give you the best experience

The distinction between invoice-based and vaulted card apps is worth understanding. For pre-orders especially, having customers complete checkout once and handling subsequent charges automatically makes a real difference in completion rates.

If you’re running pre-orders and want to explore deposit or charge-later options, PreProduct can help you set up split payment models that keep everything within Shopify’s native checkout.

Pre-sell With PreProduct

7 day free trial with all plans

Contents

What Are Split Payments on Shopify?
Why Split Payments Matter for Your Store
The Shopify Split Payment Limitation
5 Ways to Accept Split Payments on Shopify
When to Use Each Split Payment Method
Split Payments for Pre-orders
Common Questions About Shopify Split Payments
Making Split Payments Work for Your Store

Shopify Coming Soon Pages: Complete Guide to Pre-Launch Success

Coming soon pages are not just placeholders. They are the first step in a two-phase launch strategy that can generate revenue before your product even ships. Whether you are launching a new Shopify store or preparing to release a product line, well-built coming soon pages capture attention, build your audience and set the stage for what comes next.

https://www.fashionnova.com/collections/coming-soon

Most merchants face a frustrating choice: wait until everything is perfect to start marketing, or launch early and risk looking unprepared. Coming soon pages solve this problem by letting you build momentum while you finalize the details. But the real opportunity that most merchants miss is converting that momentum into actual sales through pre-orders.

This guide covers how to create a coming soon page on Shopify, what elements drive the highest conversions, and when to transition from email capture to revenue capture with pre-orders.

What Are Shopify Coming Soon Pages?

Coming soon pages are temporary landing pages that appear before your store or product officially launches. They serve as a preview of what customers can expect while giving you a way to start building your audience immediately.

There are two main types of coming soon pages on Shopify:

Brand launch pages use Shopify’s built-in password protection to show visitors a teaser while you build out your full store. This is ideal when you are launching a new brand and want to capture email addresses before opening for business.

https://www.shopify.com/au/blog/coming-soon-page

Product launch pages are dedicated landing pages for an upcoming product within an existing store. These work well for new collections, collaborations, or seasonal launches where you want to generate buzz without revealing the full details yet.

The purpose of both is the same: build your audience, capture email leads and create anticipation before the official launch. The difference lies in scope and implementation.

When Do You Need Coming Soon Pages?

Coming soon pages make sense in several situations:

Launching a new Shopify store. If you are building your first store or rebranding an existing business, a coming soon page lets you start marketing before the site is ready. You can begin collecting email addresses and building social proof while you finalize products, photography and checkout flows.

Releasing a new product line. A coming soon website landing page for a new collection builds anticipation and gives you a single URL to share across all marketing channels. This works especially well for seasonal drops or collaborations where timing matters.

https://designstuff.com.au/collections/coming-soon

Testing market demand. Before committing to inventory or production, a coming soon page lets you gauge interest. If you collect 500 email signups in a week, you have a signal that demand exists. If you collect five, you might want to rethink your approach. Many merchants use this validation step before transitioning to pre-orders, which provide an even stronger demand signal since customers are putting money down. If you are new to the concept, see our guide on how pre-orders work.

Building a pre-launch email list. The merchants who have the strongest launch days are the ones who spent weeks or months building an audience beforehand. A pre-launch landing page is the simplest way to capture those leads.

Benefits of Shopify Coming Soon Pages

Beyond the obvious audience-building function, coming soon pages offer several strategic advantages.

Get a head start on SEO. Your domain starts getting indexed as soon as it goes live, even with just a coming soon page. This gives search engines time to discover your site before your full launch, which can help your product pages rank faster once they are published.

Capture qualified leads. Someone who signs up for a “notify me” list has already shown interest in what you are building. These leads are more likely to convert than cold traffic, making your launch day marketing significantly more effective.

Test messaging and positioning. The headlines, imagery and copy you use on a coming soon page can inform your broader marketing strategy. Pay attention to what resonates and refine your positioning before you invest in paid advertising.

Create exclusivity and urgency. Limited access and early-bird positioning make people feel like insiders. This psychological trigger increases signups and builds word-of-mouth before you have a product to sell.

Validate demand before inventory investment. If you are considering a pre-order strategy but are not ready to commit, a coming soon page gives you demand data without financial risk.

How to Create a Coming Soon Page on Shopify

There are three main approaches to building coming soon pages on Shopify, each with different tradeoffs.

Method 1: Shopify’s Built-in Password Page

The simplest option is Shopify’s native password protection. This works best for brand launches where you want to hide your entire store.

Step 1: Go to Online Store > Preferences in your Shopify admin.

Step 2: Scroll to Password protection and check “Enable password.”

Step 3: Add a message for visitors explaining what is coming.

Step 4: Customize the page via Online Store > Themes > Customize > Password page.

From the theme editor, you can modify the headline, add your logo, change colors and add an email capture form. Most modern Shopify themes include a password page template that you can customize without code.

Pros: Free, native to Shopify, no apps required.

Cons: Limited design flexibility, applies to the entire store.

Method 2: Create a Dedicated Landing Page

If you want more control or need a coming soon page for a specific product rather than your whole store, you can create a standalone page.

Option A: Duplicate your theme. Create a copy of your current theme, remove everything except a minimal landing page layout, and publish it temporarily. When you are ready to launch, switch back to your full theme.

Option B: Use the page editor. Create a new page in Online Store > Pages, then build your coming soon content using Shopify’s native editor or a page builder app.

Pros: More design flexibility, can target specific products.

Cons: Requires more setup, may need third-party apps.

Method 3: Shopify Coming Soon Template Apps

Several Shopify apps specialize in coming soon pages, countdown timers and pre-launch functionality:

PageFly, Shogun, GemPages: Full page builders that can create custom coming soon layouts
Countdown Timer apps: Add urgency with real-time countdowns
Email capture apps: Integrate directly with Klaviyo, Mailchimp or other email platforms

Apps make sense when you need features beyond what Shopify’s native tools offer, such as animated elements, A/B testing, or complex integrations.

Pros: More features, easier customization.

Cons: Additional cost, potential performance impact.

Key Elements Every Coming Soon Page Needs

The difference between a coming soon page that collects dust and one that builds a launch-ready audience comes down to a few critical elements.

A clear headline explaining what is coming. Vague teasers like “Something exciting is coming” underperform compared to specific promises like “Premium wireless earbuds for runners, arriving March 2026.” Be direct about what you are launching.

An email capture form. This is the primary purpose of the page. Keep it simple: one field for email is often enough. Research shows that reducing form fields from four to three increases conversions by 50%.

An estimated launch date or countdown timer. Give people a reason to anticipate. A countdown timer creates urgency and gives visitors a sense of when they should expect to hear from you.

Visual content. Product images, renders or lifestyle photography help visitors understand what they are signing up for. Even work-in-progress photos can build excitement if they show the product in a compelling light.

Social media links. Give visitors another way to follow your progress. Not everyone wants to give out their email, but they might follow you on Instagram.

Mobile-optimized design. Over half of ecommerce traffic comes from mobile devices. If your coming soon page does not work on phones, you are losing signups.

Best Practices for High-Converting Coming Soon Pages

The average email opt-in rate for landing pages is around 1.95%. Top performers achieve 10% or higher. Here is what separates the two.

Keep forms simple. Every additional field you add creates friction. For a coming soon page, email alone is usually sufficient. You can collect more information later.

Be specific about what is coming. Mystery might seem intriguing, but it actually hurts conversions. People are more likely to sign up when they know exactly what they are getting.

Offer an incentive for email signup. Early access, exclusive discounts, or bonus content give visitors a reason to share their email. “Be the first to know” is good. “Get 15% off when we launch” is better.

Create urgency with countdowns. A ticking timer reminds visitors that the window to join the early list is closing. This is especially effective in the days leading up to launch.

Include social sharing options. Make it easy for visitors to spread the word. A simple “Share with a friend” link can significantly expand your reach without additional marketing spend.

Use social proof if you have it. Press mentions, testimonials from beta testers, or follower counts add credibility. If you do not have these yet, skip this element rather than faking it.

Coming Soon Pages vs. Pre-orders: What is the Difference?

Understanding when to use each approach is crucial for maximizing your launch.

Factor	Coming Soon Page	Pre-orders
Customer action	Email signup	Purchase
Revenue captured	None	Partial or full
Commitment level	Low	High
Best for	Uncertain timelines, early-stage	Confirmed timelines, ready to ship
Risk	Email list may not convert	Must deliver on promised timeline

Coming soon pages capture interest without requiring any commitment from the customer. There is no payment, no obligation. This makes them ideal when you are still finalizing details or testing demand.

Pre-orders capture actual purchases. Customers pay something, whether upfront, as a deposit, or via deferred charge. This requires a higher commitment but also generates revenue and provides a much stronger demand signal. For a detailed comparison of payment options, see our guide on pre-order payment models.

The key difference is commitment level. An email signup costs the customer nothing. A pre-order requires them to put money down, which means far higher intent to purchase.

For more on the mechanics of pre-orders, see the complete guide to pre-orders on Shopify.

When to Transition from Coming Soon Pages to Pre-orders

Coming soon pages work well as a starting point, but they leave money on the table. At some point, you want to convert that email list into actual revenue.

Here are the signals that you are ready to transition:

Your timeline is confirmed. Pre-orders require you to commit to a delivery window. If you are still uncertain about when you can ship, stick with email capture.

You have enough demand signals. If your email list is growing and engagement is high, you have validation that people want your product. Pre-orders let you capture that demand as revenue.

You are ready to commit to delivery. Taking pre-order payments means you are on the hook to fulfill. Make sure your supply chain can deliver before making this switch.

You need to generate revenue before production. For manufacturers or brands with high upfront costs, pre-order revenue can fund production runs. Data from PreProduct’s analysis of over 1 million pre-orders shows that 75,781 pre-order listings used charge-later, making up 43.8% of all pre-order listings. This flexibility lets merchants capture orders without charging immediately.

You want to reduce launch day risk. Pre-orders tell you exactly how much inventory to produce. This is far more reliable than trying to guess based on email list size.

The Two-Step Launch Strategy: Coming Soon Pages to Pre-orders

The most effective approach combines both tactics in sequence. Here is how it works.

Phase 1: Build the email list. Create your coming soon page and start driving traffic. Focus on capturing as many qualified leads as possible. At this stage, you are building anticipation and gathering demand signals. This approach gives you more control than launching on a crowdfunding platform. If you are weighing your options, see our comparison of Shopify vs Kickstarter for product launches.

Phase 2: Convert the list with pre-orders. When you are ready to commit to a timeline, switch from email capture to pre-order functionality. Email your waitlist first with an exclusive window or early-bird discount. This rewards early interest and drives immediate conversions.

This two-step approach captures more revenue than either tactic alone. Coming soon pages build a larger audience than going straight to pre-orders, because the barrier to entry is lower. But pre-orders capture more value from that audience than waiting until launch day.

Nurturing the Transition

The email sequence between “thanks for signing up” and “pre-orders are live” matters. Consider sending:

Behind-the-scenes updates on product development
Sneak peeks of final designs or packaging
Social proof from beta testers or early reviewers
A countdown to pre-order launch with increasing urgency

When the pre-order goes live, email your waitlist first with an exclusive window or discount. This rewards early interest and drives immediate conversions. For guidance on this sequence, see how to build a pre-order email sequence that converts.

Coming Soon Page Examples for Shopify Stores

Looking at what works in practice helps illustrate these principles.

Paynter Jackets uses a waitlist approach for their limited-edition jacket drops. When a product sells out, they swap the buy button for an email capture form that builds the list for the next release. This creates a self-reinforcing cycle of exclusivity and demand. The simple design focuses entirely on the product and the signup form. See more pre-order landing page examples.

Away builds anticipation for new colorways and collaborations with dedicated landing pages that feature countdown timers and email capture. Their pages combine product photography with lifestyle imagery to paint a picture of who the product is for.

Effective elements to borrow:

Clean, focused design with minimal distractions
Clear value proposition in the headline
Single-field email capture form
Visual product representation
Expected timeline or countdown
Social proof when available

Frequently Asked Questions About Coming Soon Pages

How long should a coming soon page stay up?

There is no fixed rule, but two to four weeks is typical for product launches. Longer periods work for brand launches or high-ticket items that require more consideration. The key is maintaining engagement with regular updates so signups do not forget about you.

Can I accept pre-orders on a coming soon page?

Yes, but at that point it is really a pre-order page, not a coming soon page. The distinction matters for setting expectations. If customers can purchase, make sure your page clearly communicates payment timing, expected delivery and any other pre-order policies.

What is the average email conversion rate for coming soon pages?

The average email opt-in rate across all landing pages is around 1.95%. Well-optimized coming soon pages with strong offers and targeted traffic can achieve 5-10% or higher. The key factors are relevance of traffic, clarity of offer and simplicity of the signup form.

Should I show pricing on a coming soon page?

It depends on your strategy. Showing pricing filters out visitors who cannot afford the product, resulting in a more qualified list. Not showing pricing creates mystery and may capture more signups, but those leads may not convert when they see the final price. Test both approaches if possible.

What tools do I need to create a Shopify coming soon page?

For basic needs, Shopify’s built-in password page works well. For more customization, page builder apps like Shogun or PageFly offer drag-and-drop design. For pre-order functionality, you will need a dedicated pre-order app when you are ready to transition from email capture to purchases.

The Bottom Line on Coming Soon Pages

Coming soon pages are valuable, but they are step one, not the end goal. The real opportunity is capturing the email list you build and converting it into pre-order revenue.

Start with a coming soon page when your timeline is uncertain or you are testing demand. Transition to pre-orders when you are ready to commit to delivery and want to generate revenue before launch.

The merchants who build the biggest launch days use both approaches in sequence: coming soon pages to build the list, pre-orders to convert it.

Next steps:

If you are not ready to commit to a timeline, start with a coming soon page using one of the methods above
When your timeline is confirmed, explore how to set up pre-orders on Shopify
For marketing your pre-order launch, see the complete pre-order marketing strategy guide

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Contents

What Are Shopify Coming Soon Pages?
When Do You Need Coming Soon Pages?
Benefits of Shopify Coming Soon Pages
How to Create a Coming Soon Page on Shopify
Key Elements Every Coming Soon Page Needs
Best Practices for High-Converting Coming Soon Pages
Coming Soon Pages vs. Pre-orders: What is the Difference?
When to Transition from Coming Soon Pages to Pre-orders
The Two-Step Launch Strategy: Coming Soon Pages to Pre-orders
- Nurturing the Transition
Coming Soon Page Examples for Shopify Stores
Frequently Asked Questions About Coming Soon Pages
The Bottom Line on Coming Soon Pages