Listing a Shopify pre-order

Listing a Shopify pre-order with PreProduct is done by piggy-backing off of existing product listings. This stops you from having to enter the same information twice, as well as allowing a seamless transition from regular order to pre-order.

 

It’s important to note that PreProduct requires a line of code to be installed in your theme. You can learn more about this from the top of the setup menu from within the app. To create a new PreProduct listing, follow these steps:

• Navigate to PreProduct and click the ‘New Listing’ option from the top menu

• Below you will see a list of your Shopify products. Ordered by ‘most recently modified’. Click the product which you would like to list. You can also search in the box at the ‘create new listing’ screen (If you don’t see the product you’re looking for, simply modify its Shopify listing in any way. e.g. add a space to its description and hit ‘save’.)

• You will now be met with the main listing creating screen. Any configuration or options will work, apart from a request to list non-0-stock variants. Once you’re ready, click ‘Create listing’ to create the listing. (See the ‘Only list specific variants’ option if you’re just listing certain variants).

Listing options #

When will you be ready to ship to customers? #

PreProduct offers two approaches; a period in days (which will automatically be reduced by one every 24 hours), or a fixed phrase e.g. ‘next season’. The ‘something else’ box allows you to switch between the two options.

Pay-later mode #

By default, PreProduct will create a pay-later pre-order listing. Customers will enter their order details, along with a name + email. Then when you’re ready to charge customers, a payment link email is sent out.

Charge-later mode #

Selecting charge-later will mean that customers are sent through checkout at the time of pre-order to accept the future charge. Then in the future, you can trigger this deferred charge on their card.

Charge upfront mode #

Just like the name suggests, customers are charged at the time of pre-order.

Early bird discount #

This number field will create a discount if populated.
There are a lot of Shopify store themes out there and they all have their own quirks and rules. To cater to this, PreProduct will directly change your product’s/variant’s ‘price’ and ‘compare at price’ in Shopify. The former, a discounted version of the latter. This will cause 99% of themes to display the prices and discounts as requested throughout your store.
(note, when PreProduct listings are finished, this discount is reversed).

Deposits #

PreProduct offers the ability to require a deposit for pre-orders. 

• This will mean that after a customer pre-orders that product, they’ll automatically be forwarded to your checkout to pay the deposit.
• Once you’re ready to start collecting payment, you can either trigger deferred charges or payment links, depending on how you set the listing up. Deferred charges will automatically charge the customers card on file. Payment links will link to your checkout, pre-populated with their order + an automated discount code (to compensate for their deposit paid)

—–Advanced section

Crowdfunded product listing
#

If you would like to set an expectation upfront with customers that a minimum amount of orders is needed before you’re happy to ship the product, this is the place to do it.
When-you-charge/if-you-charge is still entirely in your control. This option’s main functionality is in affecting the front-end and showing users how many orders you have/need. (Your PreProduct dashboard will reflect this option as well though)

Checking this check-box will enable a number field where you can specify the minimum of orders.

Only list specific variants  #

You might have a product with variants you’d like to list through PreProduct and variants that should be available as a regular ‘buy now’. By checking this tick-box and then subsequent variant boxes, you can do just that. (PreProduct will dynamically hide and show your ‘buy button’/PreProduct widget as needed)

Set max pre-order limits #

This section allows you to set a maximum number of pre-orders that a variant can receive. For example, maybe you’re worried about selling out of a specific variant.
Once a variant hits its limit, PreProduct will stop accepting pre-orders for it and (theme depending) hide that variant or show a ‘sold out’ sign in place of the ‘pre-order’/’buy-now’ button.

Set customer pre-order limits #

This section allows you to limit the number of pre-orders a single customer can make. PreProduct’s front-end will stop the customer from exceeding this limit.

*Something to note; a user can bypass customer limits via Chrome Incognito mode, but these rare cases can be caught at the PreProduct dashboard or Shopify Orders level.