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December hits different for online stores. Traffic floods in, customers want everything yesterday, and your best-sellers vanish from shelves faster than you can restock them. If you’ve ever watched a product sell out while knowing there are still hundreds of potential buyers out there, you know exactly how frustrating that feels.
Sure, you could try to restock faster. But there’s a smarter move: let people buy before you run out.
That’s what pre-orders do. When a product goes out of stock, instead of showing a dead-end “Sold Out” button, you give customers a way forward. They can claim their item, pay however works best for them, and relax knowing it’s theirs. You don’t lose the sale, they don’t leave disappointed, and you’ve got revenue coming in even while you wait for inventory.
Why December Is the Perfect Time for Pre-Orders
Holiday shoppers are motivated buyers. They’re willing to wait if it means getting the right gift or securing a limited item. Pre-orders work especially well during this period because:
- High purchase intent: Customers actively searching for specific products are more likely to commit, even with a wait time.
- Gift-giving mindset: Shoppers planning ahead for January birthdays or late arrivals are comfortable with delayed fulfillment.
- FOMO on limited drops: If you’re launching exclusive products or seasonal collections, pre-orders create urgency without requiring immediate inventory.
- Stockout recovery: Instead of losing customers when inventory depletes, you can continue taking orders and fulfilling them in January or February.
Many Shopify stores leave thousands of dollars on the table simply because their “out of stock” button stops the purchase flow. Pre-orders keep that flow open.
What Makes a Good Pre-Order Setup
Not all pre-order solutions are created equal. A good setup should be:
- Easy to implement: No coding required, no messy theme edits that break when you update your theme.
- Scalable: If you have 200 SKUs or 20,000, the app should handle it without slowing your site.
- Flexible with payments: Some customers want to pay in full now. Others prefer a deposit upfront and the rest closer to ship date. Your system should support both.
- Compatible with your page builder: Whether you use Shopify’s native editor, EComposer, PageFly, Shogun, GemPages or Instant pre-order buttons should integrate cleanly.
- Reliable support: When a customer asks about their pre-order, or you need to adjust fulfillment dates, you need fast help.
This is where Timesact fits in. It’s a no-code Shopify app built specifically for pre-orders and back-in-stock scenarios. It handles large catalogs without performance issues, supports both full payment and charge-later flows, and integrates smoothly with major page builders.
How to Set Up Pre-Orders Without Developer Help
One of the biggest friction points for Shopify merchants is technical setup. Many apps require theme code injection, which leaves residual code even after you uninstall the app. This slows your site and creates maintenance headaches.
Timesact uses Shopify’s native inventory status, tags, and selling plans to manage pre-order logic. That means:
- No leftover code in your theme files
- Clean integration with your existing design
- Fast setup, even for stores with thousands of SKUs
- Changes are reversible without developer intervention
You install the app, select which products should allow pre-orders, configure your messaging (like “Ships in 4 weeks”), and choose your payment structure. The app automatically swaps “Add to Cart” with “Pre-Order Now” when inventory hits zero.
For seasonal brands running limited drops or DTC stores dealing with restocks, this flexibility is critical. You can turn pre-orders on and off product-by-product, or manage them in bulk.
Full Payment vs. Charge Later: Which Should You Use?
Timesact supports two payment models:
Full payment upfront: Customer pays the entire amount at checkout. This is simpler for accounting and works well when fulfillment is 2–6 weeks out.
Partial payment now, rest later: Customer pays a portion (like 50%) at checkout, and you charge the remainder at a specific later date before shipping. This works for higher-ticket items or longer wait times (8–12 weeks).
For December, full payment often makes sense. Holiday shoppers are already in buying mode, and shorter fulfillment windows (January/February delivery) feel manageable. If you’re selling something expensive or with a longer lead time, partial payment reduces friction.
You set the terms. Timesact handles the payment flow through Shopify’s checkout, so customers see clear messaging about when they’ll be charged and when their order ships.
Managing Customer Expectations During Pre-Orders
Pre-orders only work if customers know exactly what they’re signing up for. Clear communication prevents confusion, chargebacks, and support tickets.
Here’s what to include:
- Expected ship date: Be specific. “Ships in January 2025” is vague. “Ships January 15–22, 2025” sets a real expectation.
- Payment terms: If charging later, explain when the final charge happens. If taking full payment now, confirm it.
- Product availability: If this is a limited batch, say so. If it’s a restock that will be ongoing, mention that too.
- Return policy for pre-orders: Clarify whether pre-orders follow your standard return window or have adjusted terms.
Timesact lets you customize the pre-order button text and add messaging on product pages. Use this to reinforce the key details. Pair it with a clear FAQ on your site (built with your page builder or in a Shopify page) addressing common pre-order questions.
For deeper customer communication, tools like Klaviyo (using Shopify tags) can help you send email updates when pre-orders ship. Timesact doesn’t send emails directly, but it works cleanly with your existing email setup.
Tracking Pre-Order Performance
You’ll want to know which products are generating pre-order revenue and how customers are responding. This data lives in your standard Shopify analytics and tools like Google Analytics 4.
Look at:
- Revenue from pre-order SKUs: Filter your Shopify reports by product tags to see total sales.
- Conversion rates: Use GA4 or your page builder’s analytics to compare product page performance before and after enabling pre-orders.
- Customer feedback: Check reviews and support tickets. Are customers satisfied with communication and delivery?
Timesact itself doesn’t include a built-in analytics dashboard or conversion tracking. It focuses on the pre-order mechanics. For reporting and insights, rely on Shopify Analytics, GA4, and your existing martech stack.
Pre-Orders for Specific Store Types
Pre-orders aren’t one-size-fits-all. Different business models benefit in different ways:
- Seasonal brands: You know demand spikes in December. Pre-orders let you gauge interest for spring collections or Valentine’s Day launches without overproducing.
- Limited drops: Streetwear, collectibles, or exclusive collabs can use pre-orders to manage hype and ensure every interested customer gets a slot.
- Restocks: Popular items that sell out fast can stay active with pre-orders. Customers don’t leave your site empty-handed.
- DTC brands with supply chain delays: If your supplier needs 6 weeks, pre-orders bridge the gap and keep revenue flowing.
The key is aligning pre-order fulfillment windows with your actual supply chain. Don’t promise February delivery if you can’t fulfill until March. Transparency builds trust.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Enabling pre-orders is straightforward, but a few missteps can hurt your results:
- Vague timelines: “Coming soon” doesn’t convert. Give a real date range.
- Ignoring inventory updates: If your restock arrives early, ship early and surprise customers. Don’t make them wait the full window if you can deliver sooner.
- Overcomplicating payment terms: If you’re unsure whether to charge later, start with full payment upfront. It’s simpler for you and the customer.
- Not testing the flow: Before going live, place a test pre-order. Confirm the button text is correct, checkout works smoothly, and email confirmations are clear.
- Assuming subscriptions work with pre-orders: Shopify doesn’t allow subscription and pre-order selling plans on the same purchase. If you sell subscriptions, keep those products separate from pre-order products. This isn’t a Timesact limitation, it’s a Shopify platform constraint.
Getting Started This December
If you’re reading this in early-to-mid December, you still have time to capture pre-order revenue before the new year. Here’s a quick implementation path:
- Install Timesact from the Shopify App Store. Setup takes minutes, not hours.
- Identify your top-selling products that are at risk of selling out or have already sold out.
- Set your fulfillment date based on realistic restock timelines.
- Customize your button text (e.g., “Pre-Order: Ships Jan 20”) to be clear and specific.
- Test the checkout flow to ensure everything works smoothly.
- Promote pre-orders in email campaigns, social posts, and on your homepage. Make it easy for customers to discover pre-order items.
Even if you’re reading this later in December, enabling pre-orders for January launches or Valentine’s Day collections still makes sense. The mechanics stay the same year-round.
Why Support Matters When Running Pre-Orders
Pre-orders introduce timing complexity. Customers will have questions. You might need to adjust dates or handle edge cases. Fast, reliable support makes the difference between a smooth operation and a frustrating one.
Timesact is built by a team focused on Shopify merchants. When you need help configuring partial payments, adjusting product settings, or troubleshooting theme compatibility, you get real responses, not automated replies or long ticket queues.
For stores processing dozens or hundreds of pre-orders, knowing you have backup reduces stress during high-volume periods.
Final Thoughts
Pre-orders aren’t just a fallback for stockouts. They’re a proactive revenue strategy, especially during high-intent shopping periods like December. By keeping purchase flows open even when inventory is low, you capture sales that would otherwise disappear.
The best time to enable pre-orders was last month. The second-best time is right now. If you’re running a Shopify store with popular products, limited drops, or seasonal demand, pre-orders should be part of your toolkit.
Timesact makes the technical side simple, so you can focus on fulfilling orders and serving customers. No messy code, no performance issues, no friction. Just a clean, reliable way to turn “out of stock” into “pre-order now.”
If you haven’t explored pre-orders yet, December is your testing ground. Try it on one or two SKUs. See how customers respond. Adjust your messaging. Then scale it heading into the new year.
The revenue is there. You just need to keep the door open.
FAQs
What is a Shopify pre-order and how does it work?
A Shopify pre-order lets customers purchase out-of-stock or upcoming products before they’re available. The customer pays (full or partial), and you fulfill the order once inventory arrives, maintaining sales flow during stockouts.
When should I enable pre-orders on my Shopify store?
Enable pre-orders when popular items sell out quickly, during seasonal demand spikes, for limited product drops, or when restocking takes several weeks. December is ideal due to high purchase intent and gift-shopping behavior.
Can customers pay later for Shopify pre-orders?
Yes, with apps like Timesact you can offer partial payment options where customers pay a portion upfront and the remainder at a specific later date before shipping, or charge the full amount immediately.
Do pre-orders work with Shopify page builders?
Yes, pre-order apps like Timesact integrate cleanly with EComposer, PageFly, Shogun, GemPages, Instant and other major Shopify page builders without requiring custom code or causing compatibility issues with your existing theme design.
How do I track pre-order sales in Shopify?
Track pre-order performance using Shopify Analytics filtered by product tags, Google Analytics 4 for conversion rates, and your existing email tools like Klaviyo for customer communication. View revenue reports in your standard Shopify dashboard.