Do you need to sell more of your products? Shopify preorders can offer you an opportunity to upsell and get people excited about buying.
Shopify is a great platform for many reasons, but one of the most important features is Shopify preorders.
This blog post will teach you how Shopify preorders work and provide some tips on using them effectively in your store!
Pre-orders have never been so versatile and successful for internet enterprises as they are now.
You can place a product image and a short description on your Facebook page in the morning, and by the evening you’ll have hundreds of orders from all around the world, validating or even funding the product’s launch.
Pre-orders are an excellent method to increase cash flow, provide flexibility during product launches, and minimize risks.
There are several compelling reasons to do so, including the fact that they have a beneficial impact on cash flow, the freedom they give your products’ premieres, and the dangers they might mitigate.
There’s a lot to consider when selling pre-orders for a product, so let’s go through the many sorts of pre-orders you can conduct, how to set one up, and how to make your campaign successful once it goes live.
Table of Contents
What are Shopify preorders?
A Shopify preorder is a purchase for an item that has not yet been released or is not presently available. Once they’re produced, they’re delivered to the customer. Customers may place orders ahead of time by placing a pre-order.
Source: Mild Red
Different circumstances necessitate different sorts of pre-orders. A company in need of cash for its first manufacturing run will have distinct requirements from an established brand seeking to test, validate, and capture consumer interest for its next release.
With fewer sales, less money in the budget, and perhaps fewer chances to acquire a desirable consumer, it may be more difficult to sell an ambitious first-run product than a variation of an old favorite.
Pre-orders have been utilized successfully by a wide range of businesses, from startups to major corporations (e.g. Sony’s huge Playstation 5 pre-sale) to boutique enterprises.
When and why would you offer Shopify preorders?
Selling real items has a lot of inherent dangers and expenditures. It’s all too common to spend hundreds of dollars on product creation and inventory that may or may not sell based on gut instinct and anecdotal evidence.
It is critical to verify that demand for a product matches the anticipated sales and expenses in order to ensure a business’s financial viability before investing in production. Pre-orders can help validate a product’s marketability prior to manufacturing.
Running a physical goods firm may be unpleasant and stressful:
- Third-party vendors are frequently used in the production of items. You must communicate with numerous third-party suppliers during the manufacturing process.
- After you place an order, the manufacturers must ship their components of the goods to you or your assembly partner.
- Then, after the last components have been packed, they must be sent to yet another supplier for packaging (from, again, you guessed it) before the product is ready to dispatch.
That’s not even taking into account all of the vexing design processes, supply difficulties, and back-and-forth discussions.
Time-consuming? Definitely.
When everything goes as planned, it’s a miracle. It is also pricey, and even with favorable terms, it can take up to 6 weeks for your supplier to fill an order and have the goods ready to sell in your warehouse at a profit.
Pre-orders allow companies to take orders and receive money before the preceding process is completed. In contrast to the conventional waterfall method, in which one stage must follow the next.
Another great application for pre-orders is the minimum viable product (or MVP). The idea of validating a product concept before committing to it is a standard part of software development, but it’s less often discussed in e-commerce.
However, creating physical goods is more difficult, and testing new product pictures has never been simpler. Stores can now list new designs and color variants in advance, avoiding the risk of having to go into production until the product proves successful.
Picking your Shopify pre-order methods
There are a variety of pre-order options, each with its own set of circumstances:
- Paying for preorders is the most popular form of preorder. It’s just a regular purchase with a longer delivery time in disguise. The majority of preorders are paid in advance.
- Pay later for pre-orders. The customer places an order now with the intention of paying later. There’s a belief that both the seller and buyer may back out of this agreement at any time because cash hasn’t been exchanged yet.
- Crowdfunding. Kickstarter and similar platforms, for example, allow companies to advertise pre-production items with a vague schedule for delivery (often months rather than days), usually with the understanding that the client will only be charged after a certain number of pre-orders are obtained.
#1. Pay now pre-orders
By using this approach of pre-order, you may make a purchase and get it straight away at checkout, like any other item.
The “buy now” button, on the other hand, will say “pre-order,” and there will be additional information about the longer delivery time.
Pros:
- You get paid upfront, which is fantastic for cash flow.
- It may be used to collect consumers for items that are currently out of stock but will be replenished by a certain date.
- Pre-orders can also be automatically taken for many pre-order apps when a product’s stock runs out.
- There is often the choice to include another piece of information (such as shipping date).
Cons:
- Customers often merge their regular and pre-order items in their cart, which may lead to higher shipping expenses and communication difficulties.
- Customers do not want to put their money down until they are confident in the product’s progress, and most customers would rather pay upfront. Customers who have paid upfront will be more concerned about delays or problems with deliveries.
#2. Pay later pre-orders
The ‘buy now’ button will be replaced by a ‘pre-order’ button, just like with pre-orders. However, while this method allows you to keep track of your pre-orders in their own system until you’re ready to pay up, At this stage, customers are sent payment links, allowing them to complete their purchase via your website.
Pros:
- You can take orders for future goods since customers aren’t charged until you’re ready.
- Customers should be able to pre-order new items/variants before they are released, then only pay for them and promise to make them if enough people buy them.
- You can charge customers when you choose, whether that’s before or after you place an order with your suppliers.
- All pre-orders are kept in a special system separate from all other orders until they are paid.
- For each product, most applications include an email campaign that may be used to deliver updates, postpone shipping, and provide payment connections.
- Customers generally do not pre-order your regular goods in order to Pay later. Customers often have a preconceived notion of how much money they want to spend, and this sort of pre-order does not eat into that financial plan.
Cons:
- Payments aren’t immediately taken from your account.
- Payment is not always requested in order for a pre-order to convert.
- Out-of-stock items aren’t automatically categorized as pre-orders.
#3. Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding, popularized by Kickstarter, is the process of raising funds from a large number of people for a new product or venture. In contrast to bank financing, venture capital, and angel investment, this is not the case.
A pre-order is a type of investment that, like crowdfunding, allows individuals to purchase a product before it’s available.
It’s possible that there aren’t as many restrictions on this sort of product as there are on the mobile version since the manufacturer isn’t looking to make money from ads alone.
Using a platform like Kickstarter, IndieGogo, or your own Shopify shop with a third-party Shopify app, the procedure is made easier.
Pros:
- A successful crowdfunding campaign demonstrates a new company or product concept, as you can set a sales goal for the campaign that must be achieved before you will send out purchases.
- You get cash upfront that you can use to finance production.
- For the first time, or for major product releases, this is a good range. Both types of customers want quality goods and services on time with no hassles! End
- Third-party crowdfunding platforms will frequently be eager to feature you to their audiences (particularly if your product is cutting-edge or timely).
Cons:
- This is not the greatest tool for rolling out small improvements. It’s preferable to new ideas and enterprises.
- If you’re using a third-party platform, there’s a lot of work involved in simply maintaining and launching an excellent campaign page (for example, to demonstrate the product, you’ll frequently need a video and supporting graphics).
- On top of the fees levied by the platform, financing sites generally take a 5% commission.
- The majority of the well-known crowdfunding campaigns you’ve heard of paid to direct traffic to a different firm’s site (i.e., their Kickstarter campaign page).
- Customers are generally early adopters,’ and while they may not be your intended target demographic, they could still be potential customers.
If you’re planning on crowdfunding, check out Shopify’s list of the top crowdfunding sites for raising cash to find one that best matches your goals.
How do pre-orders work with Shopify?
The easiest technique to run a preorder on Shopify is to use a Shopify app that has the appropriate features to manage your campaign.
The most important aspect of most pre-order applications is informing customers that the product in question is a pre-order listing and will not be delivered until a later date.
This is generally indicated by replacing the “buy” button with a “pre-order” button, as well as additional information on the product page.
Source: H-street
When orders are taken, Shopify’s order management system or your pre-order app’s dashboard are used, depending on whether the pre-order has already passed through your checkout.
Functionality for most (but not all) pre-order apps is based on:
- What product/version will be a pre-order and under what circumstances (such as 0 stock, specific variant, time limit, etc.)
- The button’s visual design
- Conversion optimization tools, such as a countdown timer (for example)
You may start making listings using the Shopify app since it is now accessible through the “apps” section of the Shopify dashboard and can be launched from there. The app will react to your selections and theme in line with them.
I recommend following the app developer’s step-by-step instructions or contacting their customer service if you’re unsure and don’t have a technical staff to help.
Shopify Pre-order apps
Here are some of the best Shopify pre-order applications to get you started.
#1. Pre-Order Manager 2.0 PreOrder by Spurit
As you can see, finding a solution for purchasing and administering shipments is not straightforward for Shopify store owners. Only by using Pre-order manager 2.0 from Spurit may online merchants manage out-of-stock situations in their own shop.
This program is required for any online business since it was created by the SpuriT vendor, who has included several amazing features.
Pre-order by Spurit also supports its customers with a Pre-Order button, which allows them to quickly encourage their visitors to buy more. Users don’t have to spend money on their products since the sales, as well as the app’s aid, will do it for them. Payments are possible in Pre-order apps and may be collected swiftly and simply.
All of your pre-orders will be scheduled for the start and end dates in great detail with the app. Another benefit of the app is that it does not require a password, allowing users to determine if the software is simple to use and even newcomers can figure out how to make full use of all of its functions.
Users of Pre-Order Manager 2.0 can use it to its full potential by customizing the app’s features and benefits for their own needs. Pre-order restrictions in number are one of the notable characteristics.
Users may also personalize their pre-order button text and explanations in a variety of ways with only a click.
#2. PreOrder by Website on-demand
One of the most popular Shopify store trends is pre-order by the website on demand.
This software may assist you to enhance your sales as well as test demand. Pre-orders allow online store owners to learn more about their clients after officially releasing a product.
The Website On-Demand provider will be an ideal option for shop owners. Buyers may now use the Pre-Order Now app to achieve success. This program is really helpful in increasing sales and minimizing risk.
You won’t have to worry about out-of-stock items when you use the app. The pre-Order Now software allows its users to manage their inventory successfully. In addition, it saves customers time by allowing them to search for goods.
Pre-order is beneficial for online merchants in order to raise income. Users can reduce their anxiety since they may add pre-orders to their shop. Furthermore, customers may make reservations ahead of time for their products with ease.
Quick View pop-ups and AJAX collection pages are well-supported by PreOrder by Website on-Demand. Online shop owners may help clients focus their attention without jeopardizing their website’s performance thanks to this support. The program helps you generate more money by replacing the usual out-of-stock message.
#3. PreOrder Hero – Free Pre Order by Booster apps
The number of people visiting internet purchasing has been growing by the day. As a result, it is critical for any online business to manage a large volume of transactions simultaneously.
The problem with PreOrder Hero is that it’s too difficult for even seasoned internet retailers to manage. The PreOrder Hero is here to collaborate with you and assist you in growing your business.
You may pre-order items with the app to assist you boost your order and sales rates. PreOrder Hero is a mobile application that allows online merchants to set up, monitor, and manage their businesses. The main features of the app are as follows: Enabling, Disabling, and Ceasing to Sell.
In addition, it is considerably simpler for newcomers to run their campaigns with minimal effort. On the merchant’s dashboard, online merchants may manage and govern numerous-purpose stores. Customers are given the freedom to minimize lost sales from abandoned carts by store owners.
The Shopify version of PreOrder Hero may be utilized as a result of its comparable characteristics. Its newest version is free, so users don’t have to pay extra fees. Its simplicity and ease of use make it more user-friendly for those who are new to it.
Strategies for running a successful Shopify pre-order campaign
It is quite simple to start listing new pre-order items after you’ve created a pre-order app. The bulk of your effort will be spent on product photography and copywriting for your product page.
Here are some approaches to build product images ahead of time, based on your own process for rolling out a copy and visual assets:
- It’s a good idea to obtain samples from your manufacturer for the photoshoot so you can finish your product shots before stock arrives.
- Do you already have similar products that have been photographed and retouched? It may be a lot less expensive and time-consuming to pay a retoucher on a freelancing site to improve these existing pictures than restart the whole art direction/shoot/retouch process from the beginning.
- There are also apps and services that will create items shots for you using digital rendering software. This may be a good approach to photograph frequently cut fashion products.
- Suppliers will frequently have high-quality images of a comparable product that you may utilize as is or as a foundation for retouching your new product shot.
Pre-ordering a product is simple to do, and it may be marketed through any of the conventional ecommerce channels you already use. However, I’ve seen some particularly impressive results with the following tactics.
Virality is difficult to produce on-demand, but leveraging consumers to share your current pre-order item is entirely feasible. Giving everyone who shares your store link from their social media profile an incentive is a typical approach. This is usually accomplished through another third-party app.
A limited-time price cut that is only available for pre-orders might be a fantastic technique to increase urgency around a purchase. If you don’t want to reduce the price of your pre-order, but you do want to encourage people to share it, create a waiting list.
Perhaps your first batch was limited, but consumers can share a link to your shop to move up the waiting list and acquire a place.
Get creative with your incentives.
It’s no surprise that social advertising for pre-orders is effective. You’ll have an idea which platform performs well for your company, whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, or TikTok.
Here are some paid social media strategies to consider:
- Consider creating a Facebook/Instagram lookalike’ audience based on your current client base, then run three or four different pieces of pre-order advertising. You may target past clients who have purchased a comparable product in the past if you have a large enough list and can segment by prior purchase.
- Re-target visitors who have visited your pre-order page but haven’t made a purchase. This time, you could potentially give a discount. If you’re using tracking pixels in the EU, remember to include a cookies banner’ in your store.
- Creating a short film that may be shared on social media might be an effective technique for promoting your product. Especially if the video/items are unusual, intriguing, or amusing.
#3. Tap into communities
Do you operate or participate in an internet community? A wonderful free marketing method is to promote your most recent pre-order edition to a community.
Facebook groups, forums, and Slack channels are all excellent methods of connecting with individuals that have a similar passion or viewpoint. What kind of person would this new pre-order service appeal to?
One of the most important things to avoid is being considered spammy or transactional. If you don’t have a reputation in the community, keep in mind that people prefer buying from individuals; share stories, respond to comments and show genuine interest while also taking advantage of it as an opportunity to get closer to your target audience.
You may use SparkToro to discover where your target consumers congregate. The more precise to your business and item, the better.
Early adopters enjoy being the first to try a new product, so giving them a chance to test it before releasing it to the rest of your audience might be a good idea.
#4. Collaborate with influencers
A great approach to drive sales with a large intent to buy is to collaborate with another brand or influencer on a limited edition collaboration. There are several influencer discovery platforms where you can locate the individual who is the finest fit for your pre-order item.
Pre-order campaigns with the option to pay later are a great way to conduct low-risk studies. If you can persuade an influencer to make a partnership product available if they can get a specific number of pre-order purchases, for example, negotiate a bargain.
Don’t be afraid to ask them if you’re not sure what to say. If they don’t understand what it is that you want, let them know and explain why it’s important. If the goal isn’t met, simply notify clients and apologize for any inconvenience caused. You’ve just discovered a fresh source of consumers if it succeeds.
The influencer marketing business has developed, and many influencers are now well-aware of their worth, which implies costs have never been higher.
If you’re short on cash, but want to spread the word about your new product as soon as possible, consider sending pre-release samples to a few of the selected individuals. You might include a handwritten note explaining why you chose this influencer for this product. It’s probably best not to request anything in return, since this may be seen as deceptive. If they like it that much, they’ll most likely share it on their social media page. You can get their mailing address by contacting them or their representative.
Conclusion
Having the capacity to validate items, generate buzz, and enhance cash flow through pre-orders may be a useful tool in your arsenal at any stage of your business’s development.
Whether you’re raising money for a new business, taking pre-orders for new goods, or offering “pay now” pre-orders to get rid of that “out of stock” banner that’s costing you sales, you can take orders before you’ve prepared to ship.
The complete instructions on how to do Pre-orders on Shopify are provided in order to assist you with completing the process without trouble. If you run into any issues, please let us know below so that we may continue the conversation.
