Inventory how-to

How to take preorders while waiting for stock

Preorders are a store setup and sales channel decision, not a forecasting task.

Short answer: Preorders are a store setup and sales channel decision, not a forecasting task. Set up the preorder listing and messaging in your store admin or theme, then use your forecast and supplier lead time to tell customers a realistic ship date and to know how many units you can safely promise.

Decide why you are taking preorders

There are two common cases. One, you are out of stock and want to keep selling before the next shipment arrives. Two, you are launching a new product before it physically exists in your warehouse. Both need a clear promised ship date, and that date should come from your supplier lead time plus any time you need to receive and process stock, not a guess.

Work out how many units you can promise

Before you open preorders, check what is already on order and when it lands. If you have 0 on hand, 150 on order, and a lead time of 20 days, you can promise up to 150 units for delivery around day 20, assuming the supplier ships on time. Do not promise more than what is on order plus a buffer for likely delays, or you will end up pushing ship dates back and annoying customers.

Set the ship date with a buffer

Add a few days of safety on top of the supplier lead time to cover customs, receiving, and quality checks before you fulfill. If the supplier lead time is 20 days, telling customers "ships in 25 to 28 days" is more honest than "ships in 20 days" and protects you if the shipment slips.

Track preorder demand separately from normal demand

Preorder sales can distort your normal sales rate if you are not careful. A spike in preorder demand right after launch is not the same as steady day-to-day sell-through, so treat the preorder period as a separate data point when you look back at sales history later.

Step by step

  1. Decide if you need preorders because you are restocking or launching new
  2. Check quantity already on order and its expected arrival date
  3. Cap preorder quantity at what you can realistically fulfill from that incoming order plus a small buffer
  4. Set a customer-facing ship date using supplier lead time plus a few safety days
  5. Turn on preorder messaging or a waitlist option in your store admin or theme
  6. Notify customers promptly once stock is received and orders are fulfilled
  7. Review preorder sales separately when planning your next reorder

Worked example

Say you sell a lamp with 0 units on hand, 200 units on order, and a supplier lead time of 18 days. You decide to add 4 safety days for receiving, so you tell customers the ship date is 22 days out. You cap preorders at 180 units, keeping 20 units in reserve in case a few units arrive damaged. Once the 200 units land and are checked into stock, you fulfill the 180 preorders first, then the remaining 20 units are available for regular sale.

How SteadyShelf helps

SteadyShelf does not manage preorders, listings, or customer messaging, that is a store setup task. What it does help with is telling you when the next order lands and how many units are on order, so you can set a realistic preorder cap and ship date instead of guessing.

$29/month flat, unlimited products and suppliers, 30-day free trial. Run the numbers now with the free reorder point calculator.

SteadyShelf is launching on the Shopify App Store. Join early access to get the install link first.

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FAQ

Can SteadyShelf automatically stop preorders once stock runs out?

No. SteadyShelf does not control your storefront or checkout behavior. You need to manage preorder limits and cutoffs in your store admin or theme settings, using the on-order quantity and arrival date from SteadyShelf as your input.

Should preorder sales count toward my sales forecast?

Be careful with this. A burst of preorder sales right after launch is not the same as normal steady demand, so if it skews your 28-day sales window, review the forecast manually and adjust rather than relying on it blindly until you have more normal sales history.

Let SteadyShelf do this math for every SKU

Order-by dates per supplier, seasonal forecasts and draft POs for your Shopify store. $29/month after a 30-day free trial.

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