Shopify theme with pre-order system

A Shopify theme with a pre-order system lets you keep selling a product that is out of stock, while making it clear to shoppers that they are placing a pre-order. In FullStack, pre-order mode is a setting on the add to cart button: it changes how the button looks when the variant is out of stock, and adds a custom message shown in the cart and at checkout.

Why offer pre-orders

A stockout on a product that sells well is revenue walking over to a competitor. The visitor was ready to buy, finds a greyed-out button and leaves. Pre-orders keep that sale: the customer pays now and receives the product as soon as you restock.

They also help with product launches: you gauge demand and collect revenue before production. But pre-orders only pay off if they do not disappoint. Shoppers need to know, before paying, that their parcel will not ship right away, and roughly when it will. Otherwise the sale turns into a support ticket, or a refund.

How pre-orders work in FullStack

The setting lives on the Add to cart button block, inside the Product section’s form. Three settings:

• Enable pre-order (enable_preorder): turns pre-order mode on for the button.
• Only when out of stock (enable_preorder_on_empty_stock_only), on by default.
• Pre-order cart message (preorder_cart_message): custom text shown in the cart and at checkout to restate the lead time.

On the Shopify side, two conditions must be met for the mode to apply: the variant’s inventory is 0 or below, and “Continue selling when out of stock” is turned on for that variant. The theme only changes the button display: Shopify is what allows selling without stock.

In pre-order mode, any button icon is removed. The rest of the button settings still apply: price shown inside the button (show_price), style, and the sticky add to cart bar on mobile (enable_sticky_add_to_cart).

What pre-orders work with in FullStack

• Delivery estimate: the delivery estimate block, placed in the Product section, shows a date window calculated from minimum and maximum lead times, with an order cutoff time and weekends excluded. The theme recommends it to announce a pre-order’s timing.
• Stock indicator: the inventory status block shows whether the selected variant is in stock, low in stock or sold out.
• Sticky add to cart: a setting of the same button that keeps buying within reach while scrolling long product pages.
• Countdown: for a time-limited pre-order, a countdown block to a fixed date makes the end of the window concrete.

Examples by store type

Fashion: restocking one size

Turn on enable_preorder and keep enable_preorder_on_empty_stock_only: only sold-out sizes switch to pre-order, the others stay on regular purchase. Cart message: “Ships within 3 weeks”.

Launching a new product

Open pre-orders with a ship date stated on the product page, a countdown to the end of the pre-order window, and a cart message that repeats the date.

Furniture and made-to-order products

Set the delivery estimate with realistic minimum and maximum lead times, and a pre-order message that explains production. Shoppers know what to expect before paying.

Best practices

• Set the frame before opening: ship date or window, pre-order duration, available quantities.
• Inform on the product page, before add to cart: the word “pre-order” and the lead time must be visible.
• Craft the cart message: an explicit date or lead time prevents support tickets and refunds.
• If you add a discount, explain why and state whether it only applies during the pre-order period.
• Plan your emails: a confirmation that mentions the pre-order, a progress update if the wait is long, a quick heads-up if there is a delay.

Limits to know

The theme’s pre-order mode is a display feature: it does not handle deferred payments, pre-order quantity caps or emails. Follow-up emails are set up in Shopify or your email tool, and partial or deferred payment requires a pre-order app. FullStack licensing and the free trial are on the pricing page.

FAQ

Do I need a pre-order app with FullStack?

Not for a simple pre-order: the add to cart button handles the display and the cart message. An app is still useful for advanced needs such as deferred payment.

Why doesn’t my button switch to pre-order?

Check that the variant’s inventory is 0 or below and that “Continue selling when out of stock” is turned on in Shopify.

Where do shoppers see the pre-order message?

In the cart and at checkout, through the preorder_cart_message setting on the add to cart button.