Create the presale campaign
Set the dates, set a unit limit and add the ship date and a short note for shoppers.
Use case
Launch a new product or limited drop without losing momentum
Open a new product for presale before stock arrives, set a unit limit, and count shoppers down to the launch time. TA Preorder takes the orders, TA Banner shows the countdown, and TA Labels marks the new products.
Apps used
Goal
ConversionCash flow & recurring revenue
Works for
Fashion & ApparelBeauty & Personal CareToys, Hobby & CollectiblesArts, Crafts & Handmade
The problem
Interest peaks before the stock does
Shoppers arrive from a teaser post or launch email ready to commit, and the store has nothing for them to buy yet. Each problem below has a matching fix in this setup.
Who it is for: brands releasing a new collection, makers selling small batches, and stores running limited-quantity drops.
Problem 01
Shoppers who land before launch find "Sold out", or no product at all, and some never come back.
How it gets fixed
Let them buy before the stock arrives
A presale campaign swaps the sold-out button for a preorder button from the day you choose. Shoppers commit while interest is high, and the note under the button tells them when to expect the order.
Problem 02
A buy button that goes live late, or a countdown that ends early, costs the first wave of orders.
How it gets fixed
Put the launch on a schedule
The campaign opens and closes on set dates, and the countdown is set to end at the same moment. Nobody has to switch anything on by hand at launch time.
Problem 03
Once the launch post is gone, new products look the same as old ones on collection pages.
How it gets fixed
Keep new products visible after launch day
A "New" label goes on the launch products at launch and comes off on the date you set, so they stand out in every product grid for the first weeks.
Set it up
Four moves to launch day
Each card shows what the result looks like. The campaign comes first, because its dates set the timing for the countdown and the label.
Choose how buyers pay
Full price, or a deposit now and the balance before shipping.
Count down to launch
Set the timer to end when the presale opens, on the home and launch pages.
Label the new products
Show "New" on the launch products from launch day until the date you choose.
Need the exact clicks? Step-by-step guides:
Preorder & Back in Stock guideBanner & Pop-up guideProduct Labels guide
Tips
Before you go live
Presale or waitlist
Use a presale when you need payment before production. Use the Notify me waitlist when stock is ready on day one and you want a list to email at launch.
One badge per message
TA Preorder has its own preorder badge. Keep preorder status there and use TA Labels for "New", so one image does not carry two badges that say the same thing.
Real deadlines only
Every countdown should end at an actual launch or closing time. A timer that resets, or ends with no change on the page, is fake urgency.
What to measure
Check these after launch week
Preorders placedTA Preorder order tracking
Conversion rate on launch product pagesShopify Analytics
Views of the countdown barTA Banner analytics
Outstanding deposit balancesShopify admin, if you took deposits
FAQ
Common questions
Can I limit how many units sell in a presale?
Yes. In a TA Preorder campaign, turn on Limit inventory and enter the maximum quantity. Test it on one product before launch day.
Can customers pay a deposit instead of the full price?
Yes. Choose Partial payment (Deposit) in the campaign. Deposits need Shopify Payments. Customers pay the deposit at checkout, and you collect the balance from Shopify admin when the order is ready to fulfill.
Can I run a presale on only some sizes or colors?
Yes. Select only the variants you want when you add products to the campaign. Each variant can belong to one active campaign at a time.
How do shoppers know when a presale order will ship?
Set an estimated ship date in the campaign: unknown, a number of days after checkout, or a fixed date. Add a short note under the preorder button, and the ship date is available in the shipping notification email.
Related use cases
Keep selling when products are out of stock
Preorder & Back in Stock Replace Add to cart with a preorder button on the products and variants you pick when stock hits zero. See how
Fund production and inventory with presales and deposits
Preorder & Back in Stock Take full payment or a deposit at checkout for products that are not in stock yet. See how
Bring shoppers back the moment items are restocked
Preorder & Back in Stock Notify me buttons and automatic restock emails. See howSet this up on your store.
Every Tech Arms app installs from the Shopify App Store in minutes.