How to Add a Pre-Order Button to Your Shopify Store

Introduction

Shopify is a powerful e-commerce platform that allows businesses to create and manage their online stores with ease. One of the features that many store owners find useful is the ability to offer pre-orders for upcoming or out-of-stock products. In this guide, we’ll explore how to add a pre-order button to your Shopify store, focusing on the Minimal theme but also providing insights for other themes.

Understanding the Pre-Order Button

What is a Pre-Order Button?

A pre-order button allows customers to purchase products that are not yet available or are temporarily out of stock. This feature can be particularly useful for:

Launching new products
Managing inventory for popular items
Gauging interest in potential product lines

Benefits of Offering Pre-Orders

Implementing a pre-order system can provide several advantages for your business:

Increased sales by capturing customer interest early
Better inventory management
Improved cash flow by receiving payments in advance
Enhanced customer satisfaction by securing desired items

Adding a Pre-Order Button to Your Shopify Store

Locating the Necessary Code

The first step in adding a pre-order button is locating the correct code in your theme files. For the Minimal theme, the required code is found in the theme.liquid file. Specifically, you’ll need to look for the following line:

addToCart: {{ 'products.product.add_to_cart' | t | json }}

This line is typically located near the beginning of the file, often around line 34.

Modifying the Code

Once you’ve found the correct line, you’ll need to modify it to create your pre-order button. Replace the existing line with:

addToCart: {% if product.available %}{{ 'products.product.add_to_cart' | t | json }}{% else %}{{ 'products.product.pre_order' | t | json }}{% endif %}

This code checks if the product is available. If it is, it displays the standard “Add to Cart” button. If not, it shows a “Pre-Order” button instead.

Creating a Pre-Order Template

To give yourself more control over which products have the pre-order option, you can create a separate product template:

Go to your Shopify admin panel
Navigate to Online Store > Themes
Click “Actions” and select “Edit code”
Create a new template called product.pre-order
Copy the contents of your existing product-template.liquid file into this new template
Modify the button text in this new template to say “Pre-Order” instead of “Add to Cart”

Implementing Pre-Orders for Specific Products

Assigning the Pre-Order Template

Once you’ve created your pre-order template, you can assign it to specific products:

Go to the product page in your Shopify admin
Scroll down to the “Theme templates” section
Select “product.pre-order” from the dropdown menu

This allows you to control which products use the pre-order functionality without affecting your entire store.

Managing Inventory for Pre-Order Items

When setting up pre-order products, consider the following inventory management strategies:

Set the inventory quantity to zero to trigger the pre-order button
Use Shopify’s inventory tracking features to monitor incoming stock
Communicate clearly with customers about expected shipping dates

Advanced Pre-Order Customizations

Variant-Specific Pre-Orders

For stores that need more granular control, it’s possible to set up pre-orders for specific variants:

Modify your product template to check variant availability
Use liquid conditionals to display the appropriate button text
Consider using metafields to store pre-order information for each variant

Customizing Button Text and Appearance

To further enhance your pre-order system:

Adjust the button text to match your brand voice (e.g., “Reserve Now” or “Coming Soon”)
Style the pre-order button differently from the standard add-to-cart button using CSS
Add additional information near the button, such as expected shipping dates

Alternatives to Manual Code Changes

Using Shopify Apps

If you’re not comfortable with coding, there are several Shopify apps that can help you implement pre-orders:

Pre‑order Now
Pre‑Order Manager
Back in Stock & Pre-Order

These apps often provide additional features like automated emails and inventory management tools.

Hiring a Shopify Expert

For more complex pre-order systems or custom implementations, consider hiring a Shopify Expert. They can:

Create a tailored pre-order solution for your store
Integrate pre-orders with your existing theme and workflows
Provide ongoing support and updates

Best Practices for Pre-Order Campaigns

Clear Communication

When offering pre-orders, it’s crucial to:

Clearly state that the item is a pre-order
Provide estimated shipping dates
Explain any special terms or conditions

Marketing Your Pre-Order Products

To make the most of your pre-order offerings:

Use Shopify’s built-in marketing tools to promote pre-order products
Create urgency with limited-time pre-order windows
Offer incentives for customers who pre-order, such as discounts or exclusive bonuses

Monitoring and Adjusting

Regularly review your pre-order system:

Track conversion rates for pre-order products
Gather customer feedback on the pre-order process
Adjust your strategy based on performance and customer satisfaction

By following this guide, you should be able to successfully implement a pre-order system in your Shopify store. Remember to test thoroughly and gather feedback from your customers to ensure a smooth pre-order experience. With the right approach, pre-orders can become a valuable tool for growing your e-commerce business and satisfying your customers.