How preorder campaigns work?

Preorder lets you sell products before they’re in stock. You control when the Preorder button appears based on product inventory.

This article explains the 3 main settings for preorder campaigns and how they work.

1️⃣ Show Preorder When Product Is Out of Stock

Best for: limited stock items or restocks in progress

When the campaign is published

• ✅ Continue selling when out of stock → ON

• ✅ Track quantity → ON

When the campaign is unpublished

• ❌ Continue selling when out of stock → OFF

What customers see

• Preorder button appears when stock = 0

• When stock is added, the button switches back to Add to Cart

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2️⃣ Always Show Preorder

Best for: made-to-order products

When the campaign is published

• ✅ Continue selling when out of stock → ON

• ✅ Track quantity → ON

When the campaign is unpublished

• ❌ Continue selling when out of stock → OFF

What customers see

• Preorder button is always visible

• Stock level does not affect the button

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3️⃣ Show Preorder When Product Is In Stock

Best for: product launches or long shipping times

When the campaign is published

• ✅ Track quantity → ON

When the campaign is unpublished or deleted

• ✅ No Shopify settings are changed

What customers see

• Preorder button appears when stock > 0

• When stock runs out, the button changes to Sold Out

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Quick Comparison

Setting	When Preorder Button Shows	At 0 Stock
Show Preorder When Out of Stock	Stock = 0	Preorder appears
Always Show Preorder	Always	Preorder stays
Show Preorder When In Stock	Stock > 0	Sold Out appears

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🎯 Which Option Should You Choose?

• Show Preorder When Out of Stock → Keep selling between restocks

• Always Show Preorder → Produce items after customers order

• Show Preorder When In Stock → Build launch hype or set expectations for long delivery times