How do I set up preorders on Shopify?
A preorder turns “come back later” into “buy it now.” Instead of letting a sold-out or not-yet-launched product cost you the sale, you take the order today and ship when stock lands. Done right, preorders capture demand you’d otherwise lose, fund your next inventory run with money you’ve already collected, and tell you exactly how much to order before you commit a penny. The catch: Shopify has no native preorder button, so you need an app to swap “sold out” for “preorder now.” This guide walks how preorders actually work and how to set them up, using Timesact (a 5.0-star app with a Built for Shopify badge and more than 1,900 reviews) as the worked example, plus how its flexible pricing works so you pick the plan that fits.
We build Shopify apps ourselves (variant images and combined listings), so we read this category the way a cash-flow-conscious merchant should: what does preorder actually let you do, how is it billed, and where are the real limits? Timesact is genuinely strong, and we’ll also tell you plainly where it isn’t. First, why bother.
In this guide
- Why sell products on preorder?
- How do preorders work on Shopify?
- What is Timesact, and how do you set it up?
- How much does Timesact cost?
- What do merchants say?
- What to check before you commit
- How does it compare to other preorder apps?
- FAQ
Why sell products on preorder?
Three reasons, and they’re all about money and timing. First, you stop losing sales to being out of stock: a shopper who’s ready to buy can buy now instead of wandering off to a competitor while you wait on a shipment. Second, cash flow. If you collect payment (or even just a deposit) up front, your customers help fund the very inventory they’re waiting for, which is a lifeline for small brands and for anything made to order. Third, and most underrated, preorders are a demand test. The number of people who preorder a colour or size tells you how much to actually order, so you stop guessing and stop over-buying stock that sits. Product drops, crowdfunding-style launches, made-to-order lines, and “coming soon” hype all run on the same mechanic.
How do preorders work on Shopify?
Since Shopify has no built-in preorder feature, an app does the work. It replaces the add-to-cart (or the greyed-out “sold out” button) with a “preorder now” button on the products you choose, whether they’re out of stock, on backorder, or a not-yet-released “coming soon” item. The shopper orders as normal; the app tags the order as a preorder so you can fulfil it separately when stock arrives. The good apps do this per variant (so only the medium-blue that’s on preorder shows the button), add a preorder badge and an expected-availability date so expectations are clear, and, crucially, offer payment options: charge in full now, take a deposit and bill the rest on the ship date, or split the payment. When your inventory goes back above zero, the app can automatically flip the product from preorder back to normal. That’s the whole loop.
What is Timesact, and how do you set it up?
Timesact (full name “Preorder Now Presale Timesact”) is a preorder app by Kairock Partners, and it’s one of the most established in the category: on the App Store since 2020, a 5.0 rating across more than 1,900 reviews, and a Built for Shopify badge. It covers every flavour of preorder, coming soon, backorder, out of stock, made to order, product drops, and presales, and it has the deepest payment toolkit here: deposits, partial payments, split payments, and payment schedules. It also does back-in-stock waitlist emails, so it doubles as a restock-alert tool. Setup is driven by product tags: you tag a product (or let the built-in inventory manager toggle preorder on and off automatically based on stock level), style the button and badge, set the availability date and any deposit, and you’re live. There’s no code, it works with the major page builders, and if you get stuck, the team runs guided video calls to get you set up, which is a big part of why the reviews rave about support.
How much does Timesact cost?
Timesact’s pricing is more flexible than most preorder apps, and that flexibility is the point. There are no transaction fees and no commission on your preorder revenue on any plan. And instead of forcing you into one billing model, it lets you choose the shape that fits how you’d rather pay. Three plans:
| Plan | Price | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 20 presale orders/mo, 50 restock emails/mo, unlimited “coming soon”, Timesact branding |
| Flexible | from $1/mo | Usage-metered: a low base that scales up inside the app as your order volume grows |
| Fixed | $19 to $99/mo | Unlimited, but the price is tied to your Shopify plan: $19 on Basic, $39 on Grow, $59 on Advanced, $99 on Plus |
Here’s how to choose. The Flexible plan is usage-based: you pay in proportion to the preorders you actually take, which suits cost-conscious stores and spiky, seasonal, or occasional drops where you’d rather not commit to a big flat plan you won’t fully use. The Fixed plans are the opposite, a flat, unlimited price so your bill stays predictable no matter how many preorders come in. Fixed is priced by your Shopify plan tier ($19 on Basic up to $99 on Plus), which is a common approach among preorder apps and mirrors the way Shopify itself tiers, so a growing store scales in step. And the free plan’s 20 presale orders a month is genuinely generous. The short version: pick Flexible if you optimise for cost, Fixed if you want unlimited and predictable. Because preorders collect cash up front, run the numbers with our fee calculator and profit margin calculator so you know the app pays for itself.
What do merchants say about Timesact?
The 5.0 across more than 1,900 reviews is real, and one theme dominates: the support is exceptional and fast. For a setup that touches your theme, that hand-holding matters.
“The support team quickly fixed our pre-order button issue after a Shopify theme update. They also helped customize the collection page pre-order badge and everything is working correctly now. Fast response and professional assistance. Highly recommended.”
ACTU FURNITURE, United States, June 2026 — Timesact on the Shopify App Store
“Great app with very intuitive and easy-to-use functionality. The setup is straightforward and the overall experience is smooth and reliable. What really stands out is the support team: fast, efficient, and highly responsive.”
Marina St Barth, United States, May 2026 — Timesact on the Shopify App Store
The praise is consistent. No app is flawless, though, and the honest way to judge any preorder tool is on your own store, so here’s what to check before you lean on it.
What to check before you commit
Preorder touches your theme, your checkout, and your payment settings, so the sensible move is to run it on one real product or drop before you roll it out across the whole store. Confirm the preorder button and badge render cleanly on your theme, that any deposit or partial-payment schedule charges the way you and your customer expect, and that the flow behaves correctly through your specific checkout setup. Set clear expectations with buyers about when a deposit’s balance will be charged, too, so there are no surprises. A 5.0 across more than 1,900 reviews and a Built for Shopify badge are a strong signal, but every store’s theme and checkout are different, so a quick test run is worth the ten minutes.
How does it compare to other preorder apps?
The main choice in this category is the billing model, and it’s a genuine preference rather than a right-and-wrong. Timesact gives you both a usage-based option and flat unlimited plans, and its strongest rival STOQ (5.0 across 3,400+ reviews, also doing preorder plus back-in-stock) is the closest head-to-head match. If you specifically want one flat monthly fee and nothing else to think about, PreOrder Globo by Globo.io (4.9 across 1,800+ reviews, Built for Shopify) does that at $9.90/mo for 100 presale orders, or $19.90 unlimited. So the honest positioning: Timesact has the deepest feature set here (every preorder type, the fullest payment options, and back-in-stock built in), famously good support, and the flexibility to bill by usage or a flat rate, which is why it earns its 5.0; a flat-only app like Globo is the pick if you want the simplest possible pricing and less depth. For the full ranked comparison across preorder and back-in-stock apps, see our guide to the best back-in-stock and preorder apps, and if you sell the same product across linked colour listings, our preorders for combined listings guide covers that wrinkle.
Timesact is built by Kairock Partners; you can read more at timesact.com or on its Shopify developer page.
Frequently asked questions
Does Shopify have a built-in preorder button?
No. Shopify has no native preorder feature, so you add one with an app like Timesact, STOQ, or PreOrder Globo. The app replaces the add-to-cart or sold-out button with a “preorder now” button on the products you choose, tags the order as a preorder, and lets you fulfil it when stock arrives. Setup is no-code.
Can I take a deposit instead of full payment on a preorder?
Yes, with the right app. Timesact supports deposits, partial payments, split payments, and payment schedules, so you can collect a percentage up front and automatically charge the balance on the ship date. It’s good practice to tell customers up front when that second charge will happen, so the balance payment is expected rather than a surprise.
How much do Shopify preorder apps cost?
It depends on the pricing model. Flat-fee apps like PreOrder Globo run about $9.90 to $19.90/mo regardless of volume. Timesact gives you a choice: a usage-based Flexible plan that scales with your preorder count (good if you optimise for cost), or flat, unlimited Fixed plans priced by your Shopify plan tier ($19 on Basic up to $99 on Plus). Most apps also start with a free tier, and Timesact’s covers 20 presale orders a month. Pick the model that matches how you’d rather pay.
Do preorders work with Shop Pay and express checkout?
It depends on how the app is built. Modern preorder apps use Shopify’s native selling plans and purchase options, which carry the preorder through the normal checkout. Timesact runs on that model. If a big share of your customers use express checkout buttons like Shop Pay, it is always worth confirming the behaviour on your own store before a big launch, as with any checkout change.
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Umid
Co-Founder at Craftshift
