How to display preorder offer information throughout the purchase flow including admin page

STOQ allows you to display preorder offer information throughout the entire purchase flow, from the product page to the cart, checkout, thank you page, and even the Shopify admin order page. This information is shown using line item properties that are attached to the product when added to cart, ensuring customers always know they are purchasing a preorder item with clear details about payment terms and fulfillment timelines.

How Preorder Information Gets Attached to Orders

STOQ uses two different mechanisms to identify and display preorder information on orders. Understanding the difference is important because each method controls what data appears in Shopify Admin, in customer-facing pages, and in order exports.

Default: Shopify Selling Plan (Native Purchase Option)

When Use Shopify's purchase option is enabled (the default for all offers), STOQ creates a native Shopify selling plan for the offer. When a customer adds a preorder product to their cart, Shopify automatically attaches the selling plan to the line item.

This default behaviour provides:

• Order tag: STOQ automatically tags the order (default tag: STOQ-preorder, customisable per offer under Customize → Limits → Order tags).
• Selling plan name on the line item: Shopify shows the selling plan name (e.g. "Preorder") on the order in Shopify Admin, in the checkout, and on the thank you page.
• Fulfillment hold support: Shopify's native fulfillment hold feature works because it recognises the selling plan on the line item.
• Partial payments: Deposit and deferred payment options are available through the selling plan.

However, the selling plan identifier on the line item is managed by Shopify internally. It does not appear as an explicit, visible line item property. This means:

• When you export orders to CSV from Shopify Admin, the line item's selling plan association may not appear as a separate column or property in the export.
• Third-party apps that read order exports or line item properties may not see a clear "this is a preorder" identifier unless they specifically query the selling plan allocation on the line item.

Custom Cart Attribute (Line Item Property Method)

To get an explicit, visible identifier on each preorder line item — one that appears in order exports, packing slips, and third-party app integrations — you need to enable Add custom cart attribute in the offer's Advanced settings.

When this is enabled, STOQ adds preorder information as line item properties directly on the cart item. Line item properties are key-value pairs that travel with the line item through the entire purchase flow and are visible in:

• The cart page
• The checkout page
• The thank you page
• Shopify Admin order details
• Order CSV exports
• Packing slip templates
• Any third-party app that reads line item properties

Additionally, when Use without Shopify's purchase option is enabled for an offer, STOQ automatically adds a hidden _stoq_shopify_selling_plan_id property to the line item so it can still identify the order as a preorder internally — even though no native selling plan is attached.

Comparison: Selling Plan vs. Custom Cart Attribute

This table summarises what each method provides and where the preorder information appears.

Understanding Line Item Properties

Line item properties are additional data fields attached to products in the cart. When enabled, STOQ automatically adds preorder information as line item properties, which then appear throughout the purchase flow and in Shopify admin.

These properties can also be used by other apps to display additional information, such as including preorder details in order confirmation emails or printing offer information on packing slips.

Available Properties

STOQ can display the following preorder information as line item properties:

• Offer Name: The name of your preorder offer (e.g., "Preorder")
• Offer Description (Disclaimer): Any disclaimer text you've configured for the offer
• Offer Fulfillment: The expected shipping date or fulfillment timeline
• Offer Payment: Payment terms including deposit amounts for partial payments
• Offer Discount: Any discount applied to the preorder
• Custom: Using the variables we provide, you can construct a custom variable.

Accessing Your Preorder Offer Settings

1. From your Shopify admin, open the STOQ app.
2. Click Preorders in the left navigation menu.
3. In Offers tab click on the offer you want to configure.
4. In your preorder offer, click Customize.

Enabling Payment and Discount Display

To display payment and discount information on the product page and throughout the purchase flow:

1. In your offer customization, scroll to the Payment section.
2. Enable the checkbox for Show payment & discount savings.
3. Click Save to apply your changes.

When enabled, customers will see payment terms and any applicable discounts on the product page, in the cart, at checkout, and on the thank you page.

Enabling Fulfillment Timeline Display

To display the expected shipping or fulfillment date:

1. In your offer customization, scroll to the Shipping section.
2. Enable the checkbox for Show fulfillment timeline.
3. Click Save to apply your changes.

This displays the expected fulfillment date or shipping message you configured for the offer.

Advanced Cart Settings

The Advanced settings section gives you the options to enable the cart attributes (line item properties). You can also create custom cart attributes with your own messaging.

Accessing Advanced Settings

1. In your offer customization, scroll to the bottom of the page.
2. Click on Advanced to expand the advanced settings section.

Cart Display Options

Under the Cart heading in Advanced settings, you'll find these options:

Show Payment Details & Savings in Cart

Enable Show payment details & savings in cart to display payment information as a line item property in the cart, checkout, and order pages. This is useful when you want payment terms visible throughout the purchase flow, not just on the product page.

Show Fulfillment Timeline in Cart

Enable Show fulfillment timeline in cart to display the shipping date or fulfillment message as a line item property. This ensures customers see when to expect their order at every step.

Adding Custom Cart Attributes

For more flexibility, you can create a custom cart attribute that combines multiple pieces of information into a single message.

1. In the Advanced settings under Cart, enable Add custom cart attribute.
2. Enter your custom message in the text field that appears.
3. Use variables to dynamically insert offer information.
4. Click Save to apply your changes.

Available Variables

Click Available variables to see all the variables you can use in your custom cart attribute:

Example custom attribute: {{ name }}: Save {{ discount }}, ships on {{ date }}

This would display as: "Preorder: Save 10%, ships on Dec 25, 2024"

Where Preorder Information Appears

Once enabled, preorder information displays at multiple touchpoints throughout the customer journey.

Product Page

On the product page, customers see:

• Payment options and terms (if enabled)
• Discount savings (if applicable)
• Fulfillment timeline or expected shipping date

Added to Cart Notification

When a customer adds a preorder product to their cart, the notification shows the line item properties you've enabled.

Cart Page

In the cart, customers see line item properties displayed below the product details, including:

• Payment terms
• Fulfillment timeline
• Custom cart attributes (if configured)

Checkout Page

During checkout, the same line item properties appear, ensuring customers confirm their preorder with full knowledge of the terms.

Thank You Page

After completing the purchase, the thank you page displays the preorder information, confirming the order details.

Shopify Admin Order Page

In your Shopify admin, the order page shows the line item properties, making it easy for you and your team to identify preorder items and their terms.

Using Preorder Information in Other Apps

The line item properties added by STOQ can be accessed by other Shopify apps and customizations.

Packing Slips

You can display preorder information on packing slips by accessing the line item properties in your packing slip template. For detailed instructions, see our article on showing preorder offer information on packing slips.

Order Confirmation Emails

Include preorder details in Shopify's order confirmation emails by referencing the line item properties in your email template. This ensures customers receive all relevant preorder information in their confirmation email. For detailed instructions, see our article on showing preorder offer in order confirmation email.

Known Limitations

• Line item properties are visible to customers and cannot be hidden once added to the cart.
• Custom cart attributes have a character limit imposed by Shopify.
• Some themes may display line item properties differently; test your configuration to ensure it appears as expected.
• Third-party apps must support line item properties to display the preorder information.

Troubleshooting

FAQs

Q: Can I show different information for different preorder offers?

A: Yes, each preorder offer has its own settings for displaying information. You can configure different display options, custom cart attributes, and messaging for each offer independently.

Q: Will the preorder information appear in Shopify's order confirmation emails?

A: Line item properties are available in Shopify's email templates, but you need to customize your order confirmation email template to display them. See our article on showing preorder offer information in order confirmation emails for instructions.

Q: Can I hide the preorder information from customers but still see it in admin?

A: No, line item properties are visible throughout the purchase flow once enabled. If you only want to see the information in admin, consider using Shopify order tags or notes instead, which can be configured separately.

Q: How do I remove preorder information from orders already placed?

A: Line item properties are attached to the order at the time of purchase and cannot be removed afterward. You can only change settings for future orders by updating your offer configuration.

Q: Can I use HTML in custom cart attributes?

A: No, custom cart attributes display as plain text. HTML tags will appear as text rather than being rendered. Keep your custom messages simple and text-based.

Updated on: 05/06/2026