How to require customers to accept preorder terms

The preorder acknowledgement feature adds a checkbox to your product page, quick buy and featured product setup that customers must check before they can add a preorder item to their cart. This ensures customers explicitly accept your preorder terms, such as extended shipping times or payment policies. You can customize the checkbox text and choose whether to disable the preorder button until the checkbox is checked.

Why Use the Acknowledgement Feature

Requiring customers to acknowledge preorder terms helps set clear expectations and reduces disputes.

Benefits

• Ensures customers understand they are placing a preorder, not a regular order
• Communicates important terms like estimated shipping dates or payment schedules
• Reduces refund requests from customers who didn't realize they were preordering
• Provides documentation that customers accepted your terms
• Builds trust through transparent communication

Common Use Cases

• Informing customers about extended fulfillment timelines
• Communicating partial payment terms (deposit now, balance later)
• Noting that preorder items cannot be combined with regular items
• Explaining cancellation or refund policies specific to preorders
• Highlighting that product specifications may change before release

Accessing the Acknowledgement Settings

The acknowledgement settings are located in the Limits section of the offer editor.

Navigating to the Settings

1. From your Shopify admin, open the STOQ app.
2. Click Preorders in the left navigation menu.
3. Click Offers to view your preorder offers.
4. Click on an offer to open the editor.
5. Click on the Limits & Terms section in the offer summary.

The Accept Terms Section

In the Limits panel, you'll find the Accept terms section with the acknowledgement settings.

Enabling the Acknowledgement Checkbox

Follow these steps to require customers to accept terms before preordering.

Step 1: Enable the Feature

1. In the Limits & Terms panel, locate the Accept terms section.
2. Check the box labeled Require customer to accept terms.
3. A Customize link appears below the checkbox.

Step 2: Customize the Terms Text

1. Click the Customize link to expand the customization options.
2. In the Terms text field, enter the message customers will see next to the checkbox.
3. The text field supports HTML, so you can add links, bold text, or other formatting.

Example Terms Text

Here are some examples of effective acknowledgement text:

Simple acknowledgement:

I understand this is a preorder and shipping may take 4-6 weeks.

With link to policy:

I agree to the <a href="/pages/preorder-policy" target="_blank">preorder terms and conditions</a>.

Payment terms:

I understand a 50% deposit is charged now and the remaining balance will be collected before shipping.

Product disclaimer:

I acknowledge that product specifications may change before the final release.

Step 3: Configure Button Behavior (Optional)

You can choose whether the preorder button should be disabled until the customer checks the acknowledgement box.

1. Below the Terms text field, find the checkbox labeled Disable button until terms are accepted.
2. Check this box to disable the preorder button until the customer accepts the terms.
3. Leave it unchecked if you want the button to remain clickable (customers will still need to check the box to proceed).

Step 4: Save Your Changes

1. Click Save changes to apply the acknowledgement settings.
2. The acknowledgement checkbox will now appear on product pages for items in this offer.

Show Acceptance Timestamp on Order

When the acknowledgement feature is enabled, you can also record the exact date and time the customer accepted the preorder terms. This adds a line item property to the order so you can see proof of acceptance directly in Shopify.

How It Works

When a customer checks the acknowledgement box and adds the item to cart, STOQ records the timestamp. This timestamp is saved as a line item property on the order. You and your staff can see it when viewing the order in Shopify admin.

How to Enable the Acceptance Timestamp

1. Make sure the Require customer to accept terms checkbox is already enabled.
2. Click Customize to expand the acknowledgement settings.
3. Check the box labeled Show acceptance timestamp on order.
4. A Property label text field appears below.

Customize the Property Label

The Property label field controls the label that appears on the order next to the timestamp.

• Default label: Preorder Terms Accepted
• You can change this to any text you prefer (e.g., "Terms Accepted On", "Preorder Consent Date").
• Leave blank to use the default label.

The label appears on the order line item in Shopify admin like this:

Where the Timestamp Appears

The acceptance timestamp shows as a line item property on the order. You can see it in:

• Shopify admin — Open the order and look at the line item properties.
• Order confirmation emails — If your email template includes line item properties, the timestamp will appear there too.
• Packing slips — If your packing slip template includes line item properties.

What Customers See

When the acknowledgement feature is enabled, customers see a checkbox on the product page.

The Acknowledgement Checkbox

The checkbox appears above or near the preorder button. It displays your custom terms text, and customers must check it before proceeding.

When the Customer Checks the Box

Once the customer checks the acknowledgement checkbox:

1. If "Disable button until terms are accepted" is enabled, the preorder button becomes clickable.
2. The customer can now click the preorder button to add the item to their cart.
3. The product is added to the cart normally.
4. The customer proceeds through checkout as usual.

When the Customer Does Not Check the Box

If the customer tries to add the item to cart without checking the acknowledgement box:

With "Disable button until terms are accepted" enabled:

• The preorder button appears disabled (grayed out or unclickable)
• The customer cannot click the button at all
• They must check the acknowledgement box first to enable the button

With "Disable button until terms are accepted" disabled:

• The preorder button appears clickable
• If the customer clicks the button without checking the box, the action is blocked
• An error message or visual indicator prompts them to accept the terms
• The item is not added to cart until they check the box

Customizing the Checkbox Appearance

The acknowledgement checkbox inherits styling from your theme, but you can customize it further.

Using HTML in Terms Text

The terms text field supports HTML, allowing you to:

• Add links: <a href="/pages/policy">View policy</a>
• Bold important text: <strong>4-6 weeks</strong>
• Add line breaks: <br>
• Style specific words: <span style="color: red;">Important:</span>

Theme Integration

The checkbox and text use your theme's default form styling. If you need custom styling, you can add CSS to your theme that targets the acknowledgement checkbox container.

Best Practices

Follow these recommendations for an effective acknowledgement experience.

Keep Text Concise

• Use clear, simple language
• Avoid legal jargon that confuses customers
• Focus on the most important information
• Keep the text to one or two sentences when possible

Be Specific About Terms

• Mention specific timeframes (e.g., "4-6 weeks" instead of "extended shipping")
• Clearly state payment terms if using partial payments
• Include links to detailed policies for customers who want more information

Use the Disable Button Option

• Enabling "Disable button until terms are accepted" provides a clearer user experience
• Customers immediately understand they need to check the box
• Reduces confusion and support requests

Test the Customer Experience

• Preview your product page after enabling the feature
• Test both checking and not checking the box
• Ensure the terms text displays correctly
• Verify links work if you've included any

Known Limitations

The acknowledgement feature has some constraints to be aware of.

• The acknowledgement feature requires a paid STOQ plan
• The checkbox appears only on product pages, not on collection pages or quick-add features
• HTML in the terms text is not sanitized, so ensure you use valid HTML
• The acknowledgement is not recorded or stored with the order (it's a pre-checkout confirmation only)
• Styling customization requires theme CSS modifications
• The checkbox position is determined by STOQ's widget placement and cannot be moved independently

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues with the acknowledgement feature, use this guide to identify and resolve common problems.

FAQs

Q: Is the acknowledgement recorded with the order?

A: By default, the acknowledgement is a pre-checkout confirmation only. However, if you enable Show acceptance timestamp on order, STOQ adds a line item property to the order with the exact date and time the customer accepted the terms. This gives you a permanent record on the order.

Q: Can I have different acknowledgement text for different offers?

A: Yes. Each preorder offer has its own acknowledgement settings. You can customize the terms text differently for each offer based on the specific products or terms involved.

Q: Does the acknowledgement appear on quick buy and featured product setups?

A: Yes, the acknowledgement appears on quick buy and featured product setups. It does not appear on the individual products on the non product pages

Q: Can I make the checkbox pre-checked by default?

A: No. For legal and transparency reasons, the checkbox must be unchecked by default. Customers must actively check the box to accept terms.

Q: Can I require acknowledgement for some products but not others?

A: Yes. Create separate offers for products that require acknowledgement and those that don't. Enable the acknowledgement feature only on the offers where it's needed.

Updated on: 29/04/2026