How to use Preorders Analytics in STOQ

STOQ's Preorders Analytics gives you powerful insights into your preorder performance. You can track revenue, orders, customers, and identify your top-selling preorder products—all in one dashboard. Use this data to understand how your preorder offers are performing and make informed decisions about future product launches and inventory planning.

Accessing Preorders Analytics

The analytics dashboard is located in the Overview section of STOQ's Preorders feature.

Navigating to Analytics

1. From your Shopify admin, open the STOQ app.
2. Click Preorders in the left navigation menu.
3. Click Overview to access the analytics dashboard.

Understanding the Analytics Dashboard

The analytics dashboard provides several key sections to help you understand your preorder performance.

Summary Cards

At the top of the dashboard, you'll see summary cards displaying key metrics for the selected date range:

• Total sales: The total revenue from all preorder orders
• Average order value: The average amount spent per preorder order
• Orders: The total number of preorder orders placed
• Customers: The number of unique customers who placed preorders
• Preorder sales: Revenue specifically from preorder line items
• Products sold: Total number of preorder units sold
• Unpaid orders: Orders with pending payment collection
• Unfulfilled orders: Orders waiting to be fulfilled

These metrics give you a quick snapshot of your preorder business health at a glance.

Filtering by Date Range

You can filter all analytics data by selecting a specific date range.

Selecting a Date Range

1. Look for the date range selector at the top of the Overview page.
2. Click to open the date picker.
3. Select your desired start and end dates.
4. The dashboard automatically updates to show data for the selected period.

Common Date Ranges

The date picker allows you to select:

• Last 7 days: Quick view of recent performance (default)
• Last 30 days: Monthly overview
• Custom range: Select specific start and end dates for any period

Revenue and Orders Charts

The analytics dashboard includes interactive charts that visualize your preorder data over time.

Viewing the Revenue Chart

1. In the analytics section, find the main chart area.
2. Select Revenue to view revenue trends over time.
3. The chart displays daily, weekly, or monthly data depending on your date range.

Viewing the Orders Chart

1. In the same chart area, select Orders to switch views.
2. The chart updates to show the number of orders over time.
3. Use this to identify peak ordering periods.

Chart Intervals

The chart automatically adjusts its interval based on your selected date range:

• Daily: For shorter date ranges (up to a few weeks)
• Weekly: For medium date ranges (a few weeks to months)
• Monthly: For longer date ranges (several months or more)

Top Products by Revenue

Below the charts, you'll find a table showing your top-performing preorder products.

Understanding the Products Table

The products table displays:

• Product/Variant: The product name and variant details
• Revenue: Total revenue generated by that product
• Orders: Number of orders containing that product
• Units sold: Total quantity of that product sold

Sorting Products

You can sort the products table by different metrics:

1. Click on the column header to sort by that metric.
2. Available sort options:

• Revenue (ascending or descending)
• Orders (ascending or descending)

3. Default sorting is by revenue in descending order (highest first).

Grouping Products

You can choose how products are grouped in the table:

1. Look for the Group by filter option.
2. Select your preferred grouping:

• Variant: Shows each product variant separately (default)
• Product: Combines all variants of a product together

Pagination

If you have many preorder products:

1. Use the pagination controls at the bottom of the table.
2. Navigate between pages to see all products.
3. Adjust items per page if needed.

Exporting Analytics Data

You can export your preorder analytics data to CSV for further analysis or reporting.

Exporting to CSV

1. In the Overview section, look for the Export option.
2. Click to export the current data based on your selected filters.
3. The CSV file will be sent to your registered email address.
4. A confirmation message appears: "Report sent to [your email]"

The exported CSV includes product-level data for the selected date range, sorted according to your current sort settings.

Using Analytics for Decision Making

Here's how to leverage your preorder analytics data effectively.

Identify Top Performers

• Review the top products table to see which items generate the most preorder revenue.
• Focus marketing efforts on high-performing products.
• Consider expanding inventory for popular items.

Track Campaign Performance

• Select date ranges that match your marketing campaigns.
• Compare revenue and orders before, during, and after promotions.
• Measure the impact of email campaigns or social media pushes.

Plan Future Launches

• Analyze past preorder performance to forecast demand.
• Identify seasonal trends in your preorder data.
• Use average order value to set pricing strategies.

Monitor Order Health

• Keep an eye on unpaid orders to follow up on payment collection.
• Track unfulfilled orders to ensure timely fulfillment.
• Use customer count to understand your preorder audience size.

Best Practices

Follow these recommendations to get the most from your preorder analytics.

Regular Review

• Check your analytics weekly to stay on top of trends.
• Set up a routine to review key metrics at consistent intervals.
• Compare week-over-week or month-over-month performance.

Use Appropriate Date Ranges

• Match date ranges to your business cycles or campaigns.
• Use longer ranges for trend analysis.
• Use shorter ranges for recent performance monitoring.

Combine with Reports

• Use Analytics for high-level insights and trends.
• Use Reports for detailed order-level data and actions.
• Together, they provide a complete picture of your preorder business.

Export for Deeper Analysis

• Export data regularly for record-keeping.
• Use exported CSVs in spreadsheets for custom analysis.
• Share reports with team members who don't have STOQ access.

Known Limitations

The preorder analytics feature has some constraints to be aware of.

• Analytics data is based on orders placed within the selected date range. Orders placed outside this range are not included.
• Data may take a few minutes to update after new orders are placed.
• The products table shows products with preorder activity only. Products with no preorders in the selected period won't appear.
• Export sends data to your registered email address. Ensure your email settings are correct in STOQ.
• Very large date ranges may take longer to load.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues with preorder analytics, use this guide to identify and resolve common problems.

FAQs

Q: What's the difference between "Total sales" and "Preorder sales"?

A: "Total sales" represents the total revenue from orders containing preorder products, including any non-preorder items in those orders. "Preorder sales" represents revenue specifically from the preorder line items only. If a customer orders a preorder product and a regular product together, the preorder sales would only count the preorder item.

Q: How often is the analytics data updated?

A: Analytics data is updated in near real-time. New orders typically appear in the analytics within a few minutes of being placed. For the most current data, refresh the page.

Q: Can I see analytics for a specific preorder offer?

A: The Overview analytics shows aggregate data across all preorder offers. To see data for a specific offer, use the Reports section where you can filter by preorder offer.

Q: Why do my unpaid orders show a number when I've collected payments?

A: The unpaid orders count reflects the current status of orders within your selected date range. If you've recently collected payments, refresh the page to see updated numbers. There may also be a brief delay in status updates.

Q: Can I compare two different time periods side by side?

A: Currently, the analytics dashboard shows one date range at a time. To compare periods, export data for each period separately and compare in a spreadsheet, or note the metrics and manually compare by switching date ranges.

Q: What does "Products sold" mean exactly?

A: "Products sold" represents the total quantity of preorder units sold, not the number of unique products. If a customer orders 3 units of the same product, that counts as 3 products sold.

Updated on: 25/02/2026