---
title: "Set up preorders"
description: "Create and publish your first preorder offer so the Preorder button goes live."
url: https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/set-up-preorders/
product: "Preorders"
section: "Get started"
last_updated: 2026-10-27
---

# Set up preorders

> Create and publish your first preorder offer so the Preorder button goes live.

This is the quickest path to a live preorder: create an offer, add products, name it and customize the Preorder button, set how customers pay and how orders fulfill, then enable it and place a test order. For what each piece means first, see [Preorders: Overview](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/).

[Video: Set up preorders](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy4vseCMlX0)

## Before you begin

| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| STOQ app embed enabled | The Preorder button shows on your storefront through the STOQ theme app embed. If a **Turn on app embed** badge shows next to the page title, see [Enable STOQ on your theme](https://help.stoqapp.com/general/enable-stoq-on-your-theme/) |
| Products to sell | Decide which products (or upcoming products) you'll offer for preorder |

## Choose your setup

Two choices matter most before your offer goes live:

- **How customers pay**: full payment (the default, no extra setup), a partial payment or deposit, or both together with the customer choosing at checkout. See [Set up payment for preorders](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/set-up-payment-for-preorders/).
- **How orders fulfill**: **Unfulfilled** (fulfillable right away, like a normal order), **Scheduled** (auto-releases on a date you set), or **On hold** (you release it manually). See [Choose a fulfillment setup](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/choose-preorder-fulfillment-setup/).

If you're not sure, full payment with Unfulfilled status is the simplest setup: it behaves like a normal order and needs no extra configuration.

## What customers will see

Once you enable the offer, the **Preorder** button appears on the product page for every product in it. At checkout, customers pay based on the payment type you chose: the full price, or a deposit now with the remaining balance collected later.

Depending on which notifications you turn on, customers may get an email when their preorder is confirmed, when there's a shipping update, or if a payment collection attempt fails.

## Set it up

On a phone, this menu is collapsed. In the **Shopify mobile app**, tap the **STOQ** logo at the top of the screen to open it, then choose the section named below. There is no hamburger icon. See [Finding the STOQ menu](https://help.stoqapp.com/general/getting-started-with-stoq/#finding-the-stoq-menu).

1. **Add a new offer**

   1. In the left menu bar of the STOQ app, click **Preorders**.
   2. Click the **Offers** tab.
   3. Click **Add new offer** (STOQ creates the offer and opens its **Overview** tab).
   4. Click **Customize** to open the offer editor, with a control panel and a live preview of the storefront, cart, and fulfillment.

   [Image: STOQ Preorders Offers tab with markers: 1 Preorders in the left menu, 2 the Offers tab, 3 the Add new offer button, showing the offers table](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-1.png)

   [Image: A new preorder offer's Overview tab with the storefront preview and marker 1 on the Customize button](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-2.png)

2. **Add products and enable continue-selling**

   1. On the offer's **Overview** tab, open its **Products** section and click **Add products** to pick the products this offer applies to. **More options** also lets you **Add from collection**, **Add from admin**, or [Import with CSV](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/import-export-preorder-products/). See [Add products to an offer](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/add-products-to-an-offer/).
   2. As it adds them, STOQ checks each variant for **Continue selling when out of stock** and offers to turn it on for you. Leave it enabled so the Preorder button can appear on out-of-stock items.

   [Image: The offer Overview tab with marker 1 on the Add products button](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-3.png)

   [Image: The Add products dialog with marker 1 on Add products (pick products and variants), alongside Add from collection, Add from admin, and Import with CSV](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-4.png)

   [Image: The product picker with a variant checkbox ticked (marker) and marker 1 on the Add button](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-5.png)

   [Image: The Confirm inventory setting dialog with Show Preorder when product is out of stock selected and marker 1 on the Continue button](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-6.png)

   [Image: The offer's Products section with the added variant row highlighted, showing its Status, Limit, and Shipping fields](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-7.png)

3. **Name the offer**

   1. In the editor sidebar, click **Widget**. The panel has two groups: **Widget** (button and colors) and **Settings** (names).
   2. Under **Settings**, enter the **Offer name** customers see in cart and at checkout, for example "Preorder".
   3. Enter an **Internal name** if you want a clearer label in your own Offers list. Customers never see it. See [Rename a preorder offer](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/rename-preorder-offer/).

   [Image: The offer editor with marker 1 on the Widget item in the sidebar](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-8.png)

   [Image: The Widget panel Settings group with marker 1 on the Offer name and Internal name fields, and marker 2 on Save](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-9.png)

4. **Customize the Preorder button**

   Still in the **Widget** section:

   1. Enter your text in the **Button text** field. The default is **Preorder**, and it replaces "Add to cart" on the offer's products.
   2. To change its colors, check **Use custom colors for button**, click the **Customize** link, and set the **Text** and **Background** colors.
   3. To label the product with a badge, check **Add badge** and click **Customize** to set the badge text and colors.

   See [Design the preorder widget](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/design-preorder-widget/) for every option.

   [Image: The Widget panel with marker 1 on the Button text field set to Preorder!, reflected on the preview button](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-10.png)

   [Image: The Widget panel with marker 1 on the Use custom colors for button checkbox](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-11.png)

   [Image: The Widget panel with Use custom colors for button checked and marker 1 on the Customize link, the preview button now purple](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-12.png)

   [Image: The Widget panel with marker 1 on the Add badge checkbox and marker 2 on its Customize link, a Preorder badge shown on the preview](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-13.png)

5. **(Optional) Add a disclaimer**

   In the **Widget** section, check **Add disclaimer** and enter your message in the **Disclaimer** field, for example "This item ships 30 days after you place the order". Click **Customize** next to the disclaimer label to set its border radius, text color, and background color.

   Use this to set expectations before customers buy. To show a shipping date instead, use the shipping timeline in the next step.

   [Image: The Widget panel with marker 1 on Add disclaimer, marker 2 on the Disclaimer field, and marker 3 on Customize, the disclaimer shown on the preview](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-14.png)

6. **Set how customers pay**

   1. In the editor sidebar, click **Payment**.
   2. Choose a payment type: full payment, a partial payment or deposit, or both with the customer choosing at checkout. See [Set up payment for preorders](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/set-up-payment-for-preorders/) for the full walkthrough.

   [Image: The offer editor with marker 1 on the Payment item in the sidebar](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-15.png)

   [Image: The Payment panel with marker 1 on the Payment type dropdown open, showing Full payment, Partial payment or deposit, and Full payment and partial payment](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-16.png)

7. **Set how orders fulfill and when they ship**

   1. In the editor sidebar, click **Shipping**.
   2. Choose a fulfillment status: **Unfulfilled**, **Scheduled**, or **On hold**. See [Choose a fulfillment setup](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/choose-preorder-fulfillment-setup/).
   3. Choose a fulfillment option if this offer will include mixed orders (a preorder item bought together with an in-stock item).
   4. To tell customers when the item ships, check **Show shipping timeline** and enter your message. It appears below the Preorder button on the product page. See [Show a shipping timeline](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/show-preorder-shipping-timeline/).

   [Image: The offer editor with marker 1 on the Shipping item in the sidebar](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-17.png)

   [Image: The Shipping panel with marker 1 on the Fulfillment status options (Unfulfilled selected, Scheduled, On hold) and marker 2 on the Show shipping timeline settings](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-18.png)

8. **(Optional) Add a discount, schedule, limits, or a countdown**

   Still in the editor sidebar, you can add a [preorder discount](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-discounts/) from **Payment**, [set start and end dates](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-offer-status-and-schedule/) from **Status**, [cap how much customers can order](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-order-limits/) from **Limits**, or [show a countdown timer](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-countdown-timer/) from **Countdown timer**.

   [Image: The Payment panel with marker 1 on the Discount on total price options: Percent, Amount, or None](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-19.png)

9. **Enable the offer**

   1. In the editor sidebar, click **Status** and choose **Available now**.
   2. Click **Save changes**. The Preorder button goes live for the products in this offer.

   [Image: The Status panel with marker 1 on the Available now option and marker 2 on Save](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-20.png)

10. **Set up notifications**

    1. In the left menu, click **Preorders**.
    2. Click the **Settings** tab.
    3. Click the **Notifications** sub-tab.

    Review these messages so customers are kept informed:

    - [Preorder confirmed](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-confirmation-notification/)
    - [Shipping update](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-shipping-update-email/)
    - [Payment collection failed](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-payment-failed-email/)

    [Image: STOQ Preorders Settings Notifications sub-tab with markers: 1 Preorders in the left menu, 2 the Settings tab, 3 the Notifications sub-tab, 4 the Customize email button](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-21.png)

## Check your setup

1. **Check the button on your storefront**

   1. Open one of the offer's products on your live storefront, in an incognito window so you're not seeing a cached or admin preview.
   2. Confirm the **Preorder** button has replaced "Add to cart", with the button text, colors, badge, disclaimer, and shipping timeline you set.

   If the button is missing, see [Troubleshooting the preorder button](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/troubleshooting-preorder-button-display/).

   [Image: The storefront product page for Pant new showing the Preorder badge, the purple Preorder! button, and the Pre-order before it's gone shipping disclaimer](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/set-up-preorders-22.png)

2. **Place a test order**

   1. Buy the product yourself through the storefront, using the standard **Add to cart** then **Checkout** flow. Accelerated buttons like Shop Pay or Buy it now bypass the preorder purchase option, so the order won't count as a preorder. To avoid a real charge, use a 100% discount code or turn on Shopify's Bogus Gateway.
   2. Confirm the charge matches the payment type you chose: the full price, or the deposit amount.
   3. Go to **Reports → Preorders → Orders** in the STOQ dashboard and confirm the order is listed.
   4. Open the order in your Shopify admin and confirm its fulfillment status matches what you configured.
   5. Refund and cancel the test order when you're done so it doesn't skew your reports.

   See [Test your preorder offer](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/test-your-preorder-offer/) for the full checklist.

## Troubleshooting

### The Preorder button isn't showing

Check these:

1. The [STOQ app embed](https://help.stoqapp.com/general/enable-stoq-on-your-theme/) is enabled in your theme.
2. **Continue selling when out of stock** is on for the product. See [Fix preorder product warnings](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/fix-preorder-product-warnings/).
3. The product is added to an offer.
4. The offer's [status](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-offer-status-and-schedule/) is **Available now**.

See [Troubleshooting the preorder button](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/troubleshooting-preorder-button-display/) if it's still missing.

### A payment option you expect is missing

Partial payment requires **Shopify Payments** and the Shopify purchase option, and letting customers choose between full and partial payment requires a paid plan. See [Set up payment for preorders](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/set-up-payment-for-preorders/).

### Fulfillment doesn't behave the way you expected for a mixed order (a preorder item bought together with an in-stock item)

Set a fulfillment option under **Shipping**, it decides what happens to the rest of the order. See [Choose a fulfillment setup](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/choose-preorder-fulfillment-setup/), or [Separate orders for mixed preorders](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/separate-orders-for-mixed-preorders/) to split them into two orders.

## FAQ

### Can I preorder in-stock products?

Yes. An offer can apply to in-stock products too, for example to take a deposit or sell ahead of a launch. Turn on **Show 'Preorder' for in-stock products** in the editor's **Inventory** section. See [Preorder inventory settings](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-inventory-settings/).

### Can I schedule an offer to start later?

Yes. Use the offer's schedule with start and end dates; until it starts, the offer shows as Scheduled. See [Schedule when an offer runs](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-offer-status-and-schedule/).

### Can one offer cover many products?

Yes. Add as many products as you like to an offer; they all share its payment, fulfillment, and display settings. See [Add products to an offer](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/add-products-to-an-offer/).

### Do I have to take a deposit?

No. Full payment is the default. Customers pay the whole amount at checkout. Deposits and partial payments are optional.

## Related guides

- [Preorders: Overview](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/): What Preorders does and how it's organized.
- [Set up payment for preorders](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/set-up-payment-for-preorders/): Full payment, deposits, and collecting the balance.
- [Choose a fulfillment setup](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/choose-preorder-fulfillment-setup/): Decide how preorder orders are held and shipped.
- [Set up preorder discounts](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-discounts/): Offer a discount on preorder products.