When it comes to setting up an online store, WooCommerce is one of the most popular platforms for small businesses and entrepreneurs. It’s user-friendly, relatively inexpensive, and there are plenty of plugins and themes available to customize the look and feel of your store.
If you’re thinking about using WooCommerce to sell products or services online, you may be wondering if it’s possible to do pre-orders. The short answer is yes, you can absolutely do pre-orders on WooCommerce.
Here’s a look at how pre-orders work on WooCommerce, what you need to know before setting them up, and some tips for making the most of this feature.
How Pre-Orders Work on WooCommerce
WooCommerce pre-orders are fairly straightforward. Essentially, a pre-order is an order placed for a product that’s not yet available. Customers can pay for the product in full or make a deposit (with the balance due when the product ships).
As the store owner, you can choose whether or not to charge shipping for pre-orders. You can also set up automatic email notifications so customers know when their product has shipped.
When a customer places a pre-order, WooCommerce will create a new order and mark it as “Pending.” Once the product is available, you can then process and fulfill the order like any other.
Things to Know Before Setting Up Pre-Orders on WooCommerce
There are a few things to keep in mind before offering pre-orders on your WooCommerce store:
- Pre-orders may require additional plugins: If you want customers to be able to pay a deposit or make partial payments for their pre-orders, you’ll need to install a plugin like Deposits for WooCommerce or Partial Payments for WooCommerce.
- You’ll need to manage inventory manually: Unlike some other ecommerce platforms, WooCommerce doesn’t have built-in inventory management features. That means if you’re selling both pre-order and in-stock products, you’ll need to keep track of inventory manually to avoid overselling.
- Pre-orders may not be available in all countries: Depending on your location, there may be legal restrictions on selling products via pre-order. Be sure to check with your local laws before offering pre-orders on your store.
- You can offer discounts on pre-orders: If you want to incentivize customers to place pre-orders, you can offer discounts like free shipping or percentage off the regular price. Just keep in mind that any discounts will need to be manually applied when processing orders.
Now that we’ve covered the basics of how pre-orders work on WooCommerce, let’s take a look at some tips for making the most of this feature.
Tips for Making the Most of Pre-Orders on WooCommerce
- Use Pre-Orders Sparingly: Offering too many products via pre-order can quickly become overwhelming – both for you as the store owner and for your customers. Try to limit yourself to no more than two or three products at a time so you can stay organized and focused.
- Set Clear Expectations: When customers place a pre-order, they’re essentially trusting you to deliver on your promises. Be sure to set clear expectations from the beginning by providing an estimated ship date and communicating frequently about any delays or changes.
- Use Automated Email Notifications: As we mentioned earlier, one of the benefits of using WooCommerce for pre-orders is that you can set up automated email notifications. This way, customers will automatically receive updates about their order status without you having to send them manually.
- Offer Incentives: If you want customers to place pre-orders, it helps to offer incentives like discounts or free shipping. Just remember that any discounts will need to be applied manually when processing orders.
