Unlocking the Power of Pre-Orders in Shopify: A Guide for Store Owners

Pre-orders can be a game-changer for your business. They allow you to validate demand before stocking up. You can collect revenue early and build excitement around a product launch. Everything about pre-orders makes sense from the merchant's perspective.

But what about the customer experience?

When a customer places a pre-order on your Shopify store, they're filled with excitement. They’ve paid for something they truly want. But then, they encounter silence. They check their order status, and it says "Processing." A week passes, and it still says "Processing." Two weeks go by, and the status remains unchanged.

They start to wonder: Did the store forget about my order? Did something go wrong? Should I email them?

And that’s exactly what they do. They send you an email asking, "Where's my order?" "When will it ship?" "Is everything okay?"

You respond, explaining that it's a pre-order and it hasn't shipped yet. The customer acknowledges this, but then they email again the following week with the same questions.

Now, multiply that by 50 pre-orders or even 100. Your support inbox fills up with the same inquiries. Each customer is perfectly fine; their order is on track. They just don’t know it.

Understanding Pre-Order Tracking in Shopify

Shopify's order tracking is designed for regular orders. A customer buys something, you fulfill it, and Shopify sends a shipping confirmation with a tracking number. The customer can follow their package from the warehouse to their doorstep. This flow works seamlessly.

However, pre-orders don’t follow that same flow. A pre-order sits in your system for days or weeks before it ships. During that time, there’s no fulfillment, no tracking number, and no shipping update. The order just sits there with a "Processing" status.

Shopify lacks a built-in way to inform customers, "Hey, this is a pre-order. It’s supposed to take a while. Here’s when you can expect it." There’s no pre-order status page or custom message. Just "Processing," which looks identical to a regular order that’s stuck.

From the customer’s perspective, a pre-order waiting to ship and a delayed regular order appear the same. And that’s where the confusion lies.

How Do Most Merchants Handle Pre-Order Tracking?

Most merchants manage pre-order tracking manually. They send an email after the pre-order is placed, explaining the timeline. Some add a note in the order confirmation, while others include a disclaimer on the product page.

These methods help, but they don’t solve the core issue. Customers often forget the email or overlook the fine print. When they check their order status, which is completely natural, they see "Processing" and panic.

Some merchants use apps that add a tracking page to their store. This is an improvement, but most tracking apps are designed for shipped orders. They show carrier information, tracking numbers, and delivery timelines. None of that applies to a pre-order. So, the tracking page may display a blank status, which can be more frustrating than having no tracking page at all.

What merchants truly need is a way to display a custom message on the tracking page for pre-orders. Something that clearly states, "This is a pre-order. Here’s what’s happening, and here’s when to expect it." A message that appears automatically based on the order type, without requiring the merchant to take action for each individual order.

How Does Pre-Order Tracking Work in Notify Rush?

Notify Rush offers a built-in order tracking page that your customers can use to check their order status. They simply enter their order number and email, and they see a branded tracking page featuring a visual timeline, shipping details, carrier information, and a list of items they ordered.

For pre-orders, Notify Rush includes a feature called Pre-Order Tracking Configuration. Here’s how it works:

1. In your Notify Rush settings, find the section labeled "Pre-Order Tracking Configuration."

2. Click "Add Configuration" and fill in two key details: an order tag and a display message.

   
   

The order tag is a Shopify tag you assign to your pre-orders. This could be "PREORDER," "backorder," or "custom-order"—whatever tag fits your workflow. Many merchants already tag their pre-orders in Shopify for internal tracking. Now, that same tag serves a dual purpose.

The display message is what your customer sees on the tracking page. You can customize it to say something like, "Your order is a pre-order. Your item is expected to ship by March 15th. We’ll update your tracking as soon as it’s on the way." Or you could keep it brief: "This is a pre-order item. Expected shipping: late March." Tailor it to fit your brand and timeline.

Once you save the configuration, it becomes active. Any order with that tag will display your custom message on the tracking page.

What Does the Customer See on the Pre-Order Tracking Page?

When a customer looks up a pre-order on the tracking page, they see a purple banner at the top labeled "Pre-Order Status." Below this label is the message you crafted. It’s prominent, clear, and the first thing they notice.

Underneath the banner, the regular order information is still visible—the order number, the date, and the "Processing" status. But now, the customer has context. They see "Processing" alongside the pre-order banner explaining why. There’s no confusion, and no reason to email support.

The banner only appears when there’s no tracking progress on the order. Once you fulfill the order and tracking kicks in—when a carrier is assigned, a tracking number is generated, and the package starts moving—the pre-order banner disappears automatically. The regular tracking timeline takes over: Processing, Shipped, In Transit, Delivered. The transition is seamless.

So, the customer experience unfolds like this: they check their order early on, see the pre-order message, and understand the timeline. A few weeks later, they check again, notice the banner is gone, and see that their package has shipped and is in transit. No gaps, no confusion, and no support tickets.

Can I Have Different Messages for Different Types of Pre-Orders?

Absolutely! You can create multiple configurations, each with a different tag and message.

For instance, if you sell clothing and electronics, your clothing pre-orders might ship in two weeks, while your electronics pre-orders take six weeks. You could tag clothing pre-orders with "PREORDER-CLOTHING" and electronics with "PREORDER-ELECTRONICS." Each would have its own message reflecting its unique timeline.

Or perhaps you have backorders—items that were in stock, sold out, and are being restocked. You could tag those with "BACKORDER" and write a message like, "This item is currently being restocked. Expected to ship within 10 business days."

You could also use it for made-to-order products. Tag them as "CUSTOM-ORDER" and write, "Your item is being handmade to order. Production takes 2-3 weeks. We’ll update your tracking once it ships."

Each configuration operates independently. You can enable or disable them individually and edit the message anytime. If a batch of pre-orders ships and you no longer need the message, just toggle it off. You can turn it back on for the next batch.

Does This Replace My Order Confirmation Email?

No, it doesn’t replace your order confirmation email. This feature works alongside your existing emails. Your order confirmation email still goes out when the customer places the order. Any automated emails you've set up will continue to function based on your rules.

The pre-order tracking configuration specifically controls what the customer sees on the tracking page. This is the page they visit to check their order status after receiving the initial confirmation.

Think of it this way: your confirmation email tells the customer, "We got your order." The tracking page informs them, "Here’s where your order is right now." For pre-orders, the tracking page also conveys, "Here’s why it hasn’t shipped yet and when it will."

What About the Rest of the Tracking Page?

The tracking page isn’t just for pre-orders. When a customer looks up a regular order that’s been shipped, they see a status header with the order number and date, a visual timeline showing the progress from Processing to Delivered, shipping details including the carrier name and tracking number, a copy button for the tracking number, a direct link to track on the carrier's website, and a list of all items in the order.

For pre-orders, the same page is utilized—it just has the additional banner at the top until tracking information becomes available.

How Do I Set Up Pre-Order Tracking in Notify Rush?

If you’re already using Notify Rush, head to your Settings page. Scroll down to "Pre-Order Tracking Configuration." Click "Add Configuration."

Enter the tag name—it must match the tag you use on your Shopify orders. If your orders are tagged "PREORDER" in Shopify, type "PREORDER" here.

Next, write your display message. Be specific. Include a date or timeframe if possible. "Expected to ship by March 15th" is much clearer than "will ship soon." Customers appreciate specifics.

Save your configuration. That’s it! It becomes active immediately.

Ensure your pre-orders in Shopify have the tag. If you’re using a pre-order app, most add tags automatically. If you manage pre-orders manually, add the tag when creating or editing the order.

To test it, look up a tagged order on your tracking page. You should see the purple pre-order banner with your message.

What If I Stop Doing Pre-Orders?

Simply delete the pre-order settings. This action won’t affect any other part of your store or your Notify Rush setup. Your regular order tracking will continue to function as usual.

If you do pre-orders seasonally—for instance, for holiday product launches—you can keep the configuration saved and toggle it on and off as needed. The message remains saved even when it’s disabled.

The Bottom Line

Pre-orders are a smart business strategy. However, they create an information gap between you and your customer. The customer has paid for something but lacks visibility into when it will arrive. This gap leads to support tickets, anxiety, and sometimes cancellations.

A custom pre-order message on your tracking page bridges that gap. The customer checks their order, sees a clear explanation, and moves on with their day. No emails to support. No confusion. No frustration.

Setting it up takes about two minutes. One tag, one message. Your pre-order customers will finally know what’s going on.

Notify Rush helps Shopify merchants send smarter post-purchase emails, automate order notifications, and provide customers with a branded order tracking page that includes pre-order support. Available on the Shopify App Store.