You’ve got a new product coming. It’s amazing. Your customers are going to love it. But it doesn’t launch for three weeks. So for three weeks you make zero revenue on it.
Then you launch and hope people buy. Maybe they do. Maybe they don’t. It’s a gamble.
But what if you could start selling it today? Before it’s even available? Customers pre-order it. You capture revenue immediately. You build anticipation. You understand demand before launch. Everything changes.
This is what WooCommerce preorder functionality does. It lets you sell products before they exist. It creates urgency. It builds excitement. It transforms “coming soon” from a waiting period into a revenue-generating period.
Similarly, when products sell out, instead of losing customers to competitors you can let them backorder. They want your product badly enough to wait. You want their money badly enough to let them reserve it. Everyone wins.
Most stores don’t use pre-orders or backorders. They treat sold-out products as lost sales. They treat upcoming products as waiting periods. But sophisticated stores capture this revenue. They create urgency. They improve sales significantly.
This guide walks through what WooCommerce backorder systems actually do and why they matter for your business.
What Are WooCommerce Pre-Orders?
A WooCommerce preorder is a feature that lets customers purchase products before they’re available for immediate shipping.
Think of it like this. A new iPhone launches next month. Apple lets people pre-order starting today. Customers commit. Customers pay. Apple understands demand. Everyone wins.
A WooCommerce preorder system works the same way. You set a release date. Customers can pre-order before that date. Once the release date arrives and stock becomes available the pre-orders process normally.
The mechanism is simple but powerful. Customer sees a product they want. They can’t buy it yet because it’s not released. But instead of coming back later they can pre-order now. Lock in their purchase. Secure their spot. Guarantee they’ll get one when it releases.
For customers this reduces anxiety. They don’t worry about missing out. They don’t worry about the product selling out before they get to it. They pre-order and move on.
For you this means immediate revenue. Pre-order revenue comes now. You don’t wait for the product to release to see money. You capture it upfront. Or with pay-later options you capture it when the product ships.
What Is WooCommerce Backorder?
A WooCommerce backorder is different. It applies when a product is currently out of stock but you know it’s coming back.
Instead of telling customers “sorry we’re out of stock” you can say “this is available for backorder with expected availability on [date].”
Customers who want your product badly don’t leave. They backorder. They wait for your restock instead of buying from competitors. You capture the sale. They get what they want.
The mechanics are different than pre-order but the principle is similar. Customers reserve the product. You fulfill when stock becomes available. Revenue that would have gone to competitors goes to you instead.
A Wo system manages this efficiently. You set expected availability dates. Customers know when to expect their product. You automate fulfillment when stock arrives. Everything stays organized.
How WooCommerce Pre-Orders Actually Work
When you enable WooCommerce preorder on a product, customers see it’s available for pre-order instead of immediate purchase.
You set a release date. Customers can pre-order starting immediately. They add it to cart. They checkout. They either pay upfront or use pay-later option. The order is placed.
When the release date arrives the product transitions from pre-order to regular stock. Pay-later customers receive an email asking them to complete payment. Orders ship normally. Everything processes automatically.
Behind the scenes you’ve got complete control. Set the release date. Choose payment strategy. Apply discounts to incentivize pre-orders. Customize messaging. Set minimum and maximum order quantities. Restrict pre-orders to specific customer types.
The beauty is automation. Everything happens without manual intervention. WooCommerce preorder status updates automatically. Payment reminders send automatically. Customers stay informed through automated emails.
How WooCommerce Backorder Works
A WooCommerce backorder setup is slightly different because the product is already in your system. It’s just currently out of stock.
You enable backorder on the product. Set the expected availability date. Customers see a backorder button instead of out-of-stock message. They can reserve the product. They know when to expect it.
You customize the messaging. Set the backorder button text. Set custom messages explaining when the product will be available. Keep customers informed.
When stock arrives you update the product status. Customers who backordered receive notifications. Orders process automatically. Backordered items ship.
A WooCommerce backorder system prevents lost sales. Customers waiting for your product don’t shop elsewhere. You capture demand that would normally go to competitors.
Why Pre-Orders and Backorders Improve Sales
The sales impact is measurable and significant.
Immediate Revenue Before Launch
With a WooCommerce preorder system you generate revenue before the product officially launches. Capital comes in while you’re still producing. You’ve got working capital for manufacturing costs. You’ve got cash flow before traditional launch revenue arrives.
For growing businesses this matters. Cash flow is everything. Pre-order revenue provides the capital you need.
Create Urgency and FOMO
“Coming soon” creates urgency. Customers see the product is launching. They can reserve one now or risk missing out. They pre-order rather than wait. They fear they won’t get one if they delay.
This urgency drives sales. WooCommerce preorder systems capitalize on this psychology.
Understand Demand Before Production
Pre-order numbers tell you exactly how many units you need. You’re not guessing. You’ve got actual orders. You know demand. You can plan production accordingly.
This reduces waste. Reduces overstock risk. Improves profitability because you’re making exactly what people actually want.
Prevent Lost Sales from Sold-Out Inventory
With a WooCommerce backorder system customers don’t shop elsewhere when you’re out of stock. They backorder from you. You capture sales that would normally go to competitors.
The difference is significant. Competitor runs out? They lose the customer. You offer backorder? You keep the customer. You make the sale. The customer gets what they want. Everyone wins.
Build Customer Lists and Anticipation
Pre-order customers are engaged customers. They’ve already committed to your product. They’re invested. They’re likely to purchase again. They’re likely to tell others about it.
This engagement builds your customer base. Builds brand loyalty. Builds word-of-mouth marketing through genuine enthusiasm.
Flexibility in Payment Options
A WooCommerce preorder system lets you offer multiple payment strategies. Customers can pay upfront and lock in their order. Or they can pay-later and complete payment when the product ships.
This flexibility removes barriers. Customers who don’t have cash today can pre-order and pay later. You still capture the sale. Customer satisfaction increases.
Forecast Inventory and Cash Flow
Pre-order data is a crystal ball. You see exactly how many units you need. You forecast cash flow accurately. You understand what inventory you need to carry.
This data-driven approach improves business decisions. Improves forecasting accuracy. Improves profitability.
The FMA PreOrder and Backorder Plugin
Managing pre-orders and backorders manually is complicated. Email customers. Track orders. Send payment reminders. Update statuses. It’s tedious and error-prone.
The FMA Pre Order and Backorder for WooCommerce plugin by FmeAddons automates all of this.
It lets you enable WooCommerce preorder on any product. Set release dates. Choose payment strategy. Apply discounts. Customize messaging. All through a visual interface. No coding required.
For WooCommerce backorder it manages stock availability dates. Custom messaging. Expected availability communication. Maximum quantity limits.
The plugin handles email notifications automatically. Pre-order confirmations. Release date changes. Payment reminders. Product released notifications. All customizable. All automated.
It prevents cart mixing. Customers can’t combine pre-order and in-stock items in the same order. Prevents fulfillment complications. Keeps orders organized.
It includes an analytics dashboard. Track pre-order performance. Revenue. Payment types. Top pre-ordered products. Everything in one place.
It supports webhooks for external integrations. Connect to your inventory system. Automate workflows. Everything stays synchronized.
Setup Overview
Getting started with WooCommerce preorder functionality is straightforward.
Download and activate the plugin. Navigate to WooCommerce settings. You’ll find a Pre-Order section. Configure general settings first.
Set cart isolation rules. Prevent mixing pre-order and in-stock items. Set default discount percentages. Configure automation intervals. Configure how frequently the system checks for pre-orders and sends reminders.
Then configure display settings. Show badges on shop pages. Choose badge style. Set colors. Customize countdown timer appearance.
Configure email settings. Enable or disable each email type. Customize email subject lines. Add custom messaging. Make emails match your brand.
Then for individual products. Go to the product. Enable WooCommerce preorder. Set the release date. Choose payment strategy. Apply discounts if desired. Customize button text and availability messaging.
For backorders go to the product inventory settings. Enable WooCommerce backorder. Set expected availability date. Customize messaging. Set maximum quantities.
That’s it. Your pre-order and backorder system is live. Customers immediately see options to pre-order upcoming products. Backorder sold-out items. Everything processes automatically.
Best Practices for Pre-Orders and Backorders
Successful pre-order strategy requires thinking beyond just enabling the feature.
Choose pre-order products strategically. High-demand products work best. New products. Limited editions. Products with clear launch dates. Not every product needs a pre-order.
Offer incentives. Discounts encourage pre-orders. Early bird pricing. Pre-order exclusive bonuses. Something that makes pre-ordering attractive compared to waiting.
Communicate clearly. Explain when the product launches. Explain what payment strategy they’re using. Explain when they can expect it. Clear communication reduces confusion and support tickets.
Manage expectations. Under-promise and over-deliver on release dates. If you say it launches on the 15th but launches on the 12th customers are thrilled. If you say the 12th and launch on the 15th they’re frustrated.
Use backorders strategically. For popular products that regularly sell out backorders capture sales you’d otherwise lose. But don’t backorder everything. Reserve it for products you know have ongoing demand.
Automate everything. That’s why the plugin exists. Let it handle emails. Let it handle payment reminders. Let it handle status updates. Your job is strategy. The system handles execution.
Conclusion
WooCommerce preorder and WooCommerce backorder systems transform how you manage product availability and revenue timing.
Pre-orders let you sell products before they exist. You capture immediate revenue. You understand demand. You build anticipation. You create urgency. Customers get excited about your upcoming products instead of waiting passively.
Backorders prevent lost sales when products sell out. Customers who want your product don’t shop elsewhere. They reserve from you. You capture sales that competitors lose.
Together these features improve sales significantly. They improve cash flow. They improve customer satisfaction. They improve your ability to forecast and plan.
The key is implementation. A WooCommerce preorder system that automates everything makes management effortless. A WooCommerce backorder system that’s configured properly captures revenue without friction.
Stores using pre-orders and backorders report significant revenue increases. They report better customer satisfaction. They report improved cash flow and inventory management.
If you’re not using pre-orders and backorders you’re missing revenue. You’re letting competitors capture sales you could keep. You’re not creating urgency that drives purchases.
Your next big product launch should include pre-orders. Your next sold-out scenario should include backorders. These features aren’t optional for serious e-commerce operations. They’re essential.