Key Takeaways
- WooCommerce does not include pre-order functionality by default because it only supports in-stock, out-of-stock, and backorder states.
- Pre-orders require a plugin that adds release dates, payment timing controls, and order management tools.
- Once installed, a Pre-orders tab appears inside the WooCommerce product settings for configuration.
- You can set a release date, choose when to charge customers, and optionally add a fixed or percentage deposit.
- Enabling pre-orders changes the product button to “Pre Order Now” and shows release date information on product, cart, and checkout pages.
- The cart displays availability details and any deposit or pre-order fee clearly before purchase.
- All pre-orders are managed from a centralized WooCommerce Pre-Orders dashboard.
- Customers are automatically notified if release dates change or when their order is processed.
- Pre-orders work with both simple and variable products.
- Pre-orders allow stores to capture demand before launch and improve early revenue without waiting for stock availability.
Most stores wait until a product is ready before putting it on sale. That wait costs them. The demand is already there; it just has no place to land. Pre-orders fix that. They let you capture intent before inventory exists, before shipping is confirmed, before the product is even photographed properly.
WooCommerce does not include pre-order functionality by default, but adding it does not require a developer or a complicated setup. This guide walks through exactly how to do it, from installing the right plugin to configuring per-product settings to what your customers will actually see.
Why WooCommerce Does Not Add Pre-Orders Out Of The Box
The default WooCommerce model assumes you have inventory. Products are either in stock, out of stock, or on backorder. None of those maps cleanly onto a pre-order, which is a deliberate commitment to purchase something that has not been released yet.
That distinction matters. A backorder implies a product exists but is temporarily unavailable. A pre-order implies a product is coming. The customer experience is different. The payment logic is different. According to Statista, global ecommerce sales continue to grow year over year, and early-adopter demand before launch is one of the cleanest demand signals a store has. Treating pre-order demand like a backorder misses the point entirely.
To actually support pre-orders in WooCommerce, with proper messaging, flexible payment timing, and centralized order tracking, you need a plugin that understands the difference.
What you need before you start
Before installing anything, confirm your store meets the basic requirements. The WooCommerce Pre Order plugin from WooNinjas requires:
- WordPress 6.8 or higher
- WooCommerce 10.0 or higher
- PHP 7.4 or higher
If your store is reasonably current, you are almost certainly fine. Trying to layer new plugin functionality onto an outdated stack is where most setup problems originate.
Installing the plugin
Purchase the WooCommerce Pre Order plugin from WooNinjas, download the zip file, and install it through your WordPress dashboard via Plugins, then Add New, then Upload Plugin. Activate it once installed.
No complex onboarding. No wizard to complete. The plugin adds a Pre-orders tab directly inside the Product Data panel on any product, which is exactly where you would expect it to be.
Enabling pre-orders on a product
Open any product in your WooCommerce admin. Scroll to the Product Data section. You will see a Pre-orders tab in the left sidebar alongside General, Inventory, Shipping, and others.
Pre-orders tab in the WooCommerce product data panel
Click that tab. Toggle Enable pre-orders on. From here, three configuration fields appear.
Availability date and time
Set the date when this product will be released. This date is what gets displayed to customers on the product page, in the cart, and in any pre-order communications. You can change it later if the release slips, and customers will be notified automatically.
When to charge
This is the payment timing decision. You have two options: charge now, or charge upon release. Charge now works if you are confident in your timeline and want cash flow during the pre-order period. Charge upon release defers payment until the product ships, which creates lower conversion friction but means your revenue waits.
Deposit type and fee
If you want a middle ground, you can collect something upfront without charging full price by setting a deposit. This can be a fixed dollar amount or a percentage of the product price. The remaining balance is charged when the product becomes available.
Percentage deposit configuration in product settings
What the customer sees
Once a product is set up as a pre-order, the standard Add to Cart button is replaced with Pre Order Now. On the product listing page, a release date label appears above the product name. On the individual product page, the release date shows below the button.
Shop page showing Pre Order Now button alongside regular products
Product page showing Pre Order Now button with release date notice
In the cart, the product displays its availability date. If a pre-order fee applies, it shows as a separate line item in cart totals, with the total labeled as charged on a specific date so the customer knows exactly when they will be billed.
Cart view showing pre-order fee and charge date
Managing pre-orders after they come in
Every pre-order placed on your store appears in a centralized dashboard under WooCommerce, then Pre-Orders. You can filter by customer, product, availability date, or status. Orders can be marked as completed or canceled individually or in bulk.
If your release date changes, you update it in one place. The plugin notifies affected customers automatically, so you do not have to send those emails manually.
“Manage Pre-Orders” dashboard showing the order list with statuses
A few things worth knowing
Pre-orders work on both simple and variable products. If you are selling product variations across different sizes, colors, or configurations, specific variations can be marked as pre-orders while others ship normally. According to Baymard Institute, the average cart abandonment rate hovers around 70%, and unclear product availability is one of the contributing factors. Showing a clear release date and a distinct pre-order button resolves that ambiguity directly.
One practical note: customers who have pre-ordered items and regular in-stock items in the same cart will see the pre-order date displayed in the cart for context. Whether you want to allow mixed carts or keep pre-orders separate depends on your fulfillment setup.
The setup is the easy part
Getting pre-orders live in WooCommerce takes about ten minutes. The harder question is what you do with the demand you collect: how you communicate during the wait, whether your release date is credible, and how you handle a delay if one happens.
The plugin handles the mechanics. The rest is on you to manage.
💡Pro Tip
For high-ticket items or long pre-order windows, a percentage deposit of 10 to 20 percent typically outperforms either charging nothing or charging everything up front. It commits the customer without creating buyer hesitation.
Putting Pre-Orders Into Practice
Adding pre-orders to WooCommerce is a one-time setup that pays off for every launch after. Install the plugin, configure availability dates and payment timing per product, and let the system handle order tracking and customer communication from there. If you want to go deeper on the payment side, take a look at our guide on the WooCommerce Pre Order plugin and its full range of deposit and payment options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WooCommerce have a built-in pre-order feature?
No. WooCommerce does not include native pre-order functionality. Out of the box, you can set products to allow backorders, but that is a different product state. Pre-orders require a plugin that adds availability dates, payment timing controls, and a dedicated order management dashboard.
How do I change the Add to Cart button to Pre Order Now in WooCommerce?
With the WooNinjas Pre Order plugin installed, enabling pre-orders on a product automatically changes the button text to Pre Order Now. You do not need to manually edit any theme files or button templates.
Can I accept pre-orders for out-of-stock products in WooCommerce?
Yes. A pre-order setup is well-suited for products that are out of stock or not yet available. Enable pre-orders on the product, set an availability date, and customers can place orders before the product exists in your inventory.
Do I need a developer to set up WooCommerce pre-orders?
No. The setup is handled entirely through the WordPress admin. You install the plugin, navigate to the Pre-orders tab inside any product, and configure the settings from there. No code or custom development is required.
Can I limit how many pre-orders are accepted for a product?
Yes. WooCommerce’s standard stock management applies to pre-order products. Set a stock quantity on the product and it will stop accepting pre-orders once that number is reached.
Will customers get an email when their pre-ordered product is available?
Yes. When you complete a pre-order from the management dashboard, the plugin triggers a notification to the customer. You can also send custom bulk emails to all pre-order customers for a specific product using the Actions tab.
Can WooCommerce pre-orders work with variable products?
Yes. Variable products support pre-order configuration, so specific variations can be set as pre-orders with their own availability dates while other variations of the same product remain available for immediate purchase.
What payment gateways work with WooCommerce pre-orders?
The plugin works with your existing WooCommerce payment setup. It does not require switching gateways or adding new payment methods. Any gateway that already works with your store will work for pre-order payments.
