• Online Stores

Pre-Order Store: Selling items that are not yet in stock

An online store with a pre-order is a store where the item without a balance is not hidden, but sold in advance: with an expected date, a lot limit and the amount that the buyer pays now. Technically, this is not a button on the card, but a separate state of the product, which entails a basket, checkout, notifications and refunds. The lead time is 12-30 working days, depending on the number of your waiting scenarios. There is no price here on purpose: first a free audit, then the amount in stages.

See how it works
Price
after a free audit
Guarantee
30 days after project sign-off
Implementation period
12-30 working days from script approval
Price
after a free audit
Guarantee
30
days after project sign-off
Implementation period
12-30
working days from script approval
Different types of waiting
batch on the way, new product with a release date, made to order
Notify the buyer
four: accepted, received, deadline moved, sent
Decision before the start of development
mixed basket rule - one shipment or two
The measured case is nearby
catalog 13,428 items, TTFB 289 ms, measurement 07/31/2026
Before the estimate
free script audit, 2-4 working days
Process steps

Transparent stages with approval at every step

Total duration:12–30 days

  1. Audit scenarios and process decisions

    2-4 working days

    We break down your cases of waiting by terms and prepayment, find the source of the date, fix the cancellation policy. Here, the rule of the mixed basket is adopted - after development, it is expensive to change it.

  2. Terms and conditions: product conditions and texts of conditions

    2-3 working days

    We describe position states and transitions between them, card fields, checkout steps, and texts that the buyer confirms. Legal wording is provided by your side, we are responsible for where they stand.

  3. Development of states, basket and checkout

    5-12 working days

    Balances module, behavior of mixed cart, payment method with partial payment, calculation before shipment. The longest stage, and this is where it gets stretched by the number of scenarios you have.

  4. Notifications, limits, cabinet

    2-7 working days

    A queue of deferred tasks and four letter templates, a batch counter with write-off under blocking, a list of pre-orders in the buyer's office, separate events for analytics.

  5. Through run and transmission

    1-4 working days

    We go through the full process of a live order: registration, date shift, calculation, cancellation with refund. Next is an administration meeting with your manager and written instructions for your process.

Technologies & integrations

What we build on and what it connects to

Stack

  • OpenCart 4.x - set by default; there are only two product states in the core, so "pre-order" adds a separate module
  • OpenCart 3.x — when you need a module that is not yet built for 4.x
  • PHP and MySQL - the batch limit is written off with row blocking, otherwise two orders in one second will break it
  • We haven't found our own product status module — a box solution for partial payment, so it's a development every time
  • The queue of deferred tasks - hundreds of letters about the deadline shift, sent from the admin, put it on timeout
  • SMTP or mailing service — the limit is not technical: without a contact base and consent, the triggers will not go anywhere
  • Provider API for partial write-offs - not everyone knows how to do two transactions for one order

Integrations

  • LiqPay
  • WayForPay
  • monobank
  • partial prepayment
  • non-cash account
  • Nova Poshta
  • Ukrposhta
  • 1C / BAS
  • eSputnik
  • SMS gateway
  • Telegram
  • Viber
  • Google Tag Manager
  • GA4
What's included

Complete list of work and what you get as a result

  • The "pre-order" status is next to the "in stock" and "out of stock" statuses - the card stops being silent about the product that is not currently on the shelf
  • The expected date in the card and cart is pulled from the data source, not manually set - the promise is updated with the supplier's deadline
  • Explicit confirmation in the cart and at the checkout step: the buyer agrees with his action that the product will arrive later - this removes most of the future disputes
  • Mixed cart rule, sewn into the checkout: one shipment after the latest item or two separate ones - the buyer sees the choice before checkout, not after
  • Partial prepayment by a separate payment method with an additional invoice before shipping - the buyer fixes the price, you do not keep the full amount for the product that is still on the way
  • Quantity limit per lot with write-off under line lock - two simultaneous orders do not break the lot
  • Four notifications to mail and messenger: accepted, arrived, deadline moved, sent — support ceases to be a news channel
  • Cabinet with a list of pre-orders and the status of each - the buyer checks the deadline himself, instead of writing to you
  • The cancellation scenario with a refund and fixing the reason - you can see whether people are leaving because of the time or because of the price
  • Separate events for pre-orders in GA4 - redemption for them does not mix with regular purchases in reports
  • The texts of the pre-order conditions, embedded in the checkout and in the letter - you write the legal part, we put it where it will be read
  • Terms of work: 50% advance payment, two rounds of edits at the design stage, warranty period of 30 calendar days
When this service isn't right

What's not included — so there are no surprises at delivery

  • Legal advice on the terms of prepayment - you agree on the texts
  • Agreements with suppliers on delivery terms
  • Warehouse accounting as a process
  • Post-launch advertising
  • Hosting, domain, acquiring
Who it's for

Situations where this service delivers results

Scenario 1 of 4

The party is already on the way, and they are asking about it now

The container has left, the date of customs clearance is known to within a week, and every second dialog in the messenger is "when will it be?". The pre-order transfers this answer to the card: the buyer sees the deadline, fixes the price and place in the lot, the manager does not write the same thing for the twentieth time. There is one condition - the date must be taken from the confirmed order to the supplier, and not from memory.

We'll review your situation in a free audit
Pre-order versus "on order" mark

How this option differs from the alternative

Mark "to order" and confirmation by the managerOur approach
When the buyer learns the deadlinein a conversation with the manager, often the next dayin the card, even before adding to the cart
Moneynothing is paid, the queue exists only in the head of the managerfull or partial prepayment on the website, the place in the batch is fixed
What happens when the deadline is postponedthe buyer will find out when he calls himselfthe notification goes exactly to the first contact of the buyer
The risk of selling more than will comedepends on the attentiveness of a particular personparty limit extinguishes the button
The price of errorthe buyer is lost, but there is no other people's money in the accountrefund of advance payment and damaged reputation
When appropriatesingle requests once a weekregular parties and a constant flow of questions about the deadline
Free audit

Free audit of pre-order scripts

The pre-order is broken not in the code, but in the process: the buyer paid, the deadline was delayed, the manager did not have time to warn. The audit analyzes your real scenarios and shows which ones can be automated and which ones need to be streamlined first.

What we measure

  1. Waiting typesHow exactly are your cases different: a batch on the way with a known date, a new item without an exact date, made to order. Everyone has their own logic of term and prepayment.
  2. Source of date of receiptWhere does the expected date come from: from the accounting system, from the supplier or from the head of the manager. If there is no source, the date cannot be shown to the buyer.
  3. Mixed basket ruleWhat happens when there is both an existing item and a pre-order in the cart. Either the order is waiting for the latest position, or it is divided into two shipments - the third does not exist, and the decision must be made before development.
  4. Advance payment amountHow much do you take in advance: the full amount, part or nothing. This affects both checkout and legal texts.
  5. Cancellation PolicyWhat do you do when the deadline is delayed or the batch has not arrived. This scenario should be described before the first sale, not after the first complaint.
  6. Presence as a stateDo you keep balances at all. In the underwear wholesale store we measured, online payment was turned off deliberately — precisely so as not to charge money for a product that may not be available. This is an honest, if radical, way to solve the same problem.

What you get

  • A description of pre-order scenarios in your store, with a distinction between terms and pre-payment.
  • A mixed basket decision with implications for the warehouse and the carrier.
  • List of notifications to be sent to the buyer at each stage of waiting.
  • Conversation for 30–40 minutes on the document.

Timeline: 2-4 working days

Why is it free

Because half of the work here is not programming, but agreements: who sets the date, who warns about the shift, what is done with the money in case of cancellation. Until this is described, there is no point in evaluating the development.

What's next

After the audit — the amount and term by stages with dates, contract, invoice, report.

Short form: your contact and site URL

Did not find your case?

Describe how it works on your side — we will tell you whether “Online store with pre-order” fits and what it means in your situation. No brief and no call: one question, one answer.

Contract and paperwork

We work officially

Contract, act and invoice — for every project, not just large ones.

Trusted by6 brands

Trusted by: Kvant Energy, GYPSUN, Naturel Cosmetics, Pancer Protection, LUGI, BeeTech

Terms fixed in writing8 points

  • Contract, act and 30-day warranty

    Every project gets a written contract: scope, deadlines, amount, acceptance procedure. After delivery — act and invoice, then 30 calendar days of warranty.

  • Sole proprietor & bank transfer

    The contractor is a registered sole proprietor. Payment by invoice with closing documents.

  • Rights & access — yours

    Code, design and materials transfer to you after full payment. Domain, hosting, repository and analytics are registered to you.

  • Client portal instead of email chains

    During the project you get access to a portal: contracts, invoices, acts and project status in one place.

  • Sites in nine countries

    Our sites run in nine countries: besides Ukraine — Poland, Germany, Austria, England, Norway, Bulgaria, Moldova and Spain.

  • Verifiable numbers

    Every case in the portfolio comes with a link to a live site and a technical measurement.

  • Audit first, then pricing

    There is no price list on the site intentionally: the scope of the same work differs multiples between clients.

  • We say "no" when unsure

    If the task isn't ours or the deadline is unrealistic — we tell you upfront.

  • Contract, act and 30-day warranty

    Every project gets a written contract: scope, deadlines, amount, acceptance procedure. After delivery — act and invoice, then 30 calendar days of warranty.

  • Sole proprietor & bank transfer

    The contractor is a registered sole proprietor. Payment by invoice with closing documents.

  • Rights & access — yours

    Code, design and materials transfer to you after full payment. Domain, hosting, repository and analytics are registered to you.

  • Client portal instead of email chains

    During the project you get access to a portal: contracts, invoices, acts and project status in one place.

  • Sites in nine countries

    Our sites run in nine countries: besides Ukraine — Poland, Germany, Austria, England, Norway, Bulgaria, Moldova and Spain.

  • Verifiable numbers

    Every case in the portfolio comes with a link to a live site and a technical measurement.

  • Audit first, then pricing

    There is no price list on the site intentionally: the scope of the same work differs multiples between clients.

  • We say "no" when unsure

    If the task isn't ours or the deadline is unrealistic — we tell you upfront.

We sign NDAs on request. After completing the work, we delete our access to your services ourselves.

What affects the price

Why two seemingly identical tasks are priced differently

  • Number of wait typesOne scenario - a batch in transit with a known date - is a basic job. Three scenarios with different terms and different prepayments do not multiply the code, but checks: each balance must be passed through the card, basket, checkout, letter and return.
  • The source of the expected dateThe date from the field in the admin is set for an hour. Data from the accounting system requires exchange — more expensive at the start and cheaper in life, because no one forgets to update it.
  • Advance payment amountThe full amount is paid in one payment — this is the already existing checkout logic. Partial payment with additional invoice before shipment — two calls to the provider's API, a separate account status and a separate scenario in case the second part is not paid.
  • Mixed basket ruleWaiting for a complete set is done quickly. Splitting into two shipments involves storage, a second TTN, and the question of who pays for shipping — the most expensive solution of all described on this page.
  • Notification channelsMail is included in basic work. SMS and Messenger are separate gateways, separate templates, and a separate message fee that you pay yourself.
  • Limits and communication with the warehouseThe party limit within the site is a bit of a chore. The limit, which is calculated from the balance in the accounting system, is already an integration with its own term and its own risk.
Cases

Tasks and results in numbers — all metrics measured by us

wholesale store of underwear, catalog of over 13,000 items

Task
Sell ​​in assortment where the availability changes faster than the window has time to update: the buyer chooses models, sizes and colors, and the warehouse lives at its own rhythm.
Solution
An OpenCart store with selection by size and color within the model, size grids and wholesale prices by order levels. Eight calculation methods are described in both text and structured data via acceptedPaymentMethod. Online payment was turned off deliberately: the order is confirmed by the manager, so that the buyer does not pay for an item that may not appear.
Result
Measurement 07/31/2026: 13,428 pages of products and 161 categories — 13,590 addresses in the site map, of which only 1 duplicate. TTFB 289ms, full load 455.1ms - the third fastest response among the 16 sites measured, and that's for a catalog of 13k items. Defects found: /sitemap.xml returns 200 with an empty body, /sitemap_index.xml — a line about the disabled generator, the working file is located at a non-standard address; the main HTML weight is 751.2 KB — the heaviest document in the sample.
What we need from you

We can't start without this — best to prepare in advance

  1. A description of your waiting cases with a typical period for each - batch on the way, novelty, made to order.
  2. Source of expected date: accounting system, confirmed order to supplier or field in admin.
  3. The decision on the amount of the advance payment and the cancellation policy is in writing, because it will go into the texts of the terms.
  4. Texts of the pre-order conditions agreed by you: terms, refund of advance payment, behavior in the event of a date shift.
  5. Access to the site, hosting and account of the payment provider.
  6. One person with the right to say "yes" to the process - coordination through three people stretches the development stage twice.
If something is missing — let us know, we'll help you gather it or do it as a separate task.
FAQ

Most frequently asked questions — with concrete answers

The buyer paid, but the shipment was delayed - what does the site do?

Sends a message about a new deadline before a person notices it himself. This is the most important of the four notifications: a warned buyer waits further, an unwarned one writes a demand for a refund. Technically, this is not a manual mailing, but a queue of postponed tasks - the date in the position has changed, the task was put on the letter by itself. A fair boundary: the trigger will not go anywhere without a collected contact database and consent to be sent, and this is a requirement of the Personal Data Act, not our caution.

Take the whole amount in advance or a part?

Our recommendation is a part, while there is no exact date of arrival. The buyer fixes the price and place in the lot, pays the rest before shipping; you do not keep the full amount on the account for the product that is still on the way. Full prepayment is justified where the date has been confirmed by the supplier and the consignment has already been paid for by you. A nuance that emerges late: not every payment provider knows how to do two transactions for one order - this is checked before signing the TOR, not during testing.

Where does the site get the receipt date from?

From the accounting system or from the confirmed order to the supplier — from the source that is being updated. A handwritten date a month ago is worse than no date: it creates a promise that no one follows through on. And here is the honest limit of exchange with accounting: it does not correct the accounting. If the balances in 1C are inaccurate, the site will quickly and accurately show inaccurate data, and there is a window between downloads, in which position they manage to order twice.

There is a product in the cart and there is a pre-order - what will happen?

What you decide before development, and the buyer should see this decision in the cart. The first option: the order waits for the latest position - simply in implementation, worse for the buyer. The second: two shipments - it is more convenient for the buyer, but the second TTN appears and the question of who pays for it. The worst result is a silent mixture: the person thought he would get everything tomorrow, and canceled the entire order, along with what was in stock.

How not to sell more than will actually come?

Limit per party. 50 units arrived - 50 pre-orders are accepted, then the button goes out. A detail that is usually missed: the counter must be decremented transactionally, with row blocking in the database, otherwise two orders placed in one second will break the batch. Without a limit, you either return money to part of the buyers, or wait for the next delivery and break the already mentioned deadline.

And if you just write "to order" in the card?

A working option, and for single requests it is cheaper than any development. The difference is in two things: there is no deadline or money in the tag, so there is no queue either - there is a list of people whom the manager promised to recruit. When there are units of such items per week, leave a mark. When lots arrive regularly and questions about the deadline arrive daily, the manager becomes a bottleneck - that's when it makes sense to move it to the site.

How long does implementation take?

12-30 working days, and the difference within the range is not about the design. One type of waiting with full prepayment and a letter to the post office is done in about two weeks. The combination with partial payment, balance limit, order splitting and messenger notifications is the upper limit, because checkout, warehouse and refunds are affected there. There are five stages, the duration of each is higher on this page.

Is it possible not to take money in advance at all?

It is possible, and in some places it is more honest. In the underwear wholesale store we measured with a catalog of 13,428 items, there is no online payment deliberately — the order is confirmed by the manager so that the buyer does not pay for an item that may not be available; the reason is written directly on the website. Such a solution costs part of the conversion, but removes returns and disputes. Sometimes the right move is to remove a payment method rather than adding another one.

How are pre-orders visible in analytics?

Separate events: registration of pre-order, payment, cancellation. Otherwise, a bargain for a product that will arrive in a month will be mixed with ordinary purchases, and the average check in the report will cease to mean anything. The limit here is the same as in any analytics: the meter does not improve anything by itself, it only lets you see. GA4 with blockers and consent mode shows a trend, not an accounting truth, so it is necessary to deliberately reconcile it with the cash register.

Demo

Your catalogue on a phone screen

This is how your store can look on a phone: a collection banner, popular products and a cart one tap away. Tap “Add to cart” and the counter in the header updates, just like in a real store.

  • Collection bannerThe first screen shows what is new, not a logo.
  • Product cardsPhoto, price and a button — no extra page to open.
  • One-tap cartThe counter in the header updates instantly, like in a real store.
Stores in the portfolio
This is a demo interface, not a client's store. Live projects are in the portfolio.
SHOP
New collectionAutumn / WinterExplore
PopularAll products ›
  • Essentials Hoodie1 290 ₴
  • Urban Backpack1 490 ₴
  • Classic Cap690 ₴
  • Basic Tee590 ₴
  • Street Sneakers2 390 ₴
  • Active Shorts890 ₴

Describe exactly what you expect from the supplier — and for how long

We'll get back to you in 2-4 business days with a breakdown of your waiting scenarios, a mixed cart solution, and a list of alerts. Next - the amount and term by stages.

From measured casesMeasurement 07/31/2026: 13,428 pages of products and 161 categories

View cases
  • Reply within 2 hours
  • No commitment
  • We work under a contract

There is no price list on the site on purpose: the same work differs several times over between two clients, and a “from” figure explains nothing in that case. First a free audit — we count your pages, duplicates and speed — then we name the sum and the deadline and fix both in the contract.