Making the Most of Preorder Features on Your Shopify Store
If you’re running an online store on Shopify and are looking for ways to enhance your revenue & customer engagement, PREORDERS might just be the MAGIC WAND you need! When managed correctly, preorder features can help you collect funds upfront, assess product demand, & keep your audience engaged while they await their new goodies. Let’s dive into how you can make the most of the preorder features on your Shopify store!
What Are Preorders?
Preorders allow customers to place orders for products that are not currently available. These can either be items that are OUT OF STOCK or products that haven’t yet launched. Customers pay FULL or PARTIAL payments at the time of preorder, providing businesses with cash flow before the item is physically available. This strategy is not just beneficial for your cash flow—it also helps gauge customer DEMAND!
Why Should You Use Preorders?
Preorders offer several significant advantages for your Shopify store, including:
- Boosting Sales: Customers looking for popular items might choose to preorder rather than missing out, especially if they know there's a limited quantity. Your conversion rates can soar without extra advertising costs.
- Improving Inventory Management: Preorders help you assess how much stock you need & when you need it, reducing overstocking or stockout scenarios.
- Fostering Customer Loyalty: By allowing customers to reserve items ahead of time, you make them feel “special” & engaged. Keeping customers informed through personalized updates builds positive relationships.
- Boosting Marketing Opportunities: A good preorder strategy opens up unique marketing campaigns. Use social media to create buzz & excitement around the product launches, generating THRILLS around new releases!
Getting Started with Preorders on Shopify
Before we get into the tips, let's make sure you're set up right to start using preorders on your Shopify site.
Enable Preorder Functionality: To begin, navigate to your Shopify admin. Choose the variant that you want to allow preorders for & set the inventory quantity to zero (0) while enabling the option “Allow customers to purchase this product when it’s out of stock.”
Learn more about enabling preorder features here.
Select a Preorder App: There are several powerful preorder apps available on the
Shopify App Store, like
PreProduct and
Preorder Now. These apps provide customizable functions such as changing the 'Add to Cart' button to 'Preorder', managing orders, and sending notifications.
Customize Settings: Each app will allow you to customize various aspects of your preorder experience, like charging your customers at the time of preorder vs. when the product ships. Customizing these details will make a difference in HOW your customers perceive your service.
Perfect Your Product Descriptions: Since your customers can’t physically hold or see the products, it's important to have HIGH-QUALITY images & engaging descriptions. Include vibrant pictures, videos, and comprehensive details about the items. Also, inform customers about when they can expect their products!
Incorporate Strong Calls to Action: Make sure to include clear & appealing CTAs on your product pages. Something like “Don’t miss out! Preorder Now!” can work wonders in nudging customers toward making purchases.
Tips to Optimize Your Preorder Strategy
Here are some actionable tips to ensure you’re maximizing preorder features and GETTING THE MOST out of your investments.
1. Use Scarcity Marketing
Scarcity tends to boost urgency. Use phrases like “Only 100 units available” or “Pre-order now before your size sells out!” to give your audience a little push! Churning FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) can lead to higher sales.
2. Offer Discounts
Consider offering a limited-time discount for customers who preorder. It can be a percentage off or free shipping, further incentivizing customers and sweetening the pot. Make sure to promote these discounts everywhere, especially on social media!
3. Engage through Email Marketing
Send emails regarding the preorder process - confirming the purchase, reminders before product launches, shipping updates, etc. This way, customers feel valued & informed. You can also use tools like
Mailchimp or Shopify’s integrations to manage your email marketing campaigns effectively.
4. Leverage Social Proof
Show potential customers that others are excited about the product. Share preorder success stories or testimonials on your social media networks and website. Create excitement by showing user-generated content of previous successful launches.
5. Regularly Update Customers
Use emails or posts on social media to KEEP CUSTOMERS informed about shipping dates. When they know when to expect their product, they’ll feel more confident in their purchase!
6. Forecast Demand Carefully
Make use of preorders to forecast product demand. Salesforce and analytics tools can help with customer trend analysis, helping you plan the quantity & timing perfectly.
7. Communicate Clearly
Let customers know their rights regarding cancellations & delays clearly. If your preorder policy states that they can’t change their minds after X date, make that clear in your terms & conditions. A transparent business is a TRUSTWORTHY business.
8. Create Anticipation
Go BIG on creating marketing campaigns leading up to the launch. Capture leads through landing pages, announce your preorders on launching day, and run engaging ads leading to your preorder product. Utilize Influencers or relevant local events to create buzz!
This is where
Arsturn comes into play! With the power of AI, you can build custom chatbots to answer FAQs regarding your preorder & inventory, collect customer details effortlessly, and make each interaction personal and responsive! A chatbot can help customers navigate their queries instantly, improving user experience, boost engagement, and conversions during pre-order seasons.
10. Monitor Your Inventory
Once your preorders are live, keep a close eye on how many orders are coming in. Make adjustments to your future stock orders based on how popular items are doing during the preorder phase. If everything goes according to the initial run, you may want to increase the order for future launches!
Conclusion
Integrating & effectively using preorder functionalities within your Shopify store can be a game-changer, leading to increased sales, improved customer relationships, & enhanced brand loyalty. Adopting these best practices while leveraging the exceptional capabilities of tools like
Arsturn will allow you to build a STRONGER, MORE ENGAGED customer base that eagerly awaits your next product launch!
Let's face it, preordering is the BEST way to create excitement and CODENAME YOU as a TRUSTED SELLER in your audience’s minds. Go ahead, get your preorder strategy rolling!