How to Set Up Pre-Order and Backorder Products in WooCommerce

Why Pre-Orders and Backorders Matter for Your Store

Pre-orders let you sell products before they are physically in stock, which is useful for launches, crowdfunding, or seasonal items. Backorders allow customers to purchase items that are temporarily out of stock, with fulfillment happening as soon as inventory is replenished. Both strategies help you convert demand that would otherwise go to a competitor. Without these features, you either lose the sale entirely or have to manage manual waitlists and emails.

When you let customers place orders ahead of stock, you also collect payment information and customer email addresses early, which improves cash flow and gives you a built-in audience to notify when stock arrives. You capture revenue before you even hold the inventory.

What You'll Need

• Administrator access to your WordPress site with WooCommerce installed and active.
• The FMA Pre Order and Backorder plugin.
• A WooCommerce-compatible theme that supports custom product fields.

Full documentation: Official Documentation

Quick Answer

To set up pre-order and backorder in WooCommerce, install the FMA Pre Order and Backorder plugin, navigate to your product edit screen, and enable the pre-order or backorder option for each product. You can then set a release date, offer discounts for early orders, and choose whether customers pay immediately or later.

How to Set Up Pre-Order and Backorder Products in WooCommerce?

There are two primary ways to add pre-order and backorder functionality to your WooCommerce store. The plugin method is recommended for most store owners because it provides a clean interface and automated notifications without modifying theme files. The manual method requires custom code and is only suitable for developers who need full control.

Method 1: FMA Pre Order and Backorder Plugin

This is the most reliable method for setting up pre-orders and backorders in WooCommerce. The plugin integrates directly with WooCommerce's product data panels and handles email notifications, stock management, and payment scheduling automatically.

Step 1: Install and Activate the Plugin

WHY: The plugin must be active before any pre-order or backorder options appear in your product settings. Without it, WooCommerce only shows standard stock management fields.

ACTION:

1. Go to Plugins → Add New in your WordPress admin.
2. Search for "FMA Pre Order and Backorder" or upload the plugin ZIP file if you downloaded it from WooCommerce.com.
3. Click Install Now, then Activate.

RESULT: You should now see a new "Pre Order/Backorder" section added to every product's general settings tab.

Step 2: Configure Global Plugin Settings

WHY: Global settings let you define default behavior for all pre-order and backorder products, which saves time if your store uses these features consistently.

ACTION:

1. Navigate to WooCommerce → Settings → Products → Pre Order/Backorder.
2. Enable Pre Orders: Toggle this on to allow pre-order functionality across your store.
3. Enable Backorders: Toggle this on for backorder functionality.
4. Default Pre-Order Status: Choose whether new products default to "Pre-Order" or "Backorder" when you enable the feature. You can override this per product later.
5. Email Notifications: Customize the subject line and body of the email sent to customers when their pre-order or backorder item is available.
6. Payment Handling: Decide if customers pay immediately (upfront) or when the product is ready to ship (pay later).

RESULT: Global defaults are saved, and new products will inherit these settings when you enable pre-order or backorder for them.

Step 3: Enable Pre-Order or Backorder for a Specific Product

WHY: Most stores only want certain products to be available for pre-order or backorder, not every item in the catalog. You configure this individually per product.

ACTION:

1. Go to Products → All Products, then click Edit on the product you want to configure.
2. Scroll to the Product Data panel. Look for the new "Pre Order/Backorder" section.
3. Enable Pre Order/Backorder: Check this box to turn on the feature for this product.
4. Type: Select either "Pre-Order" (product not yet released) or "Backorder" (product temporarily out of stock).
5. Release Date: Enter the expected date when the product will be available. This date is shown to customers on the product page.
6. Discount: Optionally enter a percentage discount to incentivize early orders.
7. Accept Payment: Choose "Now" (collect payment immediately) or "Later" (collect when ready). This overrides the global setting for this product.
8. Update the product.

RESULT: A "Pre-Order" or "Backorder" badge appears on the product page, and the "Add to Cart" button reflects the pre-order status. Customers will see the release date if you set one.

Step 4: Set Up Automatic Email Notifications

WHY: Customers who pre-order or backorder a product expect to be notified when it becomes available. Automated emails ensure you don't forget to follow up manually.

ACTION:

1. In the global plugin settings, locate the Pre Order Email section.
2. Toggle Enable Email Notification to on.
3. Enter the Email Subject line.
4. Customize the Email Body using available merge tags like {product_name}, {order_number}, and {availability_date}.
5. Save changes.

RESULT: The plugin automatically sends an email to each customer when the release date passes or when stock is updated to "in stock" for that product.

Step 5: Test the Full Flow

WHY: You need to verify that the customer experience works as expected before promoting pre-order or backorder products to your real audience.

ACTION:

1. Log out of your WordPress admin or use an incognito window.
2. Browse to the product you configured and click the pre-order or backorder button.
3. Complete the checkout process using a test payment gateway.
4. Check your WooCommerce orders list to confirm the order was created with the correct status.
5. As the store owner, simulate stock arrival by editing the product's inventory to "In stock" and setting a quantity.
6. Verify that the customer receives the notification email.

RESULT: The order completes successfully, and the notification email is sent to the test customer.

Other Plugins That Can Also Do This

If the FMA Pre Order and Backorder plugin does not fit your budget or feature requirements, here are two verified alternatives worth considering.

• WooCommerce Pre-Orders (by WooCommerce): This extension provides core pre-order functionality including release date display, payment scheduling, and email notifications. It does not include built-in backorder management or discount controls. See WooCommerce.com for pricing.
• YITH WooCommerce Pre-Order: YITH offers a pre-order solution that supports discounts, badges, and email notifications. It integrates well with YITH's other WooCommerce extensions. Pricing is available on YITH's website.

Best Practices for Pre-Order and Backorder Products

Setting up the technical side is only half the work. To get the most out of pre-orders and backorders, follow these practices that real stores use.

• Create a dedicated landing page for your pre-orders. Instead of mixing pre-order products with regular stock on your catalog pages, build a separate page that lists all upcoming items. This focuses customer attention and builds anticipation.
• Be specific about when items will ship. Vague dates reduce customer trust. Always display a concrete release date or a realistic ship window. If you are unsure, use a range like "Ships between March 15 and March 22."
• Invest in marketing the pre-order period. Use email campaigns, social media posts, and on-site banners to announce the pre-order window. The announcement itself creates urgency and drives early traffic.
• Test your email notifications periodically. Run a test order every few months to confirm that customers are receiving the availability updates.
• Consider offering a discount for pre-orders. A small percentage off can significantly increase early adoption, especially for expensive or niche products. The FMA Pre Order and Backorder plugin includes a per-product discount field to handle this.

Troubleshooting Common Pre-Order and Backorder Issues

Even with a well-configured plugin, you may run into a few typical problems. Use these diagnostic steps to resolve them quickly.

• If the "Pre-Order" badge does not appear on the product page → The plugin may not be compatible with your theme's template. Check that you have selected the correct product type (Pre-Order or Backorder) in the product data panel. If the issue persists, contact the plugin support team with your theme name.
• If customers are not receiving the "Available Now" email → First, confirm that email notifications are enabled in the global plugin settings. Then check that your WordPress email delivery service is functional (using a plugin like WP Mail SMTP is recommended). Finally, verify that the product's release date has passed in your site's time zone.
• If payment is not captured after the release date → When you select "Pay Later" for a pre-order, the payment is not automatically captured. You must either manually capture it via WooCommerce's order edit screen or rely on a payment gateway that supports scheduled captures. Consider switching payments to "Pay Now" if manual capture is impractical.
• If the product appears in stock but still shows as pre-order → The plugin may cache the product status. Try updating the product's inventory count and saving again. If that fails, clear your site's cache and check the product again.
• If pre-orders are not allowed for certain product types (variable products, for example) → Some plugins only support simple products or have limitations on variable product pre-orders. Verify the plugin's documentation for supported product types. The FMA Pre Order and Backorder plugin supports simple products; check the documentation for variable product support.

Setting up pre-orders and backorders in WooCommerce with the FMA Pre Order and Backorder plugin is a straightforward process. You install the plugin, configure global settings, and then enable the feature per product with a release date and optional discount.

By capturing orders before inventory arrives, you improve cash flow, reduce stock risk, and build customer anticipation. The email notification system ensures your customers are updated automatically, so you spend less time on manual follow-ups.

If you need additional control over your WooCommerce orders, consider pairing this setup with extensions like Customer Order Cancellation to let buyers manage their own pre-orders, or Coming Soon Products to build hype before the pre-order window opens.

Frequently Asked Questions