Order from Future Availability for Shopify:

Sell What’s Coming Next

Shopify Pre-Order App​

If you’ve ever wished you could sell inventory before it physically arrives, this new Shopify pre-order app makes that possible. With Order from Future Availability, Shopify merchants can allow customers to place orders for incoming shipments, even when current stock levels show zero.
 
This feature is especially valuable for B2B and wholesale businesses that need to manage backorders, forecast demand, and keep buyers informed about delivery timelines. You’re essentially turning future inventory into present revenue, while improving transparency and customer satisfaction.

Table of Contents

How the Shopify Order from Future Availability App Works

The Order from Future Availability app integrates directly into your Shopify backend using Shopify metaobjects to store and display upcoming inventory data.

Pre-order - Order from future shipments

The Setup

Each incoming shipment is defined by key fields:

Field
Value Type
Example
expected_ship_date
Text (YYYY-MM-DD)
2025-03-12
quantity
Number (>0)
10
variant
Reference
product-handle.variant-title
 

This setup ensures customers see a clear message like:

| “Available from March 12, 2025”.

Incoming shipment availability - Shopify Pre-order

That means even when the product isn’t currently in stock, your buyers can still place an order confidently, knowing exactly when it will ship.

Why Offer Pre-Orders When Future Stock Is Guaranteed

Even when your next shipment is confirmed, enabling pre-orders unlocks significant business benefits for Shopify B2B merchants:

1. Secure Commitments Early

Pre-orders let your customers reserve future stock, ensuring supply continuity. For you, that means guaranteed sales and improved demand visibility before the goods even arrive.

Secure Commitments Early - Shopify App

2. Strengthen Customer Relationships

When you help your customers plan their own inventory, you become a strategic partner, not just a supplier. That trust drives long-term retention.

3. Improve Cash Flow and Operations

Collecting deposits or full payments on upcoming stock improves your working capital. It also aligns purchasing, manufacturing, and sales efforts more efficiently.

Improve Cash Flow and Operations
Optimize Inventory Allocation

4. Optimize Inventory Allocation

Allocate inventory based on real orders, not forecasts. This minimizes surplus stock and reduces the risk of missed opportunities once shipments arrive.

5. Increase Transparency and Trust

Displaying clear “Available from” messages reassures buyers and sets realistic expectations, particularly valuable in B2B eCommerce.

Enhance Demand Forecasting

6. Enhance Demand Forecasting

Pre-order data reveals which products or regions are driving future demand, allowing for smarter procurement and logistics decisions.

Benefits for B2B and Wholesale Shopify Stores

The Order from Future Availability app is ideal for companies that:
  • Manage recurring or seasonal product launches
  • Handle long production or shipping cycles
  • Want to reduce lost sales due to temporary stockouts
  • Operate on Shopify Plus and need real-time pre-order capabilities

By monetizing upcoming inventory, you not only secure revenue but also improve planning accuracy across your entire supply chain.

Benefits for B2B and Wholesale Shopify Stores

Start Turning Future Inventory into Present Revenue

With Order from Future Availability, you can sell what’s coming next and keep your customers confident, informed, and engaged. This is not just a pre-order feature. It’s a smarter way to manage inventory, improve forecasting, and increase profitability.
 
Book a demo with UnlockCommerce to see how it works in action.
Unlock Commerce team

Key Takeaways

  • Turn waiting time into sales by enabling pre-orders for incoming shipments.
  • Build trust with transparent availability and reliable communication.
  • Enhance forecasting and optimize allocation using pre-order data.
  • Boost cash flow by securing early commitments.
  • Empower your B2B customers to plan their purchases proactively.

FAQ

It’s a custom Shopify app that enables merchants to sell upcoming inventory by allowing customers to pre-order based on future incoming shipments.

The app works best on Shopify Plus but can be adapted for Advanced Shopify plans depending on setup requirements.

Using Shopify metaobjects, merchants can define expected ship dates, quantities, and product variants, which automatically update product availability on the storefront.

Yes. As a NetSuite Alliance Partner, UnlockCommerce can sync incoming shipment data directly from your NetSuite ERP to Shopify for a fully automated pre-order workflow.

Manufacturers, distributors, and B2B wholesalers that need to manage backorders or recurring shipments gain the most value from this solution.

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