Pre-sale apps? Hang tight Shopify store owners…
So… your newest product is 🔥 hot. Your followers are asking for it. You just teased it on Instagram and the comment section is full of “when can I buy??”
But here’s the twist: it’s not even manufactured yet.
You could just say “soon.” Or, you could get paid before you even place your first bulk order. That, my friend, is the magic of a pre-sale.
In this no-BS guide, I’m walking you through the 5 best Shopify pre-sale apps that let you capture early demand, secure cash flow, and build hype like a Hollywood trailer. Plus: real use cases, feature breakdowns, marketing tips, and one spicy comparison chart.
Let’s make your next launch not just bigger, but smarter.
Also, if you’re serious about growth, you need a stack of the best Shopify pre-sale apps to make each launch feel like a red carpet premiere. These apps aren’t just bells and whistles, they’re launch tools disguised as conversion machines. They handle everything from buyer expectations to inventory syncing to those dopamine-triggering countdowns that make people click. If you’ve never tapped into pre-order revenue, this is your time.
What Are Pre-Sale Apps For Shopify?
A Shopify pre-sale app lets you take orders before the product is in stock. Think of it like Kickstarter, minus the 8% fees and cheesy videos. Customers get early access. You get proof of demand, funds up front, and a ton of marketing leverage.
You’ve probably seen them in action:
- “Pre-order now, ships July 15”
- “Limited early access…reserve yours today”
- “Only 200 units available for launch”
These apps plug into your store and swap out the usual “Buy Now” button with language that sets expectations. Great ones also handle things like partial payments, back-in-stock alerts, inventory sync, and email triggers.
The real kicker? When used right, they create urgency. And urgency converts.
Why Marketing With Pre-Sale Apps Works in 2025
Let’s face it, your customers are spoiled for choice. Pre-sale apps help you stand out and tap into three powerful psychological triggers:
- Scarcity: “Only 50 left.”
- Exclusivity: “First access for email subscribers.”
- Urgency: “Ends in 48 hours.”
It’s not just about buzz. Presale campaigns help you:
- Lock in revenue before stock arrives
- Predict fulfillment needs and avoid overproduction
- Turn your most loyal fans into VIP early adopters
- Build momentum before you spend on paid ads
Customers love being first. And when you deliver that feeling with clear expectations, your return rates drop and your referral potential spikes. That’s the magic of a strong presale funnel.
How We Picked These Pre-Sale Apps
After testing 200+ Shopify apps (I know, send help), I selected these based on:
- Ease of setup and customization
- Pricing flexibility
- Support and reviews
- Features that align with actual merchant needs
- UX for both front-end and back-end users
All five apps listed below are proven to convert browsers into buyers, before your inventory even hits the shelf.
Pre-Sale Apps – Use Cases by Industry
Pre-sale isn’t one-size-fits-all. Here’s how different industries can leverage Shopify pre-sale apps:
🧥 Fashion & Apparel
- Launch limited collections and capsule drops with countdowns
- Use size-specific variants to prevent inventory chaos
- Combine with influencer marketing to build hype
Example: A DTC streetwear label builds an “early access” campaign around their fall collection using Timesact, capturing $18K in sales before a single item ships.
📱 Tech & Gadgets
- Pre-sell new products before manufacturing
- Offer tiered pricing for early adopters
- Integrate with email flows for update sequences
Example: A Shopify brand launching a Bluetooth speaker captures funding for production using PreOrder Now, offsetting 60% of their inventory costs upfront.
🧴 Health & Wellness
- Build presale hype for new SKUs (think: skincare, supplements)
- Show projected ship dates + usage guides
- Reward VIP email list with early access
Example: A clean beauty brand introduces a new serum via Globo with countdown and email drip series, netting a 38% CTR on their launch flow.
🛋 Home & Decor
- Great for made-to-order or small-batch goods
- Build urgency without overpromising timelines
- Ideal for creators and artisans using PreOrderly
🧠 Digital Products / Courses
- Sell access to cohorts or course seats in advance
- Use mixed-cart blocks to prevent instant downloads
- Combine with landing page apps for lead gen
Example: A Shopify creator presells a new masterclass, limiting seats and leveraging PreOrder Wolf’s simplicity to capture signups and collect pre-launch reviews.
Common Mistakes to Avoid With Pre-Sale Apps
Presale is powerful, but if mishandled, it can backfire. Here are some landmines to dodge:
❌ Not Communicating Ship Dates
Your customers need to know when they’ll receive their order. Ambiguity creates frustration. Use badge text and email confirmations to keep timelines clear.
❌ Overselling Inventory
Without caps, you could sell more than you can fulfill, especially dangerous with tight vendor timelines. Use apps with quantity limit features like PreOrderly.
❌ Skipping Mobile Optimization
Most Shopify traffic is mobile. Make sure your pre-order buttons, messages, and CTAs are thumb-friendly and legible.
❌ No Mixed-Cart Logic
When someone adds both in-stock and pre-order items to a cart, things can get messy. Use mixed-cart handling to show warnings or block checkout confusion.
❌ No Follow-Up Communication
Customers may wait weeks. Use post-purchase flows in Klaviyo or Postscript to reassure, update, and reduce refund risk. Shopify pre sale apps that sync with your comms stack make this easy.
Pro Tip: Test every part of your presale funnel, on desktop and mobile, with different cart types and SKUs. Don’t assume. Simulate.
The 5 Best Shopify Pre-Sale Apps
1. Timesact – Preorder & Notify Me (The Best of The Pre-Sale Apps)
If Shopify apps had an overachiever, it’s Timesact.
- Core Features: automatic pre-order activation, customizable buttons, countdown timers, partial payments, inventory sync, SMS/email alerts, mixed-cart warnings.
- Pricing: Free plan available. Paid tiers start around $9.99/month.
- Best For: Stores running frequent drops, fashion brands, tech gadgets.
🧠 Benefit breakdown:
- Functional: Eliminates customer confusion with crystal-clear pre-order flow.
- Emotional: Your early adopters feel VIP status.
- Sensory: Countdown and badges look sharp and drive clicks.
- Dimensional: Works seamlessly across product variants and launch calendars.
Use case: A streetwear brand drops new limited hoodies every month. Timesact auto-switches products to pre-order and updates delivery windows. Zero manual work. Plus, their support team is faster than your favorite express shipping carrier.
Benefits:
- Reduces operational stress with automation tools that run on autopilot
- Increases average order value by pairing countdown urgency with product bundling
- Gives marketers a flexible system to tweak promos in real time
- Scales smoothly with both one-off drops and recurring pre-sale campaigns
2. PreOrder Now (by Website On-Demand)
An OG in the game, and still one of the best.
- Core Features: mixed cart support, dynamic button text, pre-order badges, Google Analytics tracking, variant scheduling, no-code install.
- Pricing: Free plan, paid plans start at $19.95/month.
- Best For: High-volume merchants or those with complex product trees.
- Bonus: Integrates directly with GA4 for attribution nerds like me.
Benefits:
- Gives data-driven teams real-time insights into presale performance
- Avoids customer confusion with crystal-clear mixed-cart handling
- Boosts team productivity by simplifying launch workflows across multiple SKUs
- Helps brands run leaner by capturing pre-sale dollars before committing to large inventory orders
3. Globo PreOrder
Sleek, solid, and surprisingly affordable.
- Core Features: Countdown timers, start/end scheduling, badge settings, mixed cart support, custom messaging.
- Pricing: Free trial, then ~$9.90/month.
- Best For: Brands launching new products with date-specific drops.
Use Case: A skincare brand launching a new serum every quarter. Globo lets them preload pre-orders with countdowns leading up to launch day.
Benefits:
- Elevates your product pages visually with sharp badges and countdown widgets
- Drives conversions with time-based urgency tied to launch events
- Empowers small teams with easy scheduling and automation
- Offers a high-value feature set at a very startup-friendly price point
4. PreOrderly (by Codeinero)
Simple, powerful, and ultra-configurable.
- Core Features: Auto pre-order switch, quantity limits, scheduled launch/end dates, button customization.
- Pricing: $9.99–$29.99/month.
- Best For: Multi-product stores with rotating SKUs.
Pro tip: Use quantity limits to layer on artificial scarcity. Works like gangbusters.
Benefits:
- Allows precision control over how and when SKUs are available for presale
- Lets merchants enforce scarcity and manage customer expectations
- Minimizes refund risk by setting clear product launch boundaries
- Ideal for brands with rapid turnover or flash sale dynamics
5. PreOrder Wolf
Budget app. Premium feel.
- Core Features: Clean UI, fast setup, basic analytics, mixed cart block, ship date messaging.
- Pricing: Just $4.99/month.
- Best For: Starter stores or solo founders looking for a quick win.
Why I like it: Doesn’t try to do too much. What it does do? It nails.
Benefits:
- Saves time and money with quick installs and low monthly fees
- Gives founders a simple, reliable tool to test new launches
- Keeps UX intuitive while still offering key pre-sale must-haves
- A perfect first step into the pre-sale ecosystem for lean brands
Pre-Sale Apps Feature Comparison Table
| App | Countdown | Partial Payments | Mixed Cart Logic | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timesact | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Free |
| PreOrder Now | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | Free |
| Globo PreOrder | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | $9.90 |
| PreOrderly | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | $9.99 |
| PreOrder Wolf | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | $4.99 |
Advanced Marketing Tactics Using Pre-Sale Apps
Level up your pre-sale strategy by going beyond the basics. Here are advanced techniques top brands use to squeeze more revenue, engagement, and insight from every launch:
🎯 Tiered Pre-Order Pricing
Create multiple pricing levels based on timing:
- Early bird tier: Deepest discount for first 100 buyers
- Standard pre-order: Slightly higher price but still a deal
- Post-launch: Full price
This incentivizes quick action and increases perceived value over time.
👥 Segment with Quizzes and Waitlists
Use a quiz app to segment your audience by product preferences or needs. Then, sync those segments with your email platform to send pre-sale announcements that feel personal. Waitlist apps build even more urgency: “You’re in the top 10%, early access coming soon.”
📦 Bundle Pre-Order Offers
Pair new products with existing SKUs:
- “Pre-order our new serum + get 20% off your current moisturizer”
- “Reserve our limited-run sneakers and score early access to our next drop”
Use Shopify pre sale apps with bundle logic or integrate with apps like ReConvert to increase cart value.
🔄 Add Scarcity Loops
Dynamically update your product page to show real-time changes:
- “Only 17 left at this tier”
- “4 spots claimed in the last hour”
Tools like Timesact allow real-time inventory feedback so your scarcity doesn’t just feel urgent, it is urgent.
🎥 Use UGC and Sneak Peek Content
Leverage short-form video:
- Behind-the-scenes of product creation
- Influencer reactions
- “Why I pre-ordered” testimonials
Integrate into your product page, email teaser, or social ad creative. Build emotional anticipation before logical conversion.
🚪 Create Invite-Only Drops
Use password protection or early-access codes:
- “VIP customers get access 48 hours before public release”
- “Sign up for early access to shop first”
Segment this via Klaviyo flows and restrict access with Shopify’s built-in features or apps like Locksmith.
These aren’t gimmicks. They’re proven psychological levers wrapped in a sharp digital funnel. Execute a few of these and your pre-sale campaign won’t just feel successful, it’ll look like a case study.
Want More Shopify Growth Tools?
Check out our other top blog posts:
- 🔗 Top Upsell Apps For Shopify
- 🔗 Top 35 Apps For Shopify & WooCommerce. Period.
- 🔗 The Best Apps for Beginner Shopify Stores
More apps. More tools. More conversions. Let’s scale smart.