In the competitive world of e-commerce, staying ahead of the game is crucial, and pre-ordering has become a go-to strategy for many Shopify store owners. It allows merchants to build hype, manage inventory more effectively, and gauge customer interest before the product even hits the shelves. Given this landscape, an array of pre-order apps have emerged to streamline this process. The following list curates the 8 best pre-order apps for Shopify, ensuring that you can keep your business on the leading edge of customer demand.

1. PreOrder Me – PreOrder Me is a user-friendly app that enables store owners to customize pre-order settings for specific products or variants. Its flexibility allows for partial payments and automatically updates customers when items become available.

2. Timesact | Pre-Order Manager – Timesact offers a comprehensive solution by facilitating pre-orders on both out-of-stock and upcoming products. It incorporates a countdown timer and badge system to create urgency and a sense of exclusivity around your products.

3. Advanced Pre-Order (APO) – With APO, you can transform any out-of-stock product into a pre-order opportunity. This app’s standout feature is the ability to set up different pre-order strategies for various items, making it highly customizable.

4. Globo Pre‑Order – Simple yet effective, Globo Pre-Order allows shoppers to order items before they’re available without overwhelming store owners with intricate settings or configurations. Its straightforward approach is excellent for those who prefer a hands-off mechanism.

5. Pre‑order Now – This app boasts a seamless integration that auto-detects when items are out of stock and replaces the ‘Add to Cart’ button with ‘Pre-Order Now.’ It supports partial payments, schedule restocks, and can automatically switch product status upon restocking.

6. Pre‑order Autopilot – For businesses wanting to automate their pre-order process entirely, Pre-order Autopilot takes the wheel. It dynamically sets items as available for pre-order when stock runs low and manages order fulfillment alerts autonomously.

7. Pre‑order Helper – This no-fuss app serves its purpose by allowing quick setup of pre-orders on any product with ease. Its badge system helps identify pre-order products, easing customers’ purchasing decisions.

8. Back In Stock & Restock Alerts – Not just about handling current stock shortages, this app helps build anticipation by offering customers restock notifications for future products. The dual functionality it offers makes it an attractive option for maintaining perpetual sales momentum.

By implementing any of these top-notch Shopify apps, you can take full advantage of the benefits that pre-orders offer—capturing sales in advance, reducing last-minute inventory crises, and keeping your customers engaged and excited about your brand’s upcoming products.