Preorders done right on Shopify Plus (no apps required)

How we ship a preorder pattern using inventory policies and theme logic only.

Preorders on Shopify are usually wired through apps that charge $40–$200/mo. We ship a theme-native version using inventory policies and Liquid logic.

The pattern

Set the variant inventory policy to continue. Tag the product with preorder. Theme-side: detect the tag, render preorder copy, swap the cart line-item property. Send order to a separate Flow that delays fulfillment.

What you lose

Some apps split-cart preorder vs in-stock items. Theme-native doesn’t. For most brands, the constraint is fine.

Preorder isn’t a feature. It’s a workflow. Build the workflow.