What Are Pre-Orders & How Do They Work? Setup Guide [2026]

A pre-order is when customers purchase a product before it’s available to ship — and for ecommerce sellers, it’s one of the most powerful ways to validate demand, secure revenue upfront, and avoid overstock. Whether you sell on Shopify, Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop, or your own store, pre-orders help you gauge real interest before committing to inventory. In 2026, pre-orders have become especially important for multichannel sellers managing listings across multiple marketplaces — where overselling a pre-order item on one platform while stock is allocated elsewhere can damage seller ratings and trigger penalties.