What Does Pre-Order Mean? Guide for Shopee, Lazada, Amazon & Shopify [2026]

What does pre-order mean? A pre-order is a purchase made before a product is available to ship — the customer pays now and receives the item once stock arrives. For ecommerce sellers on Shopee, Lazada, Amazon, Shopify, and TikTok Shop, pre-orders are one of the most powerful ways to validate demand, secure revenue upfront, and avoid dead stock. Instead of guessing how much inventory to order, you let real customer purchases guide your buying decisions.