August 18, 2024
Managing preorders effectively requires well-defined policies that protect your business while keeping your customers happy.
Below you'll find tailored Shopify preorder policy templates we've researched and written for 2024 - suitable for the US, EU, and AU markets. They'll serve as a foundation for how you handle customer expectations, payments, shipping, and returns for preorder items.
If you're new to running pre-orders and partial deposits on your Shopify store, we suggest you read our other article first - How to Create a Shopify Preorder Policy to Set Clear Customer Expectations.
Depending on whether you have enabled Shopify's latest features on your store, your customers may not be able to use our app's features such as self initiate preorder cancellation and refund through their new customer accounts.
Please note that these preorder policy templates is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute official legal advice. We recommend consulting with a legal professional to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
The Regulatory Compliance, Cancellation and Refund Rights remain largely the same between these regions. Generally, the consumer protection laws are less stringent in the US compared to EU and AU.
The key differences are mostly around the Return Policies and what's required for Customer Communication:
Note: You can fill out the pre-order delayed email template in our app's Email Template sections. In the case of shipment or any other delays, you can easily update your orders and bulk-email to all relevant customers with one click.
The estimated shipping date provided on the product page reflects the most recent date given to us by our manufacturer. While we will make every effort to notify customers of any changes to these estimated arrival dates as soon as possible, we cannot be held liable for any delays outside of our control.
If the preorder item is not delivered within the agreed timeframe, customers have the right to cancel the order. Upon cancellation, customers are entitled to a full refund of any payments made, including deposits. We will process this refund within 14 days of receiving the cancellation or refund request.
In the event of unforeseen circumstances that affect the estimated shipping dates, customers will be notified by email. (If you have enabled Shopify's new customer accounts setup, your customers can view their orders and track shipment status through their account on your website.) Customers can also track their shipment status directly through their account on our website. We are committed to keeping our customers informed throughout the entire process for transparency and trust.
(If you have enabled Shopify's Split Shipping in Checkout feature:) If your order contains both in-stock and preorder items, we will utilize Shopify's Split Shipping in Checkout feature, and Shopify will allow you to choose and pay for different shipping methods for your in-stock items and pre-order items separately. If you wish to wait for all your items to ship together, please email us at [contact email] and we will hold the fulfilment until your preorder items are ready to be shipped.
Preorder payments will be handled as follows: Customers can choose to pay the full amount upfront or make a partial deposit to reserve their item. If a partial deposit is made, the deferred payment for the remaining balance will be automatically processed at a later date as displayed on the product page. You will receive the payment receipt via the email you used for your purchase order.
If the merchandise is being shipped into the European Union, you have the right to cancel or return your order within 14 days, for any reason and without a justification. As above, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unused, with tags, and in its original packaging. You’ll also need the receipt or proof of purchase.
(If you have enabled Shopify's new customer accounts, our Early Bird app has an app extension which allows your customers to one-click self initiate preorder cancellation and refund:) Customers may cancel their preorders at any time before the item is shipped by logging in through their account on our website.
(Otherwise, if you don't have it enabled, you'll have to process refunds manually:) To cancel your preorder, please contact our customer support team at [contact email]. Once the item has shipped, the standard return policy will apply.
For preorders, if a cancellation is made before shipping, customers will receive a full refund of their payment, including any deposits made. Refunds will be processed to the original payment method within 14 days after the cancellation request.
If the preorder item is not delivered within the agreed timeframe, customers have the right to cancel the order. Upon cancellation, customers are entitled to a full refund of any payments made, including deposits. We will process this refund within 14 days of receiving the cancellation or refund request.
All pre-order items are eligible for return under our standard return policy once received. Customers have 14 days from the delivery date to initiate a return. Items must be in their original condition and packaging to qualify for a refund.
Customers are responsible for the cost of return shipping unless the item is defective or damaged upon arrival. In this case, we will provide a prepaid return label.
