When a product is eagerly awaited on the market, it’s usually sold out as soon as it’s released or shortly afterwards.
This makes it difficult for customers to get their hands on the product, and often leads to disappointment and frustration.
The e-commerce pre-order system makes it possible to put a product on sale before its official release date.
This technique has many advantages.
Customers are satisfied because, having placed their order, they can be sure of having the product when it’s released, even if the number of copies is limited.
As for you, this can boost your sales and make it easier to manage your stock. 
How does an e-commerce pre-order system work?
Most of the time, a brand that wants to be sure of selling a product it’s about to launch on the market will present it well in advance.
The product’s advantages will be highlighted, it will be shown in its best light and a more or less distant availability date will be announced.
The aim for the brand is to create consumer expectation, so as to ensure that as many copies as possible are sold on the big day.
The disadvantage is that when expectations are particularly high (as we regularly see with the latest smartphone or game console models, or certain concerts or sporting events), with a limited number of copies, stock-outs happen quickly.
With an e-commerce pre-order system, you’ll be able to sell a product before its official release date.
Please note, however, that this does not mean that your customers will have a preview of the product.
It simply means that they will be able to order and pay for the product before its availability date, and therefore be sure of being served, even if it runs out quickly.
Pre-orders will enable the company marketing the product to observe the forecast sales trend and possibly adapt its production accordingly.
Pre-orders will increase your visibility by highlighting the possibility of pre-ordering, build loyalty among customers used to this brand and give you a clearer overview of your stocks.
Advantages and disadvantages of pre-orders for e-commerce
Building customer loyalty
A loyal customer will always appreciate the opportunity to pre-order a new product.
This is why it’s particularly interesting to offer e-commerce pre-orders on emblematic products and to promote them.
It’s an opportunity to build customer loyalty and attract new ones at the same time.
Offering a highly anticipated product for pre-order is a highly effective way of attracting new customers.
By offering pre-orders to your loyal customers, you also ensure that they won’t be disappointed when the product is released.
They’ll be sure to get their copy, even if there’s a shortage.
This undoubtedly creates a special relationship between the customer and the e-commerce site.
Ensuring sales even before product launch
Setting up pre-orders on a product will also guarantee you firm sales even before its release date.
You’ll be able to measure the potential success of the pre-order product, so you’ll know whether you need to keep a large stock or not.
Be careful, however, about the number of copies you open for e-commerce pre-orders.
To comply with the law, make sure that you will be able to honor all your pre-orders within 30 days of the product’s official release date. 
Why set up an e-commerce pre-order service on your online store?
To stand out from the crowd
There are so many e-commerce sites out there.
You yourself probably have several competitors selling the same type of products.
Why would a customer choose you over one of your competitors?
The answer is simple: because you stand out!
By offering highly-anticipated products for pre-order, you’re bound to attract customers.
Another way to stand out from the crowd is through innovation.
Offering new and innovative products is a good way of building customer loyalty and attracting new ones.
The main problem with offering new products is that you can’t be sure they’ll sell well.
E-commerce pre-orders will enable you to assess the forecast sales volume and determine whether it’s worth investing in this product.
Optimize inventory management
It’s always risky to put products into stock if they don’t sell.
Since you don’t have an unlimited budget, it’s a risk you may not want to take.
Having too many products in stock means, at best, having money lying idle, and at worst, losing money.
On the other hand, having too little stock means potentially missing out on sales, and upsetting customers who may go to a competitor.
With the pre-order principle, you protect yourself from these hazards.
Depending on the volume of pre-orders received, you’ll know whether you need to make an investment and keep a large stock of the product.
If pre-orders don’t take off, chances are the product won’t be a huge success.
If, on the other hand, they do, you can plan your stock, since you’ll have firm sales even before the product goes on sale.
Support for your pre-order system
Setting up a pre-order system on your e-commerce site is no easy task.
This system will affect sensitive areas of your site and your business, such as sales management, stock management and customer management.
Properly integrated and managed, your pre-order system can accelerate the development of your e-commerce site and your business.
Don’t hesitate to contact me! As an e-commerce expert, I’ll support you throughout your pre-order system project, from defining your exact requirements to integrating your e-commerce site and getting you up and running with your new tool.
