Communicating Shipping Timelines for Pre-Orders: Managing Customer Expectations

A crucial part of managing pre-orders is setting clear expectations with your customers about when their items will ship. Our Pre-Orders feature allows you to automatically display shipping timelines as messages directly on your product pages and throughout the customer journey.

You'll find this setting in your Back In Stock app under Pre-orders > Configuration, labeled "Shipping policy."

You have a few flexible options to choose from, and the timeline you select will apply to all products that are enabled for pre-order:

How to Add Your Shipping Timeline Message:

1. Go to Shipping Policy Settings:
   • Log in to your Back In Stock app.
   • Navigate to Pre-orders > Configuration.

   • Find the section for "Shipping policy."

     Choose Your Shipping Date Option:

   • Click on the dropdown menu under "Shipping date." You will see several options:

a) "Not set"

• What it means: No specific shipping date or timeframe will be displayed.
• When to use this: If you prefer to manage expectations through other means (e.g., dedicated FAQs, email campaigns) or if your shipping date is highly variable.
• Important: If "Not set" is chosen, the "Shipping info shown to customers" will default to "As soon as possible" (see point 3 below).

b) "After a specific number of days"

• What it means: You can enter a number, and the message will dynamically calculate a shipping date X days after the customer places their order.
• Example: If you set "7 days" and a customer orders today, the message might be "Ships in approximately 7 days" or "Estimated delivery by [Date + 7 days]".
• When to use this: When you have a consistent, relatively short lead time from order placement to shipping.

c) "After a specific number of weeks"

• What it means: Similar to days, but allows you to specify a number of weeks from the order date.
• Example: If you set "2 weeks," the message might be "Ships in approximately 2 weeks."
• When to use this: For items with a predictable but longer lead time

d) "On a specific date"

• What it means: You will select an exact calendar date. All pre-orders will display this fixed shipping date.
• Example: "Ships on or before December 15, 2025."
• When to use this: When you have a confirmed, hard delivery date from your supplier or for product launches with a fixed shipping window.

Customize "Shipping info shown to customers" Message:

• Below the "Shipping date" dropdown, you'll see a text field labeled "Shipping info shown to customers".

• This is where you can customize the exact message your customers will see on your product pages and in their order details.

  If "Not set" is chosen above, this will default to "As soon as possible."

  If you choose a specific timeframe (days, weeks, or date):

  • The message you type here will be combined with the calculated or chosen date.
  • Example: If you select "After a specific number of days" and enter "7", and you type "Expected to ship around:", the final message might appear as "Expected to ship around: [Date 7 days from order]".
  • Best Practice: Make this message clear and manage expectations (e.g., "Expected to ship by...", "Estimated delivery in...", "Will ship on...").

Why Clear Shipping Timelines are Important:

• Reduces Customer Service Inquiries: Customers know what to expect, minimizing "When will my order ship?" questions.
• Boosts Trust & Confidence: Transparency builds trust and can reduce anxiety for customers placing pre-orders.
• Improves Customer Satisfaction: Meeting (or exceeding) stated shipping expectations leads to happier customers.

By utilizing these shipping policy settings, you can provide professional and accurate information to your pre-order customers, ensuring a smoother experience from purchase to delivery.

If you have any questions about configuring your shipping timelines, please contact our support team!