Looking for a simple, powerful WooCommerce preorder plugin? Pre-Orders for WooCommerce – PreCart is the easiest way to let customers pre-order products before they’re available. Whether launching new items, restocking popular ones, or selling out-of-stock products with automatic backorder support, this plugin helps you capture sales you’d otherwise miss.
With this free preorder plugin for WooCommerce, customers can place pre-orders for upcoming, out-of-stock, or limited-edition products directly on your site. Gain early insights into demand, improve inventory planning, and secure revenue in advance.
👉 Perfect for: – Product launches & crowdfunded items – Out-of-stock products with automatic backorder – Limited-time offers & seasonal inventory – Digital content, books, music, and more
💡 Give your customers the power to pre-order WooCommerce products confidently — and deliver a premium shopping experience with automatic email updates and customizable preorder settings.
Why PreCart is the best free WooCommerce Pre-Order plugin
Unlike paid alternatives that charge a monthly fee, PreCart gives you everything you need to run preorders on your WooCommerce store for free:
- Stock-based preorder — products automatically become available for preorder when they go out of stock (new in 0.7)
- Global or per-product — enable preorder for everything at once, or pick individual products
- Preorder limits — cap how many customers can preorder per product
- Custom status — preorders get a dedicated order status so you can filter and manage them
🔑 Key Features
🛒 WooCommerce Preorder for Any Product Enable preorder on simple or variable products with one click. Works with your existing inventory.
📅 Set Custom Release Dates Control when products ship with per-product or global availability dates. Customers see the date clearly on the product page.
📦 Stock-Based Preorder & Backorder (NEW in 0.7) When a product runs out of stock, it automatically becomes available for preorder — with an optional backorder limit. No manual toggling needed.
💰 Flexible Payment Options Charge upfront at checkout. Collect revenue before products are even released.
📨 Email Notifications Customers automatically receive confirmation emails when they place a preorder.
🎨 Customizable Button & Message
Change the add-to-cart text, badge, and preorder message to match your brand. Use {precart_release_date} to show the ship date dynamically.
🚫 Preorder Quantity Limits Set a maximum number of preorders per product. Prevents overselling before release.
🔄 Cart Mode Control Choose whether customers can mix preorder and regular items in the same cart or require separate orders.
🏷️ Dedicated Preorder Order Status Preorders get a custom status so you can filter, manage, and fulfill them separately from regular orders.
🚀 Why Use This WooCommerce Preorder Plugin?
Pre-orders are common for video games, smartphones, book launches, music/album releases, crowdfunded products, limited-edition products, and many more niches. Companies use them to gauge demand and secure early sales.
📈 Boost Sales
Never miss out on orders for out-of-stock or not-yet-released items. With the new automatic backorder feature, you keep selling even when inventory hits zero.
🔥 Build Hype Before Launch
Generate excitement with preorder options for exclusive or trending products. Show a countdown and release date to create urgency.
📊 Forecast Demand
Use preorder data to plan inventory, reduce waste, and align with manufacturing timelines.
💬 Improve Customer Experience
Give customers transparency with clear preorder messaging, release dates, and automatic updates.