EStore Tools

Pre-Order Policy Generator

Write a pre-order policy that covers payment, deposits, ship dates, delays and cancellations.

Describe the result you need. AI will set up the tool and ask for any missing details.

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Your brief

These form details are sent to our AI provider when you generate. Review the result before publishing.

What a pre-order policy needs to cover

Pre-orders go wrong in three places: money taken before the item exists, dates that slip, and customers who want out. The policy answers each one before the customer asks:

  • Payment: paid in full, a deposit with the balance later, or charged when it ships. For deposits, it states the amount, when the balance is taken and what happens if that charge fails.
  • Ship dates: your date or window, stated as an estimate, and how you'll tell customers if it changes.
  • Delays: what the customer can do if you miss the date (see the rules below).
  • Cancellations and returns: when customers can cancel, and how refunds work.
  • Mixed orders: whether in-stock items ship now or wait for the pre-order.

Anything you don't specify comes back as a [placeholder] for you to decide, rather than a promise the tool made up.

The rules the generator follows

Customers inRuleWhat the policy says
United StatesFTC Mail, Internet or Telephone Order Rule (16 CFR 435)You need a reasonable basis for the ship date (or 30 days if you give none). If you'll miss it, you must offer the choice to accept the delay or cancel, and refund within 7 working days (one billing cycle for card payments).
EUConsumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EUCustomers can cancel until 14 days after they receive the item, and get all payments back, including deposits, within 14 days.
UKConsumer Contracts Regulations 2013, Consumer Rights Act 2015The same 14 days from delivery. Without an agreed date, delivery is due within 30 days.

Because of these rules, the generator never calls a deposit non-refundable for EU or UK customers. For US customers it keeps a non-refundable deposit only while you're on schedule.

Taking pre-orders on Shopify and WooCommerce

  1. 01

    Shopify

    Pre-orders run through apps built on Shopify's pre-order purchase options. They can take a partial payment at checkout and store the customer's payment method to charge the balance later. Paste the policy into Online Store → Pages and link it from pre-order product pages.

  2. 02

    WooCommerce

    The official WooCommerce Pre-Orders extension charges either up front or upon release, and lets you change the release date and email everyone who pre-ordered. Paste the policy into a page with a Custom HTML block.

  3. 03

    Match the settings

    Make sure the policy's payment method matches what your app or extension actually does, and put the ship window on the product page too.

Questions people ask

Is this legal advice?

No. It follows the published US, EU and UK rules on delivery and cancellation, but it's a template. Check it against your own situation, or have it reviewed, before you publish.

Can I make a pre-order deposit non-refundable?

Not for EU or UK customers, who can cancel until 14 days after delivery and get all payments back. In the US you can for voluntary cancellations, but not if you miss your ship date and the customer cancels.

What if my supplier is late?

Tell customers before the date passes, give a new date, and let them choose to wait or cancel for a full refund. In the US, that's what the FTC's order rule requires.

Should I charge up front or when the item ships?

Charging up front is simpler and guarantees the money. Charging on release feels safer to customers but needs a saved payment method, and some charges will fail. The policy covers either.

Related tools

Warranty Policy GeneratorTurn your warranty terms into a clear policy page with the legal wording US, EU or UK customers need.Shipping Policy GeneratorWrite a shipping policy that covers processing times, rates, international orders, duties, delays and lost parcels.Return Policy GeneratorTurn your return rules into a clear return and refund policy, tailored to what you sell and where your customers are.EU Withdrawal Button Checker and GeneratorCheck your store for the EU online withdrawal button, then get the official labels in 24 languages, the form text and the confirmation email.

Want this builtinto your store?

I'm Emmanuel, a Shopify and WooCommerce developer. If this tool pointed at something you'd rather have fixed for you (a faster store, cleaner product data, a migration, a custom feature), send me a note.

Emmanuel Asika

Emmanuel Asika

Shopify & WooCommerce developer, Dublin

I build and fix online stores: new builds, migrations, speed, SEO and the custom bits apps can't do.

hello@emmanuelasika.com
See my work

Last reviewed 30 September 2026.

Sources: eCFR: 16 CFR 435, Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule · EUR-Lex: Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, Articles 9, 13 and 18 · legislation.gov.uk: Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 30 · legislation.gov.uk: Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 28 · Shopify.dev: About pre-order and Try Before You Buy · WooCommerce: Pre-Orders extension