How to send preorder confirmation emails to customers
EZ Preorder & Back In Stock can send customers an extra email confirming that their order contains preorder items, because Shopify's own order confirmation does not say so. The email lists the preorder items and always includes a cancel order button. It is off by default: turn on Order Confirmation Email in Configuration → Notification Settings, and click Customize to edit it. Shopify still sends its own order confirmation as usual.
Available on: All plans (Free, Core, Growth, Professional and Scale).
Where to find it: EZ PreOrder → Configuration → Notification Settings (under General) → Order Confirmation Email.
How to turn on the preorder confirmation email
- In EZ PreOrder, go to Configuration and click Notification Settings under General.
- Turn on the Order Confirmation Email toggle.
- Click Save in the save bar.
Every preorder confirmation email includes a cancel order button that lets the customer cancel and refund the whole order. The button cannot be removed, so decide whether you want that before you turn the email on.
How to customize the preorder confirmation email
- In Configuration → Notification Settings, click Customize under Order Confirmation Email. The page Customize order confirmation email template opens.
- Under Branding, fill in:
- From: the sender name customers see, usually your store name. The sending address is always alerts@ezpreorder.com.
- Reply-to: the address that receives customers' replies.
- Under Text, edit:
- Subject: the heading at the top of the email. The inbox subject line itself is always "Pre-Order Confirmation".
- Content: the body text, up to 320 characters.
- Button text: the label of the cancel order button.
- Under Body, pick the Text color, Button color and Button label color.
- Check the Email Preview on the right, then click Save in the save bar.
There is no option to send yourself a test of this email. Use the preview, or place a test order for a preorder product.
You can also ask Shopify Sidekick to draft changes to the subject, body and button text, which you then review and save. See Use EZ Preorder with Shopify Sidekick.
How the email content works
- Content is plain text. Each line becomes its own paragraph, and empty lines are ignored.
{{{productsSection}}}is where the list of preorder items goes. Each item shows its image, then its title, unit price and quantity, for example "Linen Jacket -- price: 89.00 -- Qty: 1". The price is shown without a currency symbol.{{{ButtonSection}}}is where the cancel order button goes.- If you delete either placeholder, the email still includes that section, added at the end. The editor also goes back to the default text the next time you open it.
- The default text is: "Hello, We would like to let you know that your order contains pre order items. See details below:", the item list, "Please contact support if you have any questions. Thank you for your order! Need to cancel your order? Click here", and the button.
- The email is sent as written, in one language. It is not translated into the customer's language.
How the Subject field is used
The email's subject line in the customer's inbox is always Pre-Order Confirmation. The Subject field sets the heading inside the email instead:
- The text before
--becomes the main heading. - The text after
--, up to{{{Order Id}}}, becomes the second line, followed by the order number.
For example, Pre-Order Confirmation -- Order : {{{Order Id}}} shows "Pre-Order Confirmation" with "Order : #1001" under it.
When the preorder confirmation email is sent
EZ Preorder sends the email shortly after an order is placed, to the email address on the order, when the order contains at least one preorder item. An item counts as a preorder when:
- its product is on your Preorder List and enabled, and
- the variant's preorder rule was active when the order was placed: Always, Sold out with stock at 0 or below before the order, or Specific inventory level with stock above 0 before the order.
It does not matter how the item reached the cart. The email lists every item in the order whose product is enabled on your Preorder List. Other items in the same order are left out.
The email is not sent when:
- the toggle is off,
- the product is disabled in EZ Preorder, including products the app disabled because your plan limit was reached,
- the variant's preorder rule was not active when the order was placed,
- the order has no customer email address.
What the cancel order button does
The cancel order button lets the customer cancel their whole order from the email, with no login. It is always included in the preorder confirmation email.
- The button opens your online store. With the Pre order theme extension app embed on, a pop-up titled Cancel order confirmation asks "Are you sure to cancel the entire order?"
- If the customer clicks Yes, cancel order, EZ Preorder cancels the entire order in Shopify, including any items that are not preorders. The cancellation reason is Customer, the payment is refunded, the items are restocked, and Shopify sends the customer its cancellation email.
- No, do not cancel closes the pop-up.
Shopify cannot cancel an order that has been fulfilled. The pop-up shows "Order cancel successfully" even when the cancellation did not go through, so check the order in your Shopify admin if a customer says they cancelled.
If you do not want customers to cancel orders themselves, keep this email turned off.
Limitations
- Cancel button cannot be removed. It is added to every preorder confirmation email.
- Fixed subject line. The inbox subject is always "Pre-Order Confirmation".
- One language. The email is not translated per customer.
- Content length. Content is limited to 320 characters.
- No test send. Use the preview or a test order.
- Prices without currency. Item prices show as numbers, such as 89.00.
Troubleshooting
Customers are not receiving the preorder confirmation email. Check that Order Confirmation Email is on and that you clicked Save. Check that the product is enabled in EZ Preorder and that its preorder rule was active when the order was placed. Ask the customer to look in their spam folder for an email from alerts@ezpreorder.com.
The email shows no sender name. Fill in From on the customize page and save.
Customer replies go to the wrong address. Set Reply-to on the customize page. When it is empty, replies go to your store's contact email.
The subject line in the inbox is not what I typed. The inbox subject is always "Pre-Order Confirmation". Your Subject text appears as the heading inside the email.
My edits to the content disappeared. If you removed {{{productsSection}}} or {{{ButtonSection}}}, the editor goes back to the default text the next time it opens. Keep both placeholders in Content.
A customer says they cancelled, but the order is still open. The order may have been fulfilled, or the cancellation failed. The pop-up shows a success message either way. Cancel or refund the order yourself in your Shopify admin.
Frequently asked questions
Does this replace Shopify's order confirmation email?
No. Shopify still sends its own order confirmation. The EZ Preorder email is an extra email that tells the customer which items are preorders.
Is the preorder confirmation email on by default?
No. Turn on Order Confirmation Email in Configuration → Notification Settings and click Save.
Can I remove the cancel order button?
No. The cancel order button is always included. If you do not want customers to cancel orders from the email, keep the email turned off.
What happens when a customer clicks the cancel button?
After they confirm in the pop-up on your store, EZ Preorder cancels the whole order in Shopify, refunds the payment and restocks the items. Shopify emails the customer that the order was cancelled.
Which email address does it come from?
It is sent from alerts@ezpreorder.com with the name in From. Replies go to Reply-to, or to your store's contact email if that is empty.
Can I send a test email?
No. Use the Email Preview on the customize page, or place a test order for a preorder product.
Does every order get the email?
No. Only orders with at least one item from an enabled preorder product whose preorder rule was active when the order was placed.
Related articles
- How to send shipment update emails to preorder customers: tell customers about a new shipping date.
- How preorders work in EZ Preorder: what happens from preorder button to fulfillment.
- How to find and manage preorder orders: find preorder orders in your Shopify admin.
- How remaining balances are charged on preorder deposits: what happens to deposit balances, including on cancelled orders.
- Use EZ Preorder with Shopify Sidekick: let Sidekick draft email changes.
- Preorder rules: when a variant counts as a preorder.