Pre-order
Quick answer
An order placed for products not yet in stock but expected to become available at a future date.
Key takeaways
- Pre-order - planned order for future goods, with an estimated date
- Backorder - order for a temporarily out-of-stock product, awaiting replenishment
What a pre-order is
Pre-order lets the customer order a product before it's in stock (new product, seasonal edition, scheduled replenishment). The order is reserved and fulfilled when goods arrive.
Why it matters
Pre-orders capture demand early and give a valuable forecast signal: you know how much to order before launch, reducing both stockouts and overstock on new products.
Difference from backorder
- Pre-order - planned order for future goods, with an estimated date
- Backorder - order for a temporarily out-of-stock product, awaiting replenishment
How CRMconnect helps
CRMconnect manages pre-orders tied to the estimated availability date (future ATP), allocates them automatically on goods receipt and uses pre-order volume as input for forecasting and replenishment.
Real-world example
A distributor opened pre-orders for a new range in the CRMconnect B2B portal. Pre-order volume dictated the replenishment quantity, avoiding both stockout and overstock at launch.
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Frequently asked
Pre-order vs backorder?+
Pre-order is for goods planned to arrive (new product); backorder is for an existing product temporarily out of stock. Both are fulfilled on stock arrival.
How does pre-order help forecasting?+
It gives real demand before launch, so you can size the first replenishment correctly instead of guessing.
Where CRMconnect fits
Related terms
Backorder
Order accepted but not deliverable from current stock - fulfilled at a known future date.
OperationsATP - Available to Promise
The stock quantity that can be safely promised to a new order, accounting for on-hand stock, allocations and future inbound.
B2B commerceQuote-to-Order (Q2O)
The full flow from quote/estimate to a firm accepted order - the step before Order-to-Cash.
OperationsDemand Forecasting
Estimating future demand per product based on sales history, seasonality and external factors.