A new product launches at night. Do you leave that time free of other plans and wait in front of your admin—just for the launch?
Contacting customers and preparing shipments for the launch are necessary, but waiting only to switch the purchase button is a burden.
With SellRules, you can set announcement, pre-order and regular-sales schedules for each product. Preparing the display to switch according to the schedule you set can reduce the manual work on that day.
Separate what you want customers to do by phase
You do not have to show the same message throughout the period before launch. Think in phases: accept notification signups while the product is not yet for sale, then take orders during the pre-order period.
| Phase | What you want customers to do |
|---|---|
| During the announcement | Learn about the product and sign up for a launch notification |
| During pre-orders | Check the expected shipping date and place a pre-order |
| After regular sales begin | Place an order as usual |
For example, you can introduce a new accessory launching next month, open pre-orders partway through, and move to regular sales after launch. You do not need to use every phase. Choose only what your products need.
Scheduling product publication is different from switching the purchase button
Shopify has a standard feature for publishing products and other items at a specified date and time. If your only goal is to hide the product until its launch date, Shopify's scheduled publishing may be enough.
SellRules is useful when you want to show the product page while switching between notification signups, pre-orders and regular sales. You can prepare separately for a page to be visible and for customers to be able to order right away.
Before asking whether you need an app, decide what you want customers to do before the launch. That makes the choice easier.
Set up the next launch for one product
1. Write down the signup and sales schedule
Organize the date when you will start the announcement, the start and end of pre-orders, and when you plan to move to regular sales. Make sure the expected shipping date you tell customers matches the product-page description.
2. Set the schedule in SellRules
Set the target product and the dates you need, then check the schedule in the calendar. Also check that the store's time-zone setting matches the time you enter on the screen.
If the same product has other sales schedules or an out-of-stock rule, check those settings too. The SellRules setup guide explains the order of operations and the settings in detail.
3. Check the customer's view
Before using it in production, use a test product to check the display before and after the switch. Make sure a notification signup is not accepting an order and that a pre-order is not showing the regular-sales message.
Do not stop at checking the time settings; check the product page too. SellRules switches through processing that runs about every 5 minutes, so it can be delayed by up to about 5 minutes. If your sales require operation without second-level delays, check the applicable conditions in advance.
If the launch schedule changes, update the dates and messages together
When you change the schedule because an arrival is delayed, fixing only the app settings can leave a mismatch with the explanation customers read.
Review the product page, announcement copy and notices for customers who have already pre-ordered at the same time. The automation handles the switching operation. Deciding and communicating the expected shipping date remains the shop's responsibility.
For shops repeating the same operation at every launch
The SellRules Launch plan is US$7.99 per month and includes a 10-day free trial. Charges apply if you keep using it after the free trial ends. Check the price and terms on the signup screen.
Start with one product in your next launch and see whether you can hand over the switching operation you repeat every time.
Features and pricing: official SellRules information and Shopify App Store. Checked on September 14, 2026.
Related articles: Deciding on early-access and limited sales
