From running your first pre-order on a test product to handling orders day to day and fixing things when they go wrong. Written so you can finish the job without contacting support.
1.Before you start (who this is for, permissions, prerequisites)
SellRules moves a product through announcement → pre-order / made-to-order → normal sale, and switches the buy button on the product page to match. Nothing has to sit in the "can't be bought right now" state, whether it hasn't launched yet or has just sold out.
Who this is for
Shopify store operators who set up launch dates, made-to-order runs and stock-out handling themselves
Permissions needed
Staff permissions to install apps and edit themes ("Manage apps" and "Edit themes")
First-time setup
About 15 minutes, five of which are spent waiting for the switch to happen
Check these five things first. If any of them is missing, following the steps below will still give you a different result.
Screen
What you do there
Home
What needs attention today, the phase of each product, how orders are progressing
Schedules
Create and edit pre-order and made-to-order dates. The calendar view lives here too
Order progress
Follow pre-order and made-to-order orders from intake to shipping
Rules
Purchase restriction rules and stock-out rules
Waitlist
Email addresses of customers waiting for a restock or launch
Delivery log
Which emails went out, and whether any failed
Settings
Sender email, languages, email templates, storefront wording, plan
Theme
A theme that supports app embeds (Online Store 2.0). You never have to edit theme code.
Time zone
Dates and times are stored in the store time zone set under Shopify "Settings → General". The create screen says so as well ("Dates are saved in the shop time zone (…)"), so compare it with the clock you are working from.
Inventory tracking
Stock-out rules require Shopify to be tracking inventory for the product. Untracked products report a quantity of 0, so the rule fires the moment you create it.
Languages
The wording customers see and the language of the emails follow the languages you publish under Shopify "Settings → Languages". There is nowhere in the app to add a language.
Billing
After the free trial, charges go through Shopify's billing system and appear on your store invoice.
The home screen. What needs attention today, each product's phase and the state of your orders all land here.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
InfoIf a term doesn't ring a bell, jump to the glossary at the end first.
2.Five-minute quick start (run a pre-order on a test product)
Before touching a real product, use one test product and watch a pre-order run end to end. Skip this and you will have no way to narrow things down later when "I set it up but nothing switched".
Goal
See announcement → pre-order → normal sale switch with your own eyes, on a test product
Time needed
15 minutes, five of them waiting
Prerequisites
One published test product. A cheap one is fine
1
Turn on the app embed in your theme
Open "Online Store → Themes → Customize", find App embeds on the left and switch SellRules on, then save. With this off, entering dates will not change the buy button.
After switching themes, turn it on again in the new theme. Everything you set up inside the app stays as it is.
App embeds in the theme editor. This is where people get stuck first.
1The app embeds icon at the bottom of the left menu
2The SellRules row in the list
3Switch this row on and press Save at the top right
Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
2
Set the sender email and default language
In the app's Settings, choose the reply-to address for notification emails and the "default email language" used when a customer's language is unknown.
It works without this, but then the store email address registered in Shopify is used as the reply-to.
The settings screen: sender email, inventory alert threshold, packing slip logo, languages and email templates.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
3
Pick the test product
Open "Schedules → Pre-order → Create new", tick your test product and press Next at the bottom right.
The product picker. You can filter by search, collection, tag and product status.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
4
Enter three dates
Set the announcement start to today, the pre-order start to ten minutes from now, and the normal sale start to an hour from now. Times are stored in the store time zone.
Top half of the create screen. The bar shows the flow; the fields below it are the start date and time of each phase.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
5
Fill in shipping and limits (optional)
Whatever you type in "Estimated shipping date (text)" appears under the buy button as-is. The date field is used to detect delays, so give it a real date. If you set a pre-order limit, intake stops once that number is reached.
Bottom half of the create screen: shipping estimate, pre-order limit and purchase restrictions.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
6
Press Create
It appears in the list. At this point the announcement start may still be in the future.
7
Open the product page and sign up for a notification
Once the announcement phase has begun, the button reads "Notify me when available". Sign yourself up with your own email address.
The announcement stage. Addresses collect in the waitlist.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
8
Wait for the pre-order start
Once the pre-order time passes, the button changes to "Pre-order". The switch is done by a job that runs about every five minutes, so it can lag by up to five minutes.
The pre-order stage. The estimated shipping date sits under the button.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
9
Place one test order
Order it for real and confirm that it appears in Order progress, that the pre-order confirmation email arrives, and that the Delivery log shows it as Sent.
10
Roll it out to real products
If everything worked, repeat on your real products. To line up dates across several products, select them in the list and use Bulk edit.
You're done when
The button on the product page goes "Notify me when available" → "Pre-order" → "Add to cart"
The status in the schedule list moves from Waitlist to Pre-order to On sale
Order progress shows one test order in the Awaiting phase
A pre-order confirmation email arrives at the address you used
How to check
Reload the product page and read the text on the button
Watch the phases advance in the schedule list or the calendar view
Open the Delivery log and confirm there are no Failed rows
Open the order in Shopify and look for _Pre-order on the line item
How to undo it
Deleting the schedule immediately returns the product to normal Shopify behaviour
Cancel and refund the test order in Shopify. Cancelling sends a cancellation email
To pause the whole store, switch the theme app embed off. Nothing you configured in the app is lost
WarningDon't experiment on a live product. During pre-order and made-to-order, the inventory policy of the affected variants is switched to "continue selling when out of stock". Orders go through even with no stock, so you can end up with sales you didn't intend.
3.Find it by what you want to do
If you already know what you're after, jump straight in.
Take pre-orders on a product before launch, on dates you choose
Time needed
About 5 minutes per product
Prerequisites
App embed enabled; the product is published
Create it from "Schedules → Pre-order → Create new". The create screen runs top to bottom: target product, sales schedule, what customers will see, shipping estimate, pre-order limit, purchase restrictions.
Field
What it decides
If you leave it empty
Announcement start
When the email sign-up form appears
No announcement phase; it starts straight at pre-order intake
Pre-order start
When the "Pre-order" button appears
Required. You cannot save without it
Normal sale start
When the usual "Add to cart" comes back
You have to tick "Do not switch to normal sale"
Estimated shipping date (text)
The line shown under the buy button
Nothing is shown
Estimated shipping date (date)
The baseline for delay detection
Delays aren't detected and delay notices don't go out
Pre-order limit
The maximum you'll accept
No limit
End date and end behaviour
What happens once the run is over
It stays in normal sale after the switch
1
Pick the product or variant
You can create one schedule for the whole product, or separate schedules per variant. Press Next to move on to the dates.
Products that already have a schedule carry a status badge.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
2
Assemble the flow
Use the bar at the top to add or remove "Announcement", "Pre-order intake", "Switch to normal sale" and "+ Add sale end". If you don't need an announcement phase, leave it out.
Top half of the create screen. The order of the bar matches the order of the fields below it.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
3
Enter the announcement start
The email sign-up form appears from this moment. It has to be earlier than the pre-order start.
4
Enter the pre-order start (required)
The "Pre-order" button appears from this moment. You cannot save with this field empty.
5
Enter the normal sale start
Pre-order intake ends here and the usual "Add to cart" comes back. To finish as a pre-order instead, tick "Do not switch to normal sale" and set an end date instead.
6
Decide what happens afterwards (optional)
Adding "Sale end" lets you set an end date and time and what follows it. "Show as sold out" blocks buying; "Return to normal sale" hands the product back to Shopify.
The end date is not the same thing as the estimated shipping date.
7
Fill in the shipping estimate
Choose "Ship on a fixed date" or "Ship within N days of the order". The text field appears under the button exactly as you type it; the date field is what delay detection uses.
Bottom half of the create screen: shipping estimate, pre-order limit and purchase restrictions.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
8
Set the pre-order limit (optional)
The maximum you'll accept. Once it's reached, intake stops automatically and the product shows as sold out. Leave it empty for no limit.
9
Add purchase restrictions (optional)
Caps per order and per customer, and purchase eligibility, can be set here too. See "Limit what people can buy" for the details.
10
Press Create
It joins the list, and the phases advance automatically at the times you set.
The schedule list. Everything you've created, with the phase each one is in right now. This is the screen the verification steps refer to.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small printThe announcement phase. "Notify me when available" appears and email addresses start collecting.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small printThe pre-order phase. The button becomes "Pre-order" and orders come in before launch.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small printNormal sale. At the normal sale start, the usual "Add to cart" returns.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
You're done when
That row in the schedule list reads Waitlist, Pre-order or On sale
The button and shipping line on the product page match the phase
A badge such as "Pre-order" appears on the product card
How to check
Check the dates line up in the list or the calendar view
Open the product page and read the button and the shipping line
Place one pre-order and confirm it lands in Order progress
How to undo it
To change dates, edit and save again. If sibling schedules share the dates, use "Apply the same change to these as well" when saving
Deleting the schedule returns the product to normal sale immediately
To change several at once, select them in the list and use Bulk edit. Only the fields you tick are overwritten
InfoDuring pre-order and made-to-order, the inventory policy of the affected variants switches to "continue selling when out of stock". It reverts when normal sale resumes.
WarningThe order has to be announcement start < pre-order start < normal sale start, or it won't save. The end date has to be later than the start of the last phase.
5.Start made-to-order
Goal
Sell items you hold no stock of and make after the order comes in
Time needed
About 5 minutes per product
Prerequisites
Same as pre-order: app embed enabled and the product published
Setting it up is almost identical to a pre-order; you create it from "Schedules → Made to order → Create new". What differs is the button customers see, the marker added to the order, and how you work the order afterwards.
Pre-order
Made to order
When to use it
Early intake for a product with a launch date
Items made per order: handmade, bespoke and so on
Buy button
Pre-order
Order made to order
Status in the list
Pre-order
Made to order
Marker on the order
_Pre-order (estimated shipping date)
_Made-To-Order: True
Name of the cap
Pre-order limit
Made-to-order limit
1
Pick the product from "Schedules → Made to order → Create new"
The same picker as pre-order. You can target the whole product or individual variants.
2
Enter the intake start
The "Order made to order" button appears from this moment.
Made-to-order create screen (top half). The phase is named "Made-to-order intake".Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
3
Decide how intake ends
Either enter a date to switch to normal sale, or tick "Accept indefinitely (no end date)" and end it by hand.
4
Set shipping to "Ship within N days of the order"
For made-to-order work the ship date depends on when each order arrives, so a number of days matches reality better. It renders as "Ships within N days of your order".
Made-to-order create screen (bottom half): shipping estimate, made-to-order limit and purchase restrictions.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
5
Set the made-to-order limit (optional)
Useful when there is a limit to how many you can make. Once it's reached, intake stops and the product shows as sold out.
6
Press Create
At the intake start, the buy button switches to the made-to-order wording.
Intake
When an order arrives it appears in Order progress in the Awaiting phase, and a made-to-order confirmation email goes out.
Start production
When you begin making it, press Start production. The phase changes to In production. You can do several at once.
Delays
To push the ship date back, use Change ship date. Write a reason and tick "Notify the customer of the delay" to send an apology email.
Shipping
Fulfil the order in Shopify and a shipping confirmation goes out; the order drops off the Order progress list.
The made-to-order phase. Orders are accepted without holding stock.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
You're done when
A row reading Made to order appears in the schedule list
The product page button becomes "Order made to order", with "Ships within N days of your order" underneath
_Made-To-Order: True is added to the order line
How to check
Open the product page and read the button and the shipping line
Place one test order and check it appears in Order progress with the Made to order type
Confirm the made-to-order confirmation email arrives and shows as Sent in the Delivery log
How to undo it
To stop intake right away, delete the schedule or set the made-to-order limit to 0
To go back to normal sale, set the normal sale start to a time in the past and save
InfoWhat you do after intake is the same as for pre-orders. See "Work through the orders you've taken".
6.Keep selling after a stock-out
Decide what a product should switch to under "Rules → Stock-out rules", and a schedule is created automatically the moment stock reaches zero — and removed again when stock returns.
Goal
Switch a product to pre-order, made-to-order or a restock alert automatically when stock hits zero
Time needed
About 3 minutes per product
Prerequisites
Shopify is tracking inventory for the product, and the product has no manual schedule
1
Pick a product from "Rules → Stock-out rules → Create new"
Rules can target the whole product or a single variant. A variant-level rule takes precedence.
2
Choose the switch mode
Pre-order, made to order, or restock alert only. "Restock alert only" takes no orders and just collects email addresses.
Stock-out rule create screen (top half): switch mode and shipping pattern.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
3
Set the shipping estimate
If you switch to pre-order or made to order, choose "Ship on a fixed date" or "Ship within N days" and write the line customers will see.
4
Set the limit (optional)
The maximum to accept while the automatic switch is active. Intake stops and the product shows as sold out once it's reached.
Stock-out rule create screen (bottom half): the limit and the restrictions specific to this rule.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
5
Add purchase restrictions (optional)
Restrictions entered here only apply to the schedule this rule creates automatically. Restrictions for an ordinary pre-order belong on the schedule itself.
6
Press Create
It joins the list. If stock is already zero, the switch happens shortly.
What triggers it
A variant's inventory reaching 0 or less. Shopify's inventory update notification gets there in one to three seconds; if that notification is lost, a sync every five minutes picks it up.
When stock returns
As soon as stock is back at 1 or more, the automatically created schedule is deleted and normal sale resumes. Anyone collected by "restock alert only" is sent a restock notification.
Manual settings win
If the product has a manual schedule covering the whole product, automatic stock-out switching does not run. It exists so the app never overwrites a plan you set by hand.
Running out mid-sale
You can also handle this on the manual schedule itself, under "If stock runs out during normal sale" (show as sold out / go back to pre-order / go back to made to order).
The stock-out rule list. Decide per product where it should switch when stock hits zero.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
You're done when
Set stock to zero and a row for that variant appears in the schedule list, flagged as automatic
The product page button changes to the wording of the mode you picked
How to check
Set stock to zero in Shopify, wait about five minutes and reload the product page
Check that a row with the automatic badge has appeared in the schedule list
Check the rule is Enabled in the rule list
How to undo it
Put stock back to 1 or more and the automatically created schedule disappears
To pause it only, set the rule to Disabled. The settings stay
Deleting the rule also deletes the automatic schedules it created
WarningProducts that aren't tracked report a quantity of 0, so the rule fires right after you create it. Check that "Track quantity" is ticked on the product in Shopify.
7.Limit what people can buy
Create rules per product under "Rules → Purchase restrictions". They apply both on the product page (disabling the button and showing a reason) and again at checkout.
Goal
Stop bulk-buying, sell to members only, or pause purchases temporarily
Time needed
About 3 minutes per product
Prerequisites
For "Tag required", the customers in Shopify need to carry that tag
Field
What it counts
Example (cap set to 2)
Maximum per order
The quantity allowed in a single order
Three in one order isn't possible
Maximum per customer
The total quantity across all of that customer's orders
Buying one at a time still stops at the third
Maximum orders per customer
The number of orders, regardless of quantity
However many they buy, the third order is blocked
1
Pick a product from "Rules → Purchase restrictions → Create rule"
You can target the whole product or specific variants.
2
Enter the quantity caps
There are three of them. Fill in only the ones you need, but at least one is required.
The purchase restriction create screen: three caps, purchase eligibility and how quantities are counted.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
3
Choose purchase eligibility
No restriction, sign-in required, tag required, or sales suspended. Suspended leaves the product page visible but disables the buy button.
4
For "Tag required", enter the tag and the message
Tags are not case sensitive. Leave "Message shown to customers" empty and the greyed-out default is used. The tag name itself is never shown to customers.
5
Choose how quantities are counted
"Total across the product (recommended)" stops people from getting around the cap by mixing sizes. "Per variant" counts each variant separately.
6
Press Create
It joins the list and takes effect immediately.
The purchase restriction list. What each rule limits and whether it's on are visible at a glance.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
You're done when
Entering more than the cap on the product page shows a warning and the item can't be added to the cart
Customers who don't qualify see a disabled buy button and the reason
The Restrictions column in the list shows the caps you set
How to check
Try entering more than the cap on the product page
Sign in with an account that doesn't carry the tag, go to checkout and confirm it stops there
Add a mix of sizes to the cart and confirm the total is what stops you (if you chose "Total across the product")
How to undo it
To lift it temporarily, set the rule to Disabled. The settings stay
To remove it for good, press "Delete this rule" on the edit screen
Info"Tag required" is checked at checkout against the app's own copy of your customer tags. New and updated customers sync automatically, but for customers who already exist you need to run "Settings → Re-sync customer tags" once.
Warning"Maximum per order" has to be less than or equal to "Maximum per customer". The other way round, one order alone can exceed the lifetime cap and the settings contradict each other.
8.Collect and notify customers waiting for a launch or restock
Collect, send, check the result: three steps in one chain. The Waitlist and the Delivery log tell you where it stopped.
Goal
Collect email addresses on unreleased or sold-out products and notify them automatically
Time needed
No setup needed; it works as soon as you have an announcement phase or a stock-out rule
Prerequisites
The app embed is enabled
Collect
An email field appears on the product page during the announcement phase, and on products switched by "restock alert only". Sign-ups collect in the Waitlist.
Send
When pre-order (or made-to-order) intake begins, everyone not yet notified is sent a launch notification automatically. When stock returns, a restock notification goes out.
Check
Statuses are Pending, Sent, Excluded, Unsubscribed by customer and Excluded by merchant. Customers who use the stop link in the email show as unsubscribed by customer.
Export
"Export CSV" gives you the email address, product, variant, current phase, pre-order start, estimated shipping date, sign-up time and more.
The waitlist. Filter by email address, product and status.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
You're done when
Signing up on the product page adds a row with status Pending
Once the pre-order start passes, that row turns to Sent
How to check
Sign up with your own address, then after the pre-order start check the Delivery log shows the launch notification as Sent
For restock notifications, open the send history on the waitlist row (how many times, in which cycle)
How to undo it
Select sign-ups you don't want to notify and press "Exclude from sending"
You can delete them too, but deleted sign-ups cannot be recovered
WarningThe CSV is UTF-8. Opening it straight in Excel can garble the characters. Import it through "Data → From Text/CSV" in Excel and choose UTF-8.
9.Work through the orders you've taken (Order progress)
Order progress lists only pre-order and made-to-order orders that haven't shipped yet. Once shipped, they drop off the list.
Goal
Follow unshipped pre-order and made-to-order orders from intake to shipping
Time needed
A few minutes a day
Prerequisites
You have pre-order or made-to-order orders
Phase
What it means
What to do next
Awaiting
The order is in but you haven't started making it
Press Start production
In production
You're making it
Fulfil it in Shopify once it's ready
Delayed
The ship date has passed, or you pushed it back
Use Change ship date and send a delay notice
1
Filter
Filter by phase, order type (pre-order or made to order) and whether it's delayed. Counts for awaiting, in production and delayed sit at the top.
Order progress. Every order shows its state and what to do next.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
2
Move orders to In production
Select them and press Start production. You can update several at once.
3
Print packing slips
Print packing slips for the selected orders in one go. Swap the header logo under "Settings → Packing slip logo" (PNG, JPEG, WebP or SVG, up to 300 KB).
4
Change the ship date
Enter the new date and a reason (up to 500 characters). Tick "Notify the customer of the delay" to send a delay email. Dates in the past, and more than two years out, are rejected.
You can change several orders at once. The message after the update tells you how many customers were notified.
5
Ship
"Fulfil in Shopify" takes you to Shopify's fulfilment flow. Once fulfilment is recorded, a shipping confirmation goes out and the order leaves the list.
The order itself
Pre-orders and made-to-order orders are recorded as ordinary Shopify orders. Your existing inventory, order and logistics flows keep working.
Fulfilment
Fulfilment happens in Shopify. The app picks up that it shipped, removes it from Order progress and sends the shipping confirmation.
Cancellations and refunds
Cancelling the order in Shopify sends a cancellation email and removes it from the list. Refunds are handled on the Shopify side.
How to spot them
The line item carries _Pre-order (estimated shipping date) or _Made-To-Order: True. You can see it in the Shopify order detail.
You're done when
Orders you pressed Start production on move to the In production phase
Changing the ship date with the notify box ticked adds a delay notice row to the Delivery log
Fulfilling in Shopify removes the order from the list and sends the shipping confirmation
How to check
Check the Delivery log shows the delay notice and shipping confirmation as Sent
Check the fulfilment is recorded on the Shopify order
How to undo it
Ship dates can be changed again from Change ship date. Untick the notify box if you don't want another email
Emails already sent cannot be recalled. Notifications still Pending can be cancelled from the Delivery log
WarningOrders that have already shipped or been cancelled cannot have their ship date changed.
10.Notification emails and the delivery log
There are seven notifications. Subject, body and header styling are editable for each, and the content is stored separately per language.
Goal
Get the wording of customer emails right, and confirm they actually arrive
Time needed
About 10 minutes per template
Prerequisites
Choose the sender (reply-to) address in Settings first
Notification
When it goes out
Pre-order confirmation
When a pre-order comes in
Made-to-order confirmation
When a made-to-order order comes in
Launch notification
When announcement turns into pre-order (or made-to-order) intake, to sign-ups
Restock notification
When stock returns, to sign-ups
Delay notice
When you push a ship date back with the notify box ticked
Shipping confirmation
When you fulfil the order in Shopify
Cancellation
When the order is cancelled
1
Open a template under "Settings → Email templates"
The list shows each subject line and whether it is Custom, Default or Stopped.
The email template list. Each purpose has its own subject and body, split by language.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
2
Choose the language tab
Each language is stored on its own. Languages you haven't edited use the translation built into the app.
3
Write the subject and body
Bold, links, images and lists are available. You can write raw HTML too, but script tags and event handler attributes are rejected on save.
4
Insert variables
Click one under "Available variables" and it is copied to your clipboard. They work in subject lines too.
5
Send a test
Put your own address in "Test recipient" and press Send test. The email arrives with [Test] in front of the subject, so you can check the wording without creating a real order.
6
Save
It applies from the next send onwards. "Reset to default template" puts it back.
Delivery log
Recipient, order, template, status, attempts and timestamp. Open a row to see exactly the email that was sent.
Statuses
Pending, Processing, Sent, Failed and Cancelled.
When one fails
Open the row to read the error. Unless the address is simply wrong, select it and press Retry to put it back in the queue (only Failed rows can be retried).
Stopping one before it sends
Rows still Pending can be selected and cancelled.
Stopping a whole type
Press Disable in the template list and that type of notification stops going out; it shows as Stopped.
The delivery log. Which email went out when, and whether anything failed.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
You're done when
A test send arrives within a minute or so, with a subject starting "[Test]"
Real notifications show as Sent in the Delivery log
How to check
Read the test email and confirm the variables were replaced with real values
Open a row in the Delivery log and read the email exactly as it was sent
Look at the counts at the top of the Delivery log: pending, sent, failed
How to undo it
"Reset to default template" on the edit screen puts that template back to its original state
Emails already sent cannot be recalled. Rows still Pending can be cancelled from the Delivery log
WarningUse an address on your own domain as the sender (reply-to). Free mail such as gmail.com is easily flagged as spoofing and may not be delivered. Avoid noreply@ addresses too, since customers can't reply to them.
11.Variables you can use in emails
These work in template subjects and bodies. Click one under "Available variables" on the edit screen to copy it.
Variable
What goes in
{{shopName}}
Shop name
{{productTitle}}
Product name
{{productImageUrl}}
Product image URL
{{orderNumber}}
Order number
{{deliveryDate}}
Estimated shipping date
{{estimatedDate}}
Estimated completion date
{{originalDate}}
The original date, used in delay notices
{{newDate}}
The new date, used in delay notices
{{reason}}
Why the ship date changed
{{trackingUrl}}
Shipment tracking URL
{{productUrl}}
Product page URL
{{unsubscribeUrl}}
URL to stop restock notifications
InfoVariables that don't apply to a notification come out empty. Putting {{trackingUrl}} in a pre-order confirmation shows nothing, because there is no tracking number yet.
12.Storefront wording and languages
With nothing configured, wording appears in the customer's language across nine languages (Japanese, English, German, French, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish and Swedish). Override only what you want to change.
Goal
Put buttons and badges into your own words, or show them in several languages
Time needed
10 minutes
Prerequisites
The language you want is published under Shopify "Settings → Languages"
Where to edit
"Settings → Storefront wording". Product card badges, product page buttons, the waitlist form, the cart and checkout line labels and the sale-ended message.
Empty means automatic
Leave a field empty and it shows in the customer's language. Rewriting one language leaves the others on automatic.
Language tabs
The tabs are the languages you publish in Shopify. There is nowhere in the app to add one.
Same data as Translate & Adapt
The default language is the metafield value itself; other languages are saved as Shopify translations. Editing in either place gives the same result.
The admin language is separate
"Settings → Language settings" is the display language of this admin. It has no effect on what customers see.
Emails are separate again
Notification emails don't ride on Shopify's translation system, so the app stores them per language. You edit them entirely inside the app.
You're done when
Open the product page in the language you changed and your wording appears
Other languages carry on showing automatically as before
How to check
Switch the storefront to another language and open the product page
Switch tabs on the edit screen and see which languages are still empty
How to undo it
Empty the field and it goes back to automatic
"Reset everything to automatic" at the bottom of the screen resets every language at once
WarningIf you publish a language outside those nine (Korean or Chinese, for example) the tab appears but there is no built-in wording. Left empty, the default language's wording is shown.
13.How it fits with Shopify
SellRules runs on top of Shopify's own mechanics. Knowing which side owns what makes problems much faster to narrow down.
Orders
Pre-orders and made-to-order orders are recorded as ordinary Shopify orders. Payment and delivery follow your Shopify settings.
Fulfilment
Fulfilment happens in Shopify. Once it's recorded, the app removes the order from Order progress and sends the shipping confirmation.
Inventory
During pre-order and made-to-order, the inventory policy of the affected variants switches to "continue selling when out of stock". It reverts when normal sale resumes.
Payment method limits
When the cart holds a pre-order or made-to-order item, some payment methods such as cash on delivery are hidden automatically.
Customer tags
"Tag required" is decided from the app's own copy of your customer tags. Run "Settings → Re-sync customer tags" once for existing customers. It's safe to run as often as you like.
Shopify Flow
Four triggers — waitlist sign-up, pre-order/made-to-order order received, pre-order status changed and shipping delay detected — plus one action, switch sales phase. Wire them up to Slack or internal email.
After switching themes
Turn the app embed on again in the new theme. Everything inside the app stays as it is.
InfoSwitching the app embed off returns buy buttons to the usual "Add to cart" and stops purchase restrictions being enforced at checkout. Your configuration data is kept.
14.Watching the day-to-day on Home
Home gathers what's worth looking at today.
Revenue and volume
Pre-order and made-to-order revenue and order counts, over 7 days, 30 days, 90 days, a year or all time.
Upcoming events
Announcement, pre-order and sale starts still to come, with a countdown in days.
Inventory alerts
Products approaching their pre-order limit (80% or more) and products low on stock. The low-stock threshold is set under "Settings → Inventory alerts", anywhere from 1 to 999 (default 10).
Out of stock, not configured
Products at zero stock with neither a schedule nor a rule. You can switch them to pre-order or made-to-order, or create an automatic rule, right from here.
Calendar
"Schedules → Calendar view" lays out every product's phases by month. Yellow is announcement, blue pre-order, purple made to order, green normal sale.
The sales calendar. Every product's plan for the month at a glance.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
15.When something isn't working
Find your symptom below. Most cases come down to the app embed being off, not having waited five minutes, or inventory not being tracked.
The pre-order button doesn't appear on the product page
Cause
The theme app embed is off. This also happens right after switching themes. Otherwise, the product may have no schedule, or the announcement start may not have arrived yet.
Check
Is SellRules on under "Online Store → Themes → Customize → App embeds"? Does the product show as Waitlist or Pre-order in the app's Schedules?
Fix
Switch the app embed on, save, and hard-reload the product page. If the status is still On sale, open the edit screen and check the dates aren't in the past.
The sales state doesn't change at the time I set
Cause
Phases are updated by a job that runs about every five minutes. Dates are also stored in the store time zone, which may not be the one you're working in.
Check
Compare the line on the create screen ("Dates are saved in the shop time zone (…)") with the time zone under Shopify "Settings → General". Check the status in the schedule list too.
Fix
Wait five minutes and reload the product page. If it still hasn't changed, re-enter the dates on the edit screen and save.
Stock hits zero but nothing switches automatically
Cause
Shopify isn't tracking inventory for the product, the rule is Disabled, or the product has a manual schedule covering the whole product. Manual settings take precedence over automatic switching.
Check
Is "Track quantity" ticked on the product in Shopify? Is the rule Enabled under "Rules → Stock-out rules"? Is there a manual schedule for the product?
Fix
Turn tracking on and enable the rule. If a manual schedule exists, delete it, or use "If stock runs out during normal sale" on that schedule to choose where it switches.
An order doesn't show up in Order progress
Cause
Order progress lists only unshipped pre-order and made-to-order orders. Orders bought during normal sale, and orders already shipped or cancelled, don't appear. A filter may also still be applied.
Check
Does the Shopify order detail show _Pre-order or _Made-To-Order on the line item? Is a filter set at the top of Order progress?
Fix
Clear the filters. If the marker isn't there, the product was in normal sale when the order was placed. Compare the time the phase switched with the time of the order.
Emails aren't sent, or don't arrive
Cause
A wrong address, a spam filter, a template that is Stopped, or a free-mail sender address.
Check
Look up the notification in the Delivery log. Sent means it left. Failed means you should open the row and read the error. Also check under "Settings → Email templates" that the template isn't Stopped.
Fix
Select failed rows and press Retry. If it was delivered but can't be found, ask the customer to check their spam folder. Moving the sender to an address on your own domain is strongly recommended.
Purchase restrictions aren't enforced at checkout
Cause
For "Tag required", the copy of your customer tags hasn't been synced yet. Or the rule is Disabled. Or quantities are being counted differently from what you expect.
Check
Is the rule enabled under "Rules → Purchase restrictions"? For tag required, have you run "Settings → Customer tag sync"? Is "How quantities are counted" set to "Total across the product"?
Fix
Run "Re-sync customer tags". If people are getting around it by mixing sizes, change the counting to "Total across the product".
The wrong language is being shown
Cause
Storefront wording shows in the customer's language when it's left empty. If you've filled in the default language tab, that wording is also used for languages you haven't translated.
Check
Under "Settings → Storefront wording", see whether that language's tab is empty. Also check that the language is published under Shopify "Settings → Languages".
Fix
Empty the field to go back to automatic ("Reset everything to automatic" at the bottom of the screen resets all of them). For emails, "Settings → Default email language" is what's used when a customer's language is unknown.
I want to switch SellRules off for a while
Cause
What you do depends on how much you want to pause. None of it deletes your settings.
Check
Decide the scope: the whole store, one product, or notifications only.
Fix
For the whole store, switch the theme app embed off (settings inside the app are kept). For one product, delete its schedule or use the "Sales suspended" purchase restriction. For notifications only, disable the relevant template under "Settings → Email templates".
I got the settings wrong and want to go back
Cause
How you revert depends on what you're reverting, and some things cannot be recovered.
Check
Decide whether it's the dates, a rule, email wording, or all of it.
Fix
Fix dates on the schedule edit screen, or delete the schedule to return to normal sale. Set a rule to Disabled to stop it while keeping its settings. Use "Reset to default template" for email wording. Deleted schedules and waitlist entries cannot be recovered.
TipIf none of these fits, go on to "Getting in touch".
16.Getting in touch
If it isn't fixed, send us the following. How quickly we can reproduce your situation is what decides how quickly you get an answer.
The product name and ID. If it's about a variant, the variant name too
Order
The order number, if it's about an order
Time
When it happened, with the time zone if you can
What happened
What you expected, and what actually happened
Log
The relevant Delivery log row, if it's about email
Screen
A screenshot
InfoYou can also reach us from inside the app, via "Feature request" and "Bug report" at the bottom of the SellRules screen.
17.Plan, billing and your data
Pricing
There is a single plan and no feature differences between tiers. Cancel during the free trial and you are charged nothing.
Billing
Charges go through Shopify's billing system and appear together on your store invoice.
Checking and changing
"Settings → Plan" shows your current status, next billing date and remaining trial. Change it via "Manage plan in Shopify".
Data sent outside
Resend for notification emails, the Shopify Admin API for reading and writing products, orders and customers, and Shopify Flow for workflows. Credit card details never pass through the app.
Uninstalling
Uninstalling the app deletes all of that store's data: schedules, rules, waitlist, delivery log, email templates and the rest. GDPR and CCPA deletion requests are supported.
The plan screen. Your contract status and next billing date live here.Click the image to enlarge it. In the enlarged view you can switch to full size and read the small print
WarningDeletion on uninstall cannot be undone. If you want to keep your waitlist, export it first from "Waitlist → Export CSV".
18.Glossary
Announcement
The stage before launch or restock where you collect only email addresses. A sign-up form replaces the buy button.
Pre-order
The stage where orders are taken before launch. Payment is taken at the time.
Made to order
Selling items you make after the order arrives. No stock is held.
Normal sale
Shopify's usual "Add to cart" stage.
Phase
One of the four stages above. Setting dates on a schedule advances them automatically.
Schedule
The timetable of phases for a product (or variant).
Stock-out rule
A setting that decides where a product switches to when stock hits zero. When the condition is met, a schedule is created automatically.
Purchase restriction
Limits on quantity, order count and eligibility. Enforced on the product page and at checkout.
Waitlist
The list of email addresses of customers waiting for a launch or restock.
Delivery log
The record of notification emails sent or queued to send.
App embed
Shopify's mechanism for injecting app functionality into a theme. Switching it on is what makes buy buttons change.
Packing slip
The picking list you can print from Order progress.