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# Pre-orders Don’t Work With Shopify Bundles (Workarounds)

# Pre-orders Don’t Work With Shopify Bundles (Workarounds)

## Problem
Merchants sometimes want to sell **product bundles as pre-orders** (for example, a kit made of multiple products). However, when the product is created using **Shopify Bundles or a bundle app**, pre-orders typically **do not work**.

## Why This Happens
This is a [Shopify platform limitation](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/products/bundles/eligibility-and-considerations#:~:text=Bundles%20aren%27t%20compatible%20with%20purchase%20options%2C%20which%20includes%20subscriptions%2C%20pre%2Dorders%2C%20and%20try%2Dbefore%2Dyou%2Dbuy.).

Shopify bundles are **not compatible with**:
* Pre-orders  
* Subscriptions  
* Try-before-you-buy  

# Workarounds
Since the limitation comes from Shopify itself, the typical solution is to **avoid using bundle products** when you need pre-orders. Below are common workarounds used by merchants.

### Workaround 1 — Create a Single Product Instead of a Bundle (Recommended)
Instead of creating a bundle, create a **standard Shopify product** that represents the bundle. Use this approach if you want to give your customers the option to configure their own preorder bundle.

###### Native Shopify features used
* **Product variants**
* **Product options**

### Example

Instead of bundling:
* Coffee Beans  
* Coffee Mug  

Create one product:
**Product:**  `Coffee Starter Kit`

**Options**
| Option | Values |
| ---- |
| Coffee Type | Light Roast, Dark Roast |
| Mug Color | White, Black |

Shopify automatically generates variants like:

* Light Roast + White Mug  
* Light Roast + Black Mug  
* Dark Roast + White Mug  
* Dark Roast + Black Mug  

Pre-orders can then be enabled for each variant.

### Workaround 2 — Sell Items Individually With a Bundle Discount
Instead of creating a bundle product, sell each product individually and encourage customers to purchase them together.

###### Native Shopify features used
* **Automatic discounts**
* **Discount codes**
* **Collections**

### Example

Products:
* Coffee Beans  
* Coffee Mug  

Create a promotion such as:
> Buy Coffee Beans + Coffee Mug together and get **10% off**.

You can configure this using a **cart automatic discount** that applies when both products are in the cart. Each product can still have **pre-orders enabled individually**.

### Workaround 3 — Create a Dedicated Bundle SKU
Another approach is to create a **new product that represents the bundle**, instead of using the Shopify Bundles feature. This product behaves like a **normal Shopify product**, so pre-orders can be enabled. Use this approach if your bundle is fixed and not configurable by the customer.

###### Native Shopify features used
* **Standard product listing**
* **Inventory tracking**
* **"Continue selling when out of stock" (backorder capability)**

### Example

Create a product:
**Product:**  `Coffee Gift Bundle (Pre-Order)`

Description:
Includes:
* 1× Coffee Beans  
* 1× Coffee Mug  

You track inventory manually for the included items. To allow customers to purchase before stock arrives, enable: **Continue selling when out of stock**. This allows orders to be placed even when inventory is 0.

# Summary
Shopify bundles cannot be used with pre-orders because of Shopify platform limitations.

If you need pre-orders, the most common solutions are:

| Workaround | Shopify Feature Used |
| ---- |
| Single product with variants | Product options + variants |
| Sell items separately | Automatic discounts |
| Create bundle SKU | Standard product + backorders |

The **single product with variants approach** is usually the **simplest and most reliable workaround**.