Switch Your Wix Store from Pre-Orders to Live Sales
TL;DR:
- Change button labels from 'Pre-order Now' to 'Buy Now' in product settings
- Remove shipping delay notices and future availability notes
- Update visual badges or ribbons to show items are now in stock
- Check inventory levels match what you can actually ship
- Review shipping settings and delivery timeframes for accuracy
- Email pre-order customers to confirm their items are now shipping
When your products finally arrive and you're ready to start shipping, you need to update your Wix store to reflect this change. Here's how to make the switch without confusing customers or missing sales.
Updating Product Settings
The main job is changing the language across your store. Go into each product's settings and make these changes:
Change your button text from 'Pre-order Now' to 'Buy Now'. In Wix, you'll find this in the product editor under the purchase button settings.
Remove any notes about shipping delays or future availability dates. If you had text like "Ships in 6-8 weeks" or "Available from March 2024", delete or replace these with current shipping information.
Update product descriptions to use present tense instead of future tense. Replace "will ship" with "ships" and "coming soon" with "available now".
Visual and Inventory Adjustments
Your store's visual cues need updating too. Customers should immediately see that things have changed.
Update Visual Badges
If you added badges or ribbons showing pre-order status, swap these for "In Stock" or "Now Shipping" labels. Wix lets you add these through the product editor's design options.
Keep your visual style consistent so customers can quickly spot which products are ready to ship.
Check Your Backend Settings
Verify your inventory numbers match what you actually have in stock. There's no point showing 500 units available if you only have 50 ready to ship.
Review your shipping settings. Your pre-order shipping timeframes probably said something like "4-6 weeks". Update these to reflect your actual processing and shipping times.
Double-check your delivery zones and shipping costs are still accurate. You might have better rates now that you're shipping regularly rather than as one-off batches.
Communicating with Customers
This bit is crucial but often gets forgotten. People who pre-ordered need to know their items are finally shipping.
Send an email to pre-order customers letting them know the good news. Keep it simple: "Your pre-order is now ready to ship" works fine.
If you're using Wix's email marketing tools, you can segment your pre-order customers and send them a targeted update.
Consider adding a banner to your homepage announcing that pre-orders are now shipping live. This catches returning customers who might not have noticed the other changes.
Testing Everything
Before you announce the switch publicly, place a test order yourself. Check that:
- Button labels display correctly
- Shipping calculations work as expected
- Confirmation emails reflect the new status
- The checkout process flows smoothly
This catches any issues before real customers hit them.
FAQs
How do I change button labels on Wix products?
Go to your product editor, select the product, then look for the purchase button settings. You can customise the text there from 'Pre-order Now' to 'Buy Now' or whatever works for your store.
Can I add stock status badges in Wix?
Yes, use the product editor to add custom badges or ribbons. You'll find these options in the design section where you can create labels like 'In Stock' or 'Now Shipping'.
Should I email all pre-order customers at once?
It depends on your volume. If you have hundreds of pre-orders, consider batching the emails over a few days to manage the response and shipping workload.
What if some products are ready but others aren't?
Update them individually. Only switch products to live sales when you actually have stock ready to ship. Keep pre-order status on items that aren't ready yet.
Jargon Buster
Pre-order – Selling products before they're in stock or ready to ship
Buy Now – Standard purchase button for items ready to ship immediately
Stock status badges – Visual labels on products showing availability like 'In Stock' or 'Pre-order'
Inventory levels – How many units you have available to sell
Shipping settings – Your delivery options, costs, and timeframes
Wrap-up
Switching from pre-orders to live sales is mostly about updating language and settings, but don't rush it. Take time to check everything works properly and communicate clearly with customers who've been waiting.
The effort you put into this transition shows customers you're organised and professional. Get it right, and you'll build confidence that leads to repeat purchases and recommendations.
Ready to optimise your Wix store further? Join Pixelhaze Academy for more detailed guides and expert support.