Backorder Management

Backorder management is the system for accepting and fulfilling customer orders on products that are temporarily out of stock. Unlike standard out-of-stock handling (which prevents purchases), backordering lets customers buy now and receive the product when inventory is replenished. This preserves revenue that would otherwise be lost to stockouts while setting clear expectations about delivery timelines. For collection management, backorder-eligible products require special treatment. They should not be hidden from collections like truly out-of-stock items, but they should not be displayed identically to in-stock products either. Best practice is to keep them in collections with clear 'Ships in X weeks' messaging. Some merchants create dedicated 'Pre-Order & Backorder' collections to set expectations upfront and attract customers willing to wait for popular items. Effective backorder management requires accurate demand forecasting (to estimate restock dates), clear customer communication (expected ship dates, order confirmation), and integration between your inventory system and storefront. Poor backorder management — accepting orders without clear timelines or failing to communicate delays — erodes customer trust and generates support tickets.