How the pre-order feature works & things to know
Please read these rules so you understand how it works! This is really important.
- Multiple releases at the same time: 1 email will be sent per digital file. If you release 2 files, 2 download emails will be sent to your customer. If you plan to release multiple assets at the same time, please use the customer account downloads feature and inform your customers to access them there.
- Time rules: The date/time calendar is set using your local time (computer time). Please keep this in mind if you are in a different timezone to your store.
- How it delivers: An email will be sent to your customers with the download links of the pre-ordered asset. Also, the downloads will appear on the customer order pages in their accounts if you have the customer account download option enabled.
- Who gets it: The release date asset will be sent to anyone who has ordered the products that the asset is attached to at the release time you have set.
- Attaching to products: If you attach the asset to a product that has already been ordered, the asset release will send to everyone who has ordered that product. You can disable email delivery by following this guide if you just want to deliver files in the customer accounts.
- Email delivery rate: The emails will be sent at a steady pace, one after another. Emails will not be sent at the same time. Once the release date is reached, it will trigger a queue to deliver to your customers.
Method 1 – How to set a pre-order release date for a digital product & deliver downloads via email
You will need:
- Install the DDA app installed to your store
- You will need to use the Premium plan to unlock the pre-order release date feature. Already installed? Upgrade here.
How to set release dates:
Step 1 – Upload your asset to the app
Go to “Assets” > click on the “Upload new assets” button.
Step 2 – Set the release date/time
You can easily set the pre-order release date/time by clicking on the pencil icon.
Set the date/time that you want to release the asset. If you have multiple assets to release, you will need to set the date/time on each of them.
Important note:
The date/time is based on your local computer time. So be aware, that if your store is based at a different timezone, you will need to figure out what timezone you want to release the asset.
Step 3 – Attach the asset to the relevant pre-order product
Under “Attach this asset to products” on the asset page, search for the product and attach the asset to the right one.
Step 4 – Delivery is ready
The download delivery email will only send to customers who have ordered the product that the asset is attached to.
If no one has ordered that product, then no emails will be sent out.
Method 2 – Customer account digital file release
Use your email system (Klaviyo or similar) to inform your customers that the digital products are now available in their accounts to download.
You will need:
- Install the DDA app to your store
- Email service or a method to notify customers (Klaviyo or similar)
- You will need to use the Premium plan to unlock the pre-order release date feature and the customer accounts feature. Already installed DDA? Upgrade here.
How to:
Step 1 – (Optional) Disable emails
If you don’t want download emails to be sent at the release time, you will need to disable DDA’s download emails by going to:
- “Settings”
- “Additional settings”
- Enable the “Disable all order download emails” option. See full guide.
You can disable the emails if you are just testing the feature, or you only want to deliver downloads in the customer accounts, and then inform customers they can access them there after the release date/time.
Step 2 – Write the release email
Write up your release email in your chosen email software, informing your customers that the digital products are now available in their customer accounts to download.
In most email software, such as Klaviyo or Omnisned, you can set it so it sends an automated email to your email list at a specific time.
That means you can automate the email to be sent just as your downloads are released.
Obviously, just write it at this stage until you have completed this tutorial. Then you can arm it to send once you are ready.
Step 3 – Upload your digital product/file to DDA
Go to:
- The “Assets” page
- Click the “Upload new assets” button
- Add a file or URL from another server
- Upload the asset
Step 4 – Set the pre-order release date/time
You can easily set the pre-order release date/time by clicking on the pencil icon.
Set the date/time that you want to release the asset. If you have multiple assets to release, you will need to set the date/time on each of them.
Important note:
The date/time is based on your local computer time. So be aware that if your store is based at a different timezone, you will need to figure out what timezone you want to release the asset.
Step 5 – Attach the asset to the product
Under “Attach this asset to products” on the asset page, search for the product and attach the asset to the right one.
Step 6 – Delivery is ready
Now both deliveries are ready to be sent at the same time. The digital products will automatically appear on the customers’ order page inside their accounts.
Selling large digital files? Go check our guide on the best route to sell large digital files on Shopify.
How to edit the pre-order release date email template
You can edit the pre-order release date email template by:
- Go to “Settings“, then “Edit email templates“
- Click on the “Pre-order template” button
You can learn how to customise the email templates here.
FAQ
What happens if I have multiple assets for a single product pre-order?
A new email will be sent for each asset, even if the emails are sent at the same time. Unfortunately, it’s just the way it is for now.
If you don’t like this method, you can use the Customer Account method. This way, all the assets will be in one list in their accounts.
What timezone is the pre-order time in?
The date/time calendar is set using your local computer time. Please keep this in mind if you are in a different timezone to your store.
What will customers receive when the release time is hit?
- An email will be sent to your customers who have ordered a product that has the pre-order asset attached.
- They will also automatically see the downloads in their customer account if you have the customer account downloads feature enabled.
Can I attach the asset after the orders have happened?
Yes, you can. The pre-order asset will deliver to everyone who had ordered the product it is attached to, even if they ordered the product before the asset was attached to it.
