Form templates / Ecommerce & Retail
Preorder Form
A preorder form is a promise in two directions. The customer commits to buying something that doesn't exist yet, and you commit to a date - so the form has to be honest about both.
For online shops, retailers and independent brands.
Say the ship date, and have them acknowledge it
Every preorder complaint is the same complaint: I didn't know it would take that long. The information was usually on the page, in small type, next to a button labelled Buy Now.
A form can do better. State the expected date plainly, then ask the customer to tick that they understand it's an estimate and that dates can move. It costs a conversion or two and saves you every chargeback and angry review that would otherwise follow.
Every detail, in their words
The expensive mistakes are the small ones: the wrong size, the wrong date, the allergy nobody mentioned. When the customer types it themselves, there's no transcription to get wrong and no argument later about what was said.
Order numbers turn a complaint into a resolution
"My order is wrong" with no order number is a support conversation that takes four emails. Asking for the number, the item and what happened turns the same message into something one person can resolve on the first reply.
It's the same trick for wholesale enquiries and returns: ask the two facts that decide the answer, and stop the thread before it starts.
Options and quantities, not free text
Dropdowns and numbers instead of a paragraph mean orders you can act on without interpretation - and it's faster for the customer too.
One minute to make it your own
Every label, option and placeholder on this template is editable, and you can add whatever this template doesn't ask. Save to publish, share the link, and export the responses whenever you need them in a spreadsheet.
What this template asks
- Your name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Which product?
- Size, colour or version
- Quantity
- Delivery address
- I understand the dispatch date is an estimate and may change
- I understand a deposit is payable to reserve this item
- If it's delayed by more than a month?
- Anything else?
More Ecommerce & Retail forms
Questions
Should I take a deposit?
It converts serious interest into commitment and funds the run. Say the amount and whether it's refundable in the introduction - then ask for an acknowledgement rather than burying it in terms.
How do I keep preorder customers updated?
Export the list and send one honest update when something changes, especially if the date slips. Silence is what turns a delay into a refund request.
Can I take payment on the form?
Not yet. Most people use this to capture the order and then invoice or take payment on collection - which also means you can confirm availability before charging anyone.
Can I limit what people can order?
Yes. Options are lists you control, so only what you actually sell appears - and you can close the form when you're at capacity.
Will I be told about new orders straight away?
Yes, if you turn on live notifications: each order is emailed to you as it arrives. Otherwise they collect in your dashboard.
Can this work alongside my store platform?
Yes - it's a normal link, so it goes on a product page, in a packing slip, in an order confirmation email or in your help centre. Responses stay in ava42, where you can export them.
Publish your preorder form today
Start from this template and change anything you like. Free to begin.