Hey Dom

Published on 19 May 2026 · 13 min read

How to run a pre-order campaign for a handmade product (step-by-step, 2026)

You have a product idea. You believe in it. But you don't know whether it'll sell. And you're not keen on dropping £1,500 in materials in your studio only to end up with 25 unsold ceramic vases on a shelf.

That's exactly the problem pre-orders solve.

Test your product without stock, fund production before you commit to it, sell before you make: pre-orders are probably the most underused tool by indie makers in 2026. Not from lack of interest, but from misunderstanding of the legal, financial and operational side.

This guide takes you from concept to launch, step by step, with real numbers and concrete pitfalls.

Table of contents

Pre-order: definition and difference from crowdfunding

A pre-order is a conditional sale: the customer orders and authorizes payment, but the actual charge only happens if you reach your minimum production threshold (all-or-nothing model). If the threshold isn't met, no one is charged, you don't produce.

Legally, it's a sale with a suspensive condition under most consumer protection codes. Not a donation, not a tip jar. A real sales contract with a condition for effectiveness.

Differences with crowdfunding (Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Ulule)

Criterion Pre-order (Hey Dom, Shopify) Crowdfunding (Kickstarter, Indiegogo)
Legal nature Conditional sale Donation with reward
Platform fees Standard e-commerce commission (~3-7%) 5-8% + payment fees (3%)
Regulation Standard consumer protection law Crowdfunding-specific rules above thresholds
Production obligation Strong if threshold met Strong (contractual obligation to backers)
Tax / sales tax Standard turnover Standard turnover ("donations" are sales for tax)
Audience Your audience Platform audience + yours
Product credibility Standard e-commerce "Project effect", more emotional
Payout speed D+1 business (Stripe) After campaign close, sometimes D+30

Simple verdict: if you already have an audience (Instagram, newsletter, past customers), a pre-order on your own shop is almost always preferable to crowdfunding — fewer fees, higher margin, and customers buy from YOU, not from Kickstarter.

Crowdfunding remains relevant only if you're launching an innovative product that can generate press, or if you literally have zero audience to activate.

Why it's the most powerful tool for a maker in 2026

Three benefits few makers truly exploit:

1. You stop carrying financial risk

No more dead stock. No more materials gathering dust. No more "I don't know if this will sell." You only produce what's sold.

It's a paradigm shift: you move from a model of "make then hope to sell" to a model of "sell then make". Inventory risk disappears.

2. You test the product before investing

You launch the idea to your audience. If they buy, you produce and validate. If they don't buy, you know the market doesn't follow without having spent £2,000 on materials.

It's the ultimate product-market fit test for a maker: not a survey, not a like, not a "looks pretty". A real card-charged order.

3. You fund production without borrowing

Settlement at D+1 business day, you receive funds before committing to production costs. Many makers operate on tight cashflow (materials bought early month, sales received late month) — pre-orders flip the logic entirely: you get paid first, then make.

💡 Pre-ordering isn't just another e-commerce feature — it's a whole business model that transforms a maker studio's cashflow.

Three core rules you need to know:

Pre-contractual information

You must clearly inform the customer (before order, not after):

In practice: a visible banner on the product page "Pre-order — estimated delivery: September 2026" works, with a link to your terms.

Right of withdrawal (UK/EU)

The customer has 14 days to withdraw from the date of receiving the product (UK Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU). Not from the pre-order date — otherwise people would cancel after 13 days and you could never produce.

Delivery deadline

You must deliver within the announced timeframe. If you miss it, the customer can:

  1. Issue a notice giving you a reasonable extension
  2. After that extension expires (typically 30 days), demand a full refund

Best practice: announce a conservative timeline (over-estimate by 30% vs your internal estimate). Better to ship early than be late.

The all-or-nothing case

If your pre-order uses a minimum threshold (Hey Dom model), legally it's a sale with suspensive condition: the sales contract is final only if the threshold is reached at closing date. Before that date, the payment authorization sits on the customer's card but no charge occurs. At closing:

It's the legally most protective model for both parties, and it's the one Hey Dom integrates natively.

Step 1: Define your minimum production threshold

This is the most important decision of your campaign.

The formula

Minimum threshold = (fixed series costs + materials + labor + 30% safety margin) ÷ unit net price

Concrete example: ceramicist launching a capsule collection

You set the threshold at 27 sales. If you reach 27, you produce and you make money. If you land at 25, the contract is cancelled, no one is charged.

The 3 most common threshold mistakes

  1. Threshold too optimistic ("I'll easily sell 50") → you miss the threshold, customer disappointment, bad first impression
  2. Threshold too pessimistic (you sell 60 when threshold was 10) → you're swamped in production, quality slips, late deliveries
  3. No safety margin → you barely hit the threshold, you produce, but a kiln break or supplier delay puts you in the red

💡 For your first pre-order: set a threshold at 60-70% of your predicted sales. Conservative, but it guarantees success and builds reliability for future campaigns.

Step 2: Set the right pre-order price

Three pricing schools for pre-orders:

A) Same price as regular sale

You communicate "this product will be available at £55, you can pre-order now at £55". Pro: clear positioning, no confusion. Con: no incentive for the customer to pre-order rather than wait.

B) Discounted pre-order price (early bird)

You communicate "£55 in pre-order, £70 at official launch". Pro: +30-50% conversion vs same-price strategy according to Hey Dom and Kickstarter benchmarks. Con: tighter margin on early sales — factor into your minimum threshold.

This is almost always the right strategy. The gap between pre-order and regular price needs to be 15-25% minimum for the incentive to be perceived.

C) Numbered limited edition

You combine discount + scarcity ("30 pieces, numbered 1-30, £55 pre-order"). Pro: urgency + collectibility, especially effective for artists (paintings, sculptures, fine art photography). Con: closes the door to future sales of the same product.

Step 3: Choose your platform (the 4 real options)

Platform Native all-or-nothing Fees Captive audience Tech difficulty
Hey Dom ✅ Native Single e-commerce commission Low (to be built) Very low
Shopify + pre-order app ⚠️ Via third-party app $30/month + ~3% + $8-15/month app None Medium
Kickstarter ✅ Native 5% + 3% payment High (platform audience) Low
Indiegogo ⚠️ Available with "fixed funding" mode 5% (or 8% flexible mode) + 3% payment Medium Low

Hey Dom — when it's the right choice

Kickstarter / Indiegogo — when it's the right choice

Shopify + app — when it's the right choice (rarely)

For 80% of makers in 2026 who have a small Insta community: Hey Dom is the best option (unique USP: no subscription, no platform skim, sale integrated with permanent shop, sync with physical POS).

Step 4: Prepare the pitch and visuals

A converting pre-order page is:

1. A "hero" photo that projects use

Not a product shot on white background. A contextual photo: the piece in an interior, worn by someone, in use. The customer must be able to project themselves using it.

2. A short story (3-5 sentences)

Why this product, why now, for whom. Not a novel. 3-5 sentences answering "why is this worth £55 and not £25 from AliExpress".

3. Specs in bullet points

Materials, dimensions, weight, finishing, country of origin, durability. Concrete, factual, scannable.

4. A clear pre-order banner

"📦 Pre-order — Estimated delivery September 2026 — You'll only be charged if we hit 25 minimum orders"

5. A progress bar / counter

"23 / 25 orders to activate production". The combined effect of social proof + urgency is one of the most powerful conversion levers in pre-orders. Hey Dom integrates this natively.

6. A "reassurance" FAQ

3-5 questions like "What happens if you don't hit the threshold?", "When am I charged?", "What if I want to cancel?". Address objections before they block the buy.

7. A video (optional but ×2 on conversion)

30-60 seconds, smartphone, you in your studio, talking about the piece. Doesn't need cinema-grade quality — authenticity beats production.

Step 5: Run the campaign (timing, communication, urgency)

Optimal duration: 21-35 days

Classic communication calendar

Day Action
D-7 (before launch) Teasing: Instagram story with partial photo, "something's coming", email waitlist
D0 (launch) Official announcement: Insta post, story, newsletter, DM to top 20 fans
D+1 to D+3 Sales peak (your captive audience). Communicate actively, share early reactions
D+4 to D+15 Trough: keep posting (with different content: making-of, anecdotes, behind-the-scenes), but don't over-sell
D+16 to D-7 of closing Re-momentum: new photos, early backer testimonials, anecdotes
D-3 of closing "Only 3 days left": explicit urgency
D-1 of closing "Last day": story every 2-3 hours, email to your list, final push
D0 closing Result announcement (success or failure) — communicate with gratitude either way

The U-curve

Classic conversion is U-shaped: 40% of sales in the first 3 days, 20% in the middle trough, 40% in the closing week. If you see your middle trough drop below 5% of your daily target, that's a bad signal — communicate more, show making-of, run an Instagram live.

Step 6: Manage delivery after success

You hit the threshold. Congratulations. Now the real work starts.

Communicate immediately

Email all backers within 24h of closing: "Thank you, we did it, here's the production calendar, here's when you'll receive yours, here's how to reach me with questions."

Hold the timeline

If you announced "delivery September 2026", deliver in September 2026. Anticipate problems. If you see you'll be 2 weeks late, communicate immediately — not the day before. Customers forgive a delay announced in advance, not a delay discovered on the deadline.

Slip in a bonus

A handwritten note, a sticker, a card with "20% off your next order". Marginal cost: £0.30 per shipment. Impact on customer LTV: huge. Your pre-order backers are your superfans, treat them as such.

Document for next time

Note everything: how long it took, what costs were real vs estimated, what surprises came up. Your second pre-order will be 50% more profitable than the first because you'll have calibrated.

What to do if your campaign fails

It's rare with a well-calibrated threshold. But it happens.

What happens automatically (Hey Dom)

What you must do manually

  1. Communicate the disappointment, without hiding it. Instagram story, newsletter, direct email: "We didn't make it, here's why I think, here's what I'll do next, thanks for supporting us."
  2. Ask for feedback: why did they pre-order / why might they not have / what would have made the difference
  3. Relaunch adjusted in 4-8 weeks: revised threshold, revised price, perhaps slightly modified product
  4. Don't give up after one failure: 60% of makers who succeed at their 3rd pre-order failed the first

A failed pre-order is infinitely less costly than blind production of unsold stock. You saved £1,500 in materials and 25 hours of work. That's exactly the protective role of the model.

In summary: your pre-order checklist

FAQ

Is selling something before you make it legal? Yes, with three conditions: clear info that it's a pre-order, announced delivery timeline, refund possibility if not delivered on time.

Pre-order vs crowdfunding? Pre-order = conditional sale. Crowdfunding = donation with reward. Distinct legal frameworks.

How many pre-orders to be profitable? Threshold = (fixed costs + materials + labor + 30% margin) ÷ unit net price.

Optimal campaign duration? 21-35 days, with U-shaped sales curve.

What if I fail? With all-or-nothing: no charge, no obligation, automatic release of authorizations.

Should I charge shipping on top? Yes, and it must be explicit before checkout.

Do I owe VAT on pre-orders not yet delivered? For VAT-exempt small traders: no. For VAT-registered: VAT due at payment for goods sales.

Ready to launch your pre-order?

Hey Dom has all-or-nothing pre-orders built in. Set a goal, collect funds only if reached, automatic refunds otherwise.

Open my Hey Dom shop

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