# Pre-orders when out of stock - Preorderline 1.x documentation

> Keep selling a product that has run out: it takes pre-orders for the next delivery, and sells normally again once stock is back.

> [!NOTE]
> This is part of **Preorderline Pro**.

"Not released yet" is for launches. For products you sell all the time, Preorderline Pro adds a second mode, **When out of stock**: the product sells normally while it has stock, and takes pre-orders for the next delivery while it has none.

## Set it up

1. Edit the product and open its **Pre-order** tab.
2. Set **Pre-orders** to **When out of stock**.
3. If you know when the next delivery arrives, set it as the **Release date**. Shoppers see it while the product is out of stock.
4. Click **Update**.

![The Pre-order tab with Pro's fields](https://storage.extendiment.com/media/1019/screenshot-3-d34a14f9.png)

## How it decides

- With **Manage stock?** on, the product takes pre-orders when its stock quantity is 0 or below.
- Without stock management, it takes pre-orders while its **Stock status** is **Out of stock**.

While it has stock, the product page shows the usual stock line and "Add to cart". As soon as the last unit sells, the button changes to "Pre-order now" and the availability text appears, and the next orders wait as Pre-ordered.

## Variations

Each variation follows its own stock. Set **When out of stock** on the product, and a size that runs out takes pre-orders while the others keep selling from stock. A variation can also have its own mode, for example **When out of stock** for just one size; see **Variations**.

## Releasing

When the delivery arrives, add it to the product's stock and release the waiting pre-orders from **WooCommerce → Pre-orders** or the product's Pre-order tab, as for any product. Unlike a launch, the product keeps its mode afterwards: it takes pre-orders again the next time it runs out. Its release date is cleared, since that delivery has arrived; set the next one when you know it.

On **WooCommerce → Pre-orders**, such a product shows **Taking pre-orders · While out of stock** when it has run out, or **In stock · Pre-orders when out of stock** when it hasn't.

> [!TIP]
> With automatic release on, a "When out of stock" product with orders waiting is released when its release date passes. One with nothing waiting is left alone. See **Automatic release**.

Source: https://extendiment.com/plugins/preorderline/docs/1.x/when-out-of-stock