Pre-salesBy Day Zero
How to take pre-orders for software or a SaaS
You can take software pre-orders three ways: charge now with a payment link, save the card and charge it later, or use a platform that runs the campaign for you. Here's how each works and what you're responsible for.
In short
- Charging now is the simplest, but you hold money for something that doesn't exist yet and owe refunds if it slips.
- Saving a card and charging it later is fairer to buyers, but you have to build it or find a tool that does.
- A platform handles the page, the checkout, the goal and when cards are charged.
- On Day Zero, cards are saved during a one-week campaign and charged when you open access.
A software pre-order is a customer committing money before the product is ready. The hard part isn't the checkout. It's deciding when the money moves and what happens if you're late. There are three ways to do it.
1. Charge now
Create the pre-order as a product in a payment tool such as Stripe Payment Links, Gumroad, Lemon Squeezy or Paddle, and share the link. Buyers pay straight away.
- Upside: quick to set up, and the money is in your account.
- Downside: buyers pay for something they can't use yet, which makes many of them hesitate.
- You're responsible for refunds if the product slips or never ships, and for keeping buyers updated.
- Some of these tools act as the merchant of record and handle sales tax for you; others don't. Check before you pick one.
2. Save the card, charge later
Payment processors let you save a card now and charge it later. On Stripe, for example, you save the payment method with a SetupIntent and create the charge when the product is ready. A card authorization hold won't do the job: it usually lasts days, not months.
- Upside: buyers pay only when the product is ready, so committing is easier.
- Downside: you build it yourself, including the emails, cancellations and what happens if you don't sell enough.
- Some charges will fail when you finally make them: expired cards, declines, or banks asking the buyer to confirm. Plan a way for buyers to retry.
3. Use a platform
Crowdfunding and pre-sale platforms run the campaign for you: the page, the checkout, the goal and the charge. Reward crowdfunding such as Kickstarter usually charges backers when the campaign ends. Day Zero charges backers when the founder opens access.
| Charge now | Save the card | Day Zero | |
|---|---|---|---|
| When buyers pay | At checkout | When you charge them | When you open access |
| All or nothing | No | Only if you build it | Yes |
| If you're late | You handle refunds | You don't charge until it's ready | Nobody is charged if access isn't open 90 days after the campaign ends |
| What you build | Nothing | The checkout, the charge and the emails | Nothing; you connect your product when access opens |
What to tell buyers, whichever you choose
- What they get: the plan, the main features and any limits.
- When they'll be charged.
- When you expect access to open.
- What happens if it's late, or if it never ships.
- How to cancel before they're charged.
Pre-orders on Day Zero
On Day Zero, a pre-order is a pledge for a lifetime deal. You choose 10 to 100 founding seats at $10–$150 and a backer goal. The campaign is open for a week, and backers' cards are saved, not charged. If the goal is pledged, the campaign is funded, and backers are charged when you open access, which is due within 90 days after it ends.
When you open access, backers get license codes they redeem on your site, through a licensing API with the same shape as AppSumo Licensing v2. See the integration guide. You're paid the price minus card processing (4% + $0.40) and a 7% Day Zero margin, or 0% on sales from your own link or widget, in the next weekly payout. Listing is free.
Questions
What's the difference between a pre-order and a pre-sale?
People use them almost interchangeably. A pre-order usually means paying now for something delivered later. A pre-sale can also mean a pledge that's charged later, which is how Day Zero works.
Do I need a working product to take pre-orders?
You need something to show: a working prototype, a clickable mockup or a demo video. People commit more easily when they can see what they're paying for.
Can I take pre-orders for a mobile app?
Yes. App stores have their own pre-launch features, such as pre-orders or pre-registration, with their own rules. On Day Zero you can pre-sell a lifetime deal on any software, including mobile apps, before launch.