How Bydee Swimwear Leveraged a Pre-Order Model with Shopify Extensions
In the fast-paced world of fashion and direct-to-consumer retail, emerging brands are increasingly turning to pre-order models as a way to balance demand forecasting, sustainability, and cash flow. Bydee Swimwear, the Australian swimwear label known for its feminine and versatile designs, has effectively embraced this approach. Their strategy demonstrates how fashion brands can use pre-orders not only to create excitement and exclusivity but also to mitigate risks inherent in traditional inventory-heavy retail models.
The Case for Pre-Orders in Fashion
Fashion brands face a perennial challenge: producing enough inventory to meet demand without over-investing in stock that might never sell. For swimwear in particular, demand can be highly seasonal, trend-driven, and volatile. The pre-order model offers a compelling solution:
Cash Flow & Working Capital: Customers pay upfront, giving the brand capital before production.
Demand Forecasting: Pre-orders provide real-time insight into which styles, sizes, and colors resonate with the audience.
Sustainability: Reducing overproduction minimizes waste, aligning with consumer expectations for environmentally responsible fashion.
Customer Engagement: Pre-orders build anticipation and foster a feeling of exclusivity, turning a transaction into an experience.
Bydee Swimwear leveraged these advantages to scale while keeping their operations lean and customer-centric.
How Bydee Implemented the Pre-Order Model
Bydee Swimwear structured their product drops around limited collections that customers could purchase in advance. This tactic created a sense of urgency, while also aligning production with actual demand. Communicating timelines clearly (for example: “Ships in 4–6 weeks”) ensured that customers felt informed and willing to wait for pieces they knew were in limited supply.
The brand also aligned its marketing with the pre-order cycle. Campaigns focused on storytelling, influencer partnerships, and user-generated content emphasized that these collections were special, finite, and worth the wait.
Shopify Extensions that Enable Pre-Orders
Shopify has become the backbone for many DTC fashion brands because of its flexibility and wide app ecosystem. For pre-orders, several key extensions and apps make the model possible:
Pre-Order Manager (by Globo)
Lets merchants flag specific products or variants as “pre-order.”
Allows custom messaging (“Pre-Order Now – Ships in 3 Weeks”).
Supports mixed carts (customers can buy in-stock and pre-order items together).
PreProduct
A powerful tool designed for DTC brands running drops.
Enables “pay later” or “pay upfront” models.
Integrates with Shopify checkout so customers see delivery windows and pre-order status seamlessly.
Crowdfunder (by Ethercycle)
Ideal for small batch launches or collections.
Lets brands run Kickstarter-style campaigns directly on Shopify.
Customers can see progress bars (“120 of 200 pieces sold”) to boost urgency and transparency.
Back in Stock & Pre-Order Apps
Many stock management tools, such as Back in Stock by Appikon, also feature pre-order options.
These tools can automatically switch a product from “out of stock” to “pre-order available.”
Custom Messaging & Email Flows
Extensions like Klaviyo and Omnisend, integrated with Shopify, are essential to communicate order timelines, updates, and reminders to pre-order customers.
This helps maintain trust during the waiting period.
Operational Considerations
Behind the scenes, Bydee Swimwear’s pre-order strategy was not just about flipping a switch in Shopify. It required:
Supply Chain Coordination: Aligning production schedules with pre-order windows.
Clear Customer Communication: Managing expectations about shipping times.
Integration with Fulfilment: Ensuring 3PLs or internal warehouses could handle staggered deliveries.
The Shopify ecosystem made this manageable, reducing manual work and helping the team stay lean while focusing on design and marketing.
Conclusion
Bydee Swimwear’s use of a pre-order model illustrates how modern DTC brands can thrive by rethinking traditional inventory risks. Leveraging Shopify extensions such as Pre-Order Manager, PreProduct, and Crowdfunder, they created a scalable, customer-centric system that balances demand, sustainability, and exclusivity. For other fashion entrepreneurs, Bydee’s success shows that pre-orders are not only viable but also a competitive advantage in a market where agility and storytelling often matter more than mass production.