Creating a new selling plan in Timesact
A selling plan is a collection of settings you must apply to sell preorders and backorders in Shopify. It is very useful for things like partial payments, inventory management, and discounts, and it is also mandatory. For this reason, even if you have not created a selling plan before but are adding products into the app in the Products tab to put on preorder, in order to complete the flow, you will be prompted to create a new selling plan.
Otherwise, you can create a new selling plan in the Settings tab under the Selling Plans.
Tap the New Selling Plan button on the top right corner of the screen.
You will be prompted to give a name for your selling plan, which must be unique.
Once you have entered your preferred name, tap the Create Selling Plan button on the bottom right of the pop-up.
In the next screen, you will see all the settings options at your disposal, some with their sub-options. Here is the full list:
Selling plan name
This text will show in the cart, during checkout, and in the confirmation email sent by Shopify when the order is placed. A good use for it can be information about the shipping date. It is mandatory to use as per Shopify's requirements for selling plans.
Selling plan description
This text will show up on your product pages. It is not mandatory to use but can be a useful addition to relay information about discounts or the shipping date for the product.
Shipping Date
Gives you the option to enter a date at which the item will be dispatched to the customer.
Options (only one can be selected per selling plan):
3.1. No set
No shipping date will be set with this option, and the status of the order will be Unfulfilled in Shopify.
3.2. Date
This option will schedule the order for the specific date you've selected. The order will have the status Scheduled in Shopify.
3.3. Period
This option allows you to calculate a shipping date dynamically. For example, you can set it to calculate 2 weeks from the current date if you know that to be your usual production time for a made-to-order product.
3.3.1. Period value
Defines the number of periods of the kind selected as the period type. For example, 5 can be days, weeks, or months, depending on the next selection.
3.3.2. Period type
Defines the unit of measurement for a time, like days, weeks, and months.
3.4. Interval
Similar to the Period only this option allows you to set both a starting and ending date to create a range.
3.4.1. Start - Period Value
Defines the number of periods of the kind selected as the period type. For example, 5, can be days, weeks, or months, depending on the next selection.
3.4.2. Start - Period Type
Defines the unit of measurement for a time, like days, weeks, and months.
3.4.3. End - Period Value
Defines the number of periods of the kind selected as the period type. For example, 5 can be days, weeks, or months, depending on the next selection.
3.4.4. End - Period Type
Defines the unit of measurement for a time, like days, weeks, and months.
Billing Policy
It allows you to charge the customer upfront for the full amount, 0, or a specific fixed sum or percentage of the product price.
Options (only one can be selected per selling plan):
4.1. Full payment
Choosing this will mean you charge your customers the full amount when they place their order.
4.2. Partial payment
Choosing this option will mean charging your customer anywhere from 0 to 99% of the product price upfront, with the difference automatically calculated and charged on the date in the future that you have selected in the next steps.
4.2.1. Upfront payment fixed
Choose this option if you wish to charge a specific amount upfront from your customers that is less than the full product price.
4.2.2. Upfront payment %
Choose this option if you wish to charge a percentage amount upfront from your customers that is less than 100% of the product price.
4.2.3. Final payment Date
Select the date when customers will be charged the remaining balance (meaning the Full price - Upfront payment).
4.2.4. Final payment Time after Checkout
Select this option if you wish for the date for charging the remaining balance to be calculated dynamically (i.e. 2 weeks from placing the order).
4.2.4.1. Period Value
Defines the number of periods of the kind selected as the period type. For example, 5, can be days, weeks, or months, depending on the following selection.
4.2.4.2 Period Type
Defines the unit of measurement for a time, like days, weeks, and months.
Selling Plan Option (Optional - will only show up if partial payment is enabled for the selling plan)
This text will appear on your product pages, and it is best used to explain the option like "Partial payment: 50% deposit".
Discount
This is the amount you are giving to your customers.
Options (only one can be selected per selling plan):
6.1. Fixed amount like $5 off
6.2 % off like -10% off
The discount is shown and applied at checkout (this is how Shopify has it set up on their system). Consider adding some info in the Selling Plan Description about the discount and where it is applied, for example, so that customers are also aware of this when browsing the product page.
Inventory Policy
The inventory policy determines when Shopify subtracts the number of items sold through a preorder order with the current selling plan attached.
Options (only one can be selected per selling plan):
7.1. On sale - With this option, the inventory is subtracted when the customer places the order
7.2 On Fulfillment - With this option, the inventory is subtracted when you fulfill the order
Remember, if you need another selling plan with common settings with another selling plan you have created before, instead of starting from scratch, you can duplicate the existing selling plan and edit the specific fields you want to have different values from the original. See the screenshot below:
For those of you who wish to avoid setting anything in the selling plan, here are the defaults the app will add for you.
Selling plan name = "Preorder item delivers as soon as available." (This is what will show in the cart, during checkout, and in the confirmation email sent by Shopify when the order is placed)
Selling plan description = Empty (No text will show up on your product pages)
Shipping Date = No set (No impact, order status will be Unfulfilled)
Billing Policy = Full amount (You will charge your customers 100% of the product price when they place the order)
Selling Plan Option (Optional - will only show up if partial payment is enabled for the selling plan) = Empty because 4 Billing Policy is full payment
Discount = No discount set (The customer will be charged the full product price set in Shopify)
Inventory Policy = On sale (product inventory subtracted when order is placed)
Once you hit the Save button on the bottom right this newly created selling plan will be added to your list of selling plans in the tab Settings sub-tab Selling Plans:
If you want to change it later, tap the pencil icon, which will take you to the edit screen.
Once you finish the changes you want to make, tap the Save Selling Plan button at the bottom right corner.
Please remember that any changes you make to a selling plan will have no impact on previously placed orders and will only apply to future customer orders.
Otherwise, you can create a new selling plan in the Settings tab under the Selling Plans.
Tap the New Selling Plan button on the top right corner of the screen.
You will be prompted to give a name for your selling plan, which must be unique.
Once you have entered your preferred name, tap the Create Selling Plan button on the bottom right of the pop-up.
In the next screen, you will see all the settings options at your disposal, some with their sub-options. Here is the full list:
Selling plan name
This text will show in the cart, during checkout, and in the confirmation email sent by Shopify when the order is placed. A good use for it can be information about the shipping date. It is mandatory to use as per Shopify's requirements for selling plans.
Selling plan description
This text will show up on your product pages. It is not mandatory to use but can be a useful addition to relay information about discounts or the shipping date for the product.
Shipping Date
Gives you the option to enter a date at which the item will be dispatched to the customer.
Options (only one can be selected per selling plan):
3.1. No set
No shipping date will be set with this option, and the status of the order will be Unfulfilled in Shopify.
3.2. Date
This option will schedule the order for the specific date you've selected. The order will have the status Scheduled in Shopify.
3.3. Period
This option allows you to calculate a shipping date dynamically. For example, you can set it to calculate 2 weeks from the current date if you know that to be your usual production time for a made-to-order product.
3.3.1. Period value
Defines the number of periods of the kind selected as the period type. For example, 5 can be days, weeks, or months, depending on the next selection.
3.3.2. Period type
Defines the unit of measurement for a time, like days, weeks, and months.
3.4. Interval
Similar to the Period only this option allows you to set both a starting and ending date to create a range.
3.4.1. Start - Period Value
Defines the number of periods of the kind selected as the period type. For example, 5, can be days, weeks, or months, depending on the next selection.
3.4.2. Start - Period Type
Defines the unit of measurement for a time, like days, weeks, and months.
3.4.3. End - Period Value
Defines the number of periods of the kind selected as the period type. For example, 5 can be days, weeks, or months, depending on the next selection.
3.4.4. End - Period Type
Defines the unit of measurement for a time, like days, weeks, and months.
Billing Policy
It allows you to charge the customer upfront for the full amount, 0, or a specific fixed sum or percentage of the product price.
Options (only one can be selected per selling plan):
4.1. Full payment
Choosing this will mean you charge your customers the full amount when they place their order.
4.2. Partial payment
Choosing this option will mean charging your customer anywhere from 0 to 99% of the product price upfront, with the difference automatically calculated and charged on the date in the future that you have selected in the next steps.
4.2.1. Upfront payment fixed
Choose this option if you wish to charge a specific amount upfront from your customers that is less than the full product price.
4.2.2. Upfront payment %
Choose this option if you wish to charge a percentage amount upfront from your customers that is less than 100% of the product price.
4.2.3. Final payment Date
Select the date when customers will be charged the remaining balance (meaning the Full price - Upfront payment).
4.2.4. Final payment Time after Checkout
Select this option if you wish for the date for charging the remaining balance to be calculated dynamically (i.e. 2 weeks from placing the order).
4.2.4.1. Period Value
Defines the number of periods of the kind selected as the period type. For example, 5, can be days, weeks, or months, depending on the following selection.
4.2.4.2 Period Type
Defines the unit of measurement for a time, like days, weeks, and months.
Selling Plan Option (Optional - will only show up if partial payment is enabled for the selling plan)
This text will appear on your product pages, and it is best used to explain the option like "Partial payment: 50% deposit".
Discount
This is the amount you are giving to your customers.
Options (only one can be selected per selling plan):
6.1. Fixed amount like $5 off
6.2 % off like -10% off
The discount is shown and applied at checkout (this is how Shopify has it set up on their system). Consider adding some info in the Selling Plan Description about the discount and where it is applied, for example, so that customers are also aware of this when browsing the product page.
Inventory Policy
The inventory policy determines when Shopify subtracts the number of items sold through a preorder order with the current selling plan attached.
Options (only one can be selected per selling plan):
7.1. On sale - With this option, the inventory is subtracted when the customer places the order
7.2 On Fulfillment - With this option, the inventory is subtracted when you fulfill the order
Remember, if you need another selling plan with common settings with another selling plan you have created before, instead of starting from scratch, you can duplicate the existing selling plan and edit the specific fields you want to have different values from the original. See the screenshot below:
For those of you who wish to avoid setting anything in the selling plan, here are the defaults the app will add for you.
Selling plan name = "Preorder item delivers as soon as available." (This is what will show in the cart, during checkout, and in the confirmation email sent by Shopify when the order is placed)
Selling plan description = Empty (No text will show up on your product pages)
Shipping Date = No set (No impact, order status will be Unfulfilled)
Billing Policy = Full amount (You will charge your customers 100% of the product price when they place the order)
Selling Plan Option (Optional - will only show up if partial payment is enabled for the selling plan) = Empty because 4 Billing Policy is full payment
Discount = No discount set (The customer will be charged the full product price set in Shopify)
Inventory Policy = On sale (product inventory subtracted when order is placed)
Once you hit the Save button on the bottom right this newly created selling plan will be added to your list of selling plans in the tab Settings sub-tab Selling Plans:
If you want to change it later, tap the pencil icon, which will take you to the edit screen.
Once you finish the changes you want to make, tap the Save Selling Plan button at the bottom right corner.
Please remember that any changes you make to a selling plan will have no impact on previously placed orders and will only apply to future customer orders.
Updated on: 11/24/2024
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