---
title: "Timesact pre-order: where it fits a UK Shopify shop"
description: "Timesact earns its fee when your checkout needs deposits or split payments. For a simple pre-order label, Shopify's native purchase options suffice free."
date: 2026-09-14
lastUpdated: 2026-09-14
author: "Daniel Whitmore"
url: https://storeguides.uk/recommended-apps/timesact-where-it-fits-shopify-uk/
app: "Timesact Preorder"
appStoreListing: https://apps.shopify.com/timesact-discount-pre-order
site: "Store Guides UK (storeguides.uk)"
language: en
---

# Timesact pre-order: where it fits a UK Shopify shop

> **The short answer:** Timesact earns its subscription for a UK Shopify shop when the checkout must take deposits or split payments, or when individual variants need different pre-order states. If a sold-out item merely has to read "Pre-order" instead of "Sold Out", Shopify's native purchase options handle that at no extra cost. On the app's [Shopify App Store listing](https://apps.shopify.com/timesact-discount-pre-order), checked on 1 September 2026, the free plan covers 20 orders a month with unlimited email capture. Paid tiers start at $5 a month plus $0.20 per order on CORE Flex, rising to $7 on PRO Flex. The real fit decision turns on five UK specifics: gateway behaviour for deposits, VAT on partial payments, refund rights you cannot contract out of, GDPR on captured emails, and multi-currency pricing in GBP.

Most merchants weighing a pre-order app have already got their shop running. If you haven't, our [Setting up a Shopify shop in the UK: the full guide](https://storeguides.uk/shopify-uk-setup-guide/) covers the foundation. This article assumes you're past that point.

The question isn't whether Timesact works. It does. The question is whether your shop needs what it adds beyond Shopify's built-in tools, and what the UK-specific consequences of that choice are. [What is Shopify, and how does it work in the UK?](https://storeguides.uk/what-is-shopify-uk/) frames the platform side if you need it.

## Table of contents

- [Native Shopify pre-orders vs Timesact: where the line falls](#native-shopify-pre-orders-vs-timesact-where-the-line-falls)
- [Which UK payment gateways accept pre-order deposits](#which-uk-payment-gateways-accept-pre-order-deposits)
- [VAT on pre-order deposits: when the tax point falls](#vat-on-pre-order-deposits-when-the-tax-point-falls)
- [Refunding a pre-order deposit: your obligation under the CCRs](#refunding-a-pre-order-deposit-your-obligation-under-the-ccrs)
- [Back-in-stock emails and GDPR: who holds the data](#back-in-stock-emails-and-gdpr-who-holds-the-data)
- [GBP, Markets and multi-currency: pre-orders across borders](#gbp-markets-and-multi-currency-pre-orders-across-borders)
- [Small-print settings that change the experience](#small-print-settings-that-change-the-experience)
- [Frequently asked questions](#frequently-asked-questions)
- [Sources](#sources)

## Native Shopify pre-orders vs Timesact: where the line falls
Pre-orders let customers buy items before they're available and receive them later. That's the basic definition. The question is which tool should handle it.

Shopify's native purchase options, built on the Selling Plan system, let you mark a product as available for pre-order without any app. A customer checks out normally. The order sits in your admin tagged as a pre-order. No deposit, no split payment, no per-variant logic, according to [Shopify's purchase-options documentation](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/products/purchase-options) checked on 1 September 2026.

Timesact adds three things Shopify doesn't. Deposits and split payments at checkout. Per-variant pre-order states, so a size 10 can be on pre-order while size 12 stays buyable. And back-in-stock email capture. The free plan covers 20 orders a month with unlimited emails. CORE Flex starts from $5 a month plus $0.20 per order. It adds deposits, split payments, badges and mixed-cart handling, according to the [app's listing on the Shopify App Store](https://apps.shopify.com/timesact-discount-pre-order) checked on 1 September 2026. PRO Flex starts at $7. Higher tiers appear in-app. All prices are in USD, billed through Shopify on a 30-day cycle. The pricing page states no transaction fees on sales.

| Feature | Native Shopify purchase options | Timesact |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Included in your Shopify plan | Free (20 orders/mo); CORE Flex from $5 + $0.20/order; PRO Flex from $7 |
| Per-variant pre-order control | Limited; applies at product level | Each variant gets its own state |
| Deposit and split payments | Not supported | Partial payment at checkout, balance later |
| Back-in-stock email capture | Requires a separate app | Included on all plans |
| Mixed-cart handling | No native warning | Alert, or block checkout, per your setting |

For a UK shop where the only need is swapping "Sold Out" for "Pre-order" on a handful of products, native purchase options are the right call. The app fee adds nothing there. The picture flips the moment deposits enter it: Shopify's checkout has no native way to take a partial payment and schedule the balance. Per-variant switching matters for apparel and footwear, where one size sells out before the rest.

**Compare tiers against today's listing:** [Timesact Preorder](https://platform.shoffi.app/r/rl_WREcZrJr) — The $5 CORE and $7 PRO figures here come from the App Store listing checked on 1 September 2026. *(affiliate link to the app developer)*

When to skip Timesact entirely: if your products don't need deposits or individual pre-order states for variants, and you're not collecting back-in-stock emails. The free plan buys you convenience but nothing Shopify can't already do. The [Shopify Payments in the UK: fees and setup](https://storeguides.uk/shopify-payments-uk/) guide covers the checkout side you'd be using either way.

**Suggested decision checklist:**

1. Do you need to take a deposit at checkout? If no, start with native purchase options.
2. Do different variants of the same product need different pre-order states? If yes, Timesact.
3. Do you need back-in-stock email capture without adding another app? If yes, the free plan.
4. Are you selling pre-orders across multiple currencies? Check the Markets section below first.

## Which UK payment gateways accept pre-order deposits
Deposits run through Shopify Checkout, not a separate payment page. So the real question isn't whether Timesact supports your gateway. It's whether your gateway processes a partial charge as an ordinary transaction.

Shopify Payments handles this without issue. A deposit is simply a charge for a smaller amount. The balance, when captured later, is another transaction.

Third-party gateways present a different problem. Shopify's documentation states that express checkout methods, local payment methods, and POS or draft orders do not support pre-orders. That rules out some UK-relevant options: Apple Pay and Google Pay express buttons won't surface a deposit option, and in-store draft orders bypass online purchase options entirely.

The practical rule: if your gateway clears standard online card payments through Shopify Checkout, it clears deposits too. If it relies on an express or off-site flow, it won't.

## VAT on pre-order deposits: when the tax point falls
This is the part the vendor pages skip. A deposit is a payment received before supply. Under UK VAT rules, that creates a tax point.

When a customer pays a deposit, VAT is due on that amount at the date of payment. The balance attracts VAT when it's charged, on completion or dispatch. If the standard rate changes between the two payments, each payment carries the rate in force on its own tax point. That's not a Timesact problem. It's a UK tax rule that applies regardless of which tool took the deposit.

[What does Shopify cost per month in the UK?](https://storeguides.uk/shopify-cost-per-month-uk/) covers platform fees. The VAT treatment of deposits is separate. Timesact's subscription is billed in USD through Shopify, so the invoice arrives in dollars and your VAT recovery follows the reverse-charge rules for digital services from outside the UK.

A deposit the customer later forfeits, by cancelling outside the cooling-off period, remains a payment for VAT purposes. The tax point already passed. You account for the VAT and keep the net amount.

[VAT on a Shopify shop: a UK guide](https://storeguides.uk/vat-shopify-uk/) covers registration thresholds and the £90,000 taxable turnover limit. The deposit question is one to put to your accountant with the specific figures, not something an app can resolve. This is a description of the rules, not tax advice.

## Refunding a pre-order deposit: your obligation under the CCRs
The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 give consumers a right to cancel a distance contract. For pre-orders, the 14-day cooling-off period runs from delivery, not from the date of payment.

A customer who pays a deposit in January and receives the goods in March has until mid-March to cancel. You must refund the deposit in full. You cannot contract out of this right.

Before the contract is made, the regulations require specific information, including the total price and delivery arrangements. For a pre-order, that means stating the expected delivery date or period before the customer pays the deposit. Timesact's shipping-expectation setting handles the storefront side. The legal obligation is yours.

You cannot keep the deposit as an admin fee or restocking charge. The only exception covers personalised goods or goods liable to deteriorate rapidly. Standard stock items don't qualify.

If the customer cancels before delivery, refund the deposit. If they cancel after delivery, refund the full amount including any balance paid. The customer bears return postage unless you failed to inform them of that obligation before the contract was made. This is a plain description of the rules, not legal advice for your specific case.

## Back-in-stock emails and GDPR: who holds the data
Timesact captures email addresses when a customer signs up for a back-in-stock alert. Under UK GDPR, your shop is the data controller. Timesact is the processor. You're responsible for consent, retention and deletion, even though the app stores the addresses.

Consent must be explicit. A checkbox the customer ticks to receive a restock notification meets the standard. A pre-ticked box does not. If you pipe captured emails into Klaviyo for marketing flows, the consent for a restock alert doesn't automatically extend to marketing. You need separate consent or a clear soft opt-in the customer understands.

Timesact integrates with Klaviyo and Shopify Flow, so the handoff is technically straightforward. The compliance question is whether the customer agreed to receive marketing, not just a one-off restock email. If they didn't, the marketing flow is unlawful.

Delete the data when it's served its purpose. A back-in-stock email that's been sent has no reason to retain the address indefinitely, unless the customer agreed to marketing.

## GBP, Markets and multi-currency: pre-orders across borders
Shopify Markets converts prices at checkout. Timesact's per-market targeting decides which countries see the pre-order option at all. The two systems work together, but the interaction has edges.

Percentage deposits convert cleanly. A 20% deposit on a £50 item is £10 in GBP and the equivalent in euros at the checkout rate. Fixed-amount deposits do not. A £10 fixed deposit becomes a different euro or dollar amount depending on the rate, and rounding differences can leave the balance calculation off by a few pence.

If you sell pre-orders into the EU, customs and VAT rules apply separately. From 1 July 2026, the EU applies a temporary flat customs duty on low-value consignments imported from outside the EU. The [European Commission's Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union](https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/news/guidance-and-legal-text-temporary-flat-fee-low-value-imports-which-will-apply-until-1-july-2028-2026-06-08_en) runs it until 1 July 2028.

Since 1 July 2021, EU distance sales use a single €10,000 EU-wide VAT threshold. The previous €22 import VAT exemption was removed, so all goods imported into the EU are subject to VAT. The Import One Stop Shop simplifies VAT for imported goods not exceeding €150, and registering with it cuts VAT red tape by up to 95%, the [Commission](https://vat-one-stop-shop.ec.europa.eu/index_en) states.

None of this is Timesact's responsibility. It's yours as the seller, and it applies whether you use native pre-orders or the app.

## Small-print settings that change the experience
Pre-order badges and messages shape how the launch reads on the storefront. Timesact's help centre documents that collection pages take the same button, message and badge settings as the product page, so the pre-order state shows before the click.

Mixed carts deserve attention. Shopify treats a cart with both pre-order and in-stock items as one order and applies the earliest shipping date to every item. Timesact's help centre describes two settings: an informational alert before checkout, or Block checkout, which stops the order while the cart holds mixed items and is enforced for Shop Pay, Apple Pay and Google Pay too. The app cannot split one cart into two orders. To tell mixed orders apart afterwards, Timesact adds a Partial Pre-order tag on top of Pre-order.

Quantity limits cap pre-order units per variant, so a limited production run doesn't exceed what you can fulfil. The countdown timer builds urgency around a launch or restock date. Both are configurable per product.

Shopify platform limitations apply regardless of the app. Custom checkouts, express checkout buttons, local payment methods, POS and draft orders, and non-Online Store channels don't support pre-orders. Pre-order items can't be mixed with subscriptions or try-before-you-buy in the same checkout.

Coming Soon replaces the buy button with a non-clickable teaser before launch. Low-stock messages add urgency while the product stays buyable. Setup requires no theme code editing: Timesact uses Shopify's App Embed block and reverts cleanly when uninstalled. Products can be added in bulk by specific products, collections, CSV upload or tags. Storefront text can be translated via Shopify Translate & Adapt.

## Frequently asked questions
### Can I run Timesact pre-orders in GBP with Shopify Markets?

Yes, but fixed-amount deposits don't convert cleanly across currencies. A £10 deposit becomes a different euro or dollar amount at the checkout rate, and rounding can leave the balance slightly off. Percentage deposits convert without this problem, so prefer them when selling internationally.

### Does Timesact charge transaction fees on pre-order sales?

No. Its pricing page states no transaction fees and no percentage of sales. You pay the subscription plus, on CORE Flex, the $0.20 per-order charge above the included volume. Shopify's own payment processing fees still apply on top.

### Can a customer cancel a pre-order and get their deposit back?

Yes. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, the 14-day cooling-off period runs from delivery, not from the deposit payment. You must refund the deposit in full and cannot keep it as an admin fee, even if the customer cancels weeks after paying.

### Does Timesact work with Shopify POS or draft orders?

No. Pre-orders through Timesact require the Online Store channel and Shopify Checkout. POS, draft orders, custom checkouts and express checkout buttons don't support the purchase options that power pre-orders, so those sales channels bypass the feature entirely.

## Sources
1. Shopify App Store, "Timesact: Pre-order, Discount, Back in Stock". https://apps.shopify.com/timesact-discount-pre-order — checked on 1 September 2026
2. Shopify Help Center, "Purchase options (pre-orders, subscriptions, try-before-you-buy)". https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/products/purchase-options — checked on 1 September 2026
3. Timesact, "Pricing". https://timesact.com/pricing/ — checked on 1 September 2026
4. Timesact Help Center, "Pre-order limitations". https://help.timesact.com/en-us/article/shopify-pre-order-limitations-3cl1yx/ — checked on 1 September 2026
5. European Commission, DG TAXUD, "Guidance and legal text on temporary flat fee on low-value imports which will apply until 1 July 2028". https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/news/guidance-and-legal-text-temporary-flat-fee-low-value-imports-which-will-apply-until-1-july-2028-2026-06-08_en — checked on 1 September 2026
6. European Commission, "VAT e-Commerce — One Stop Shop". https://vat-one-stop-shop.ec.europa.eu/index_en — checked on 1 September 2026