> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.shopwaive.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.shopwaive.com/shopify/crowdfunding-and-pre-orders.md).

# Crowdfunding and Pre-Orders

Issue gift cards or pre-paid Shopwaive credit in the amount of the pledge or pre-order to facilitate checkout on your launch site

{% hint style="info" %}
**Tip:** Need help with pre-orders or migrating crowdfunding pledges and customers onto your launch site? Use this guide to get started and if you need additional help or have questions contact us at <support@shopwaive.com>
{% endhint %}

<div align="center" data-full-width="false"><figure><img src="https://1743155819-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F6HSAZj4RDucpQwVtzMYt%2Fuploads%2FgtVxZLSb2iW8kFXDeVGq%2FKickstarter-logo.png?alt=media&amp;token=7b3ce758-a920-4272-9021-2f0541ddded4" alt="" width="188"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

<figure><img src="https://1743155819-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F6HSAZj4RDucpQwVtzMYt%2Fuploads%2FGr7ykxIajuet7PlbeeVe%2F60226fd81e4b71000448afe2.png?alt=media&amp;token=9db15c1e-5906-461f-9586-f7f10ce34ee0" alt="" width="188"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

<div align="center"><figure><img src="https://1743155819-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F6HSAZj4RDucpQwVtzMYt%2Fuploads%2FhPu25O6bRdqRgPgqFbgY%2F6021953142adc50004f0aa73%20(1).png?alt=media&amp;token=66a58e12-7d91-4922-9a26-5726fb20063a" alt="" width="188"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

## Problem

New creative business ideas and humanitarian causes can find great success with crowdfunding platforms to fundraise as a global audience is captivated by pitching in to help and pledge support. Often, pre-orders are placed on a platform other than a company's launch site or website builder platform (i.e. Shopify).

However, it is advantageous to categorize these new supporters, pledges, and pre-orders as effectively new paying customers that belong within your Shopify, ERP, CRM or other website framework for order processing including fulfillment and shipping, marketing, business analytics, and more. But, the paying customer has already pre-paid for their order and you need to somehow migrate the pre-order into Shopify. Discount codes are not an ideal solution since creating them to waive all costs plus the potential to combine them with other discounts is a laborious task. The thought of manually creating these orders one-by-one is nothing short of nightmare with many late nights drinking red bull and burning the midnight oil when you know there has to be a way to do this *faster* and more efficiently so you can focus on higher value work.

## Shopwaive solutions

Enter into the scene, and introducing Shopwaive. Let us help you do this in just a few short minutes following the steps outline below

## Option #1: Give native Shopify store credit

Brands can use Shopwaive to issue [native Shopify store credit](https://www.shopify.com/blog/store-credit) in bulk. In the Shopwaive app open <mark style="color:blue;">**Customers**</mark> and click <mark style="color:blue;">**Import**</mark>. Under **Choose an import target** select **Shopify's Store Credit Primitive and API**. Shopify's native store credit requires new customer accounts. The import handles 5,000 rows at a time: split a larger list into files of 5,000 rows or fewer. Need help? Contact our team at <support@shopwaive.com>, we're happy to serve you.

## Option #2: Give Gift cards for Preorders

Gift cards are ideal for preorders, Backorders and Crowdfunding pledges. Gift cards can be used to waive the cost of all cart and checkout line items, including merchandise costs, shipping, taxes and fees. Shopify Plus merchants should opt to Bulk create [Gift Cards](/shopify/gift-cards.md) for preorders or Crowdfunding Pledges when you need to zero out your customers balance due at checkout for a seamless experience. Create them on the <mark style="color:blue;">**Gift cards**</mark> page of the Shopwaive app with <mark style="color:blue;">**Import**</mark> and the CSV template. [Gift Cards](/shopify/gift-cards.md) has the steps, the limit per import and the ways to email a code.

If you wish to not send gift cards via email, but instead would like a credit balance to apply toward the full cart costs including taxes, shipping, and fees, then see [Extend Credit with Gift codes](/shopify/checkout-extensions/extend-with-gift-codes.md).

{% hint style="info" %}
If [Gift cards](/shopify/gift-cards.md) cannot be used or you do not have [Shopify Plus](https://www.shopify.com/plus), follow the steps below to issue Shopwaive credit instead. [Shopwaive balances](/shopify/accounts.md) can be used in combination with [Shipping credit](/shopify/accounts/app-embed/shipping-credit.md) to waive all merchandise and shipping costs at checkout.
{% endhint %}

## Option #3: Give Shopwaive Balances for Preorders

1. Create a spreadsheet of your preorders, including the total amount paid by the customer. You may already have one handy or can export it from the preorder site
2. Next give customers credit in the amount they paid, including taxes, and other fees but excluding shipping costs. To cover the shipping cost, you'll waive the cost of shipping the preorder item by issuing a single FREE shipping credit: add a column named **Shipping** to the import file and enter **1** for each customer (the template does not include this column). Use the [bulk CSV import](/shopify/accounts/import-accounts.md) with the template provided to do this. Our [REST API](https://api.shopwaive.com/) can give the balances but not the shipping credit. If you've not installed Shopwaive yet, you'll need to do that first
3. Your customers can now log in to your site, add the prepaid items to their cart, and redeem their balance together with the free shipping credit in the Shopwaive popup: see [Shipping credit](/shopify/accounts/app-embed/shipping-credit.md). Since the credit applied is the precise prepaid amount of the preorder or crowdfunding pledge, the customer checks out without any additional payment needed and the order is created within your Shopify or other site framework.
4. If you are are using a Headless site with Shopify powering the backend processes, you can continue to use our [REST API](https://api.shopwaive.com/) to create order links to checkout with the prepaid amount waived by the credit automatically applied
5. Your new customer is now created and their order details including shipping address and fulfillment can now be accessed on the Orders page