How To Make Woocommerce Items Coming Soon

How to Make WooCommerce Items “Coming Soon”: Build Anticipation and Drive Sales!

So, you’re launching a new product in your WooCommerce store? Fantastic! But what if you want to tease it before it’s actually available? That’s where the “Coming Soon” strategy comes in. It’s a fantastic way to build hype, collect email addresses, and even gauge interest before you officially launch. This guide will walk you through how to make your WooCommerce items appear as “Coming Soon,” even if you’re a complete beginner.

Why Use “Coming Soon” in WooCommerce?

Think of it like this: imagine your favorite band announcing a new album months in advance. They release snippets, artwork, and build a whole campaign around the anticipation. You get excited, right? That’s the same effect you want to create for your WooCommerce products.

Here’s why making your products “Coming Soon” is a smart move:

Generate Buzz: It creates a sense of exclusivity and excitement. People are naturally curious about things they can’t immediately have.
Collect Email Addresses: Offer a notification when the product launches. This grows your email list and provides a direct line to potential customers. Think of it as a VIP list for your product launch.
Gauge Demand: By tracking sign-ups and interest, you can estimate demand and adjust your inventory accordingly. Imagine you’re launching a new line of vegan leather handbags. Seeing hundreds of sign-ups for launch notifications tells you you’re on to something!
Improve SEO: Having a dedicated page for the upcoming product allows Google to start indexing it, potentially giving you a head start in search results.
Prevent Disappointment: Let’s say you have a product page prepared, but fulfillment is delayed. Putting a “Coming Soon” label prevents customers from trying to order and being disappointed when they can’t.

Methods for Marking WooCommerce Products as “Coming Soon”

There are a few ways to achieve the “Coming Soon” effect in WooCommerce, ranging from simple plugins to custom code solutions. We’ll cover the easiest and most newbie-friendly option first.

#### 1. Using a “Coming Soon” Plugin (Recommended for Beginners)

The easiest and most flexible approach is to use a dedicated “Coming Soon” or “Maintenance Mode” plugin. These plugins often offer additional features beyond just hiding the product, like email capture forms and countdown timers.

Here’s how to use a plugin like “SeedProd Coming Soon Page, Maintenance Mode & Landing Pages”:

1. Install and Activate: Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard, search for “SeedProd,” and install and activate the plugin.

2. Enable Coming Soon Mode: Navigate to the SeedProd settings. You’ll usually find it in the left-hand menu. Activate “Coming Soon Mode.” This will put your *entire* site into coming soon mode, which we’ll fix in the next step.

3. Create or Select a Coming Soon Page: The plugin will likely offer a default template or allow you to design your own using a drag-and-drop builder. Include:

Product Image (Optional): A sneak peek of your upcoming product.
Short Description: Briefly explain what the product is and why people will love it.
Email Capture Form: The *most important* part! Use a service like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or your preferred email marketing provider to collect email addresses. Offer an incentive like a discount code or early access for those who sign up.
Estimated Launch Date: Even a vague estimate (“Coming in November”) helps set expectations.
Social Media Links: Let people follow you for updates.
Countdown Timer (Optional): Adds a sense of urgency.

4. Target the “Coming Soon” Page: This is where you get specific. SeedProd (and many similar plugins) will allow you to define *which* pages the “Coming Soon” page is displayed for. You want to only display the “Coming Soon” page for your specific product(s). Here’s the crucial part:

Use Conditional Logic: Look for options to target the “Coming Soon” page based on URL. For example, if your product’s URL is `https://yourstore.com/product/awesome-widget/`, you would configure SeedProd (or your chosen plugin) to ONLY show the “Coming Soon” page when someone visits that specific URL. This prevents your *entire* site from being in Coming Soon mode, allowing people to browse your other products. SeedProd calls this setting “Page Settings -> Access Control -> Include/Exclude URLs”.

5. Set the Product to “Out of Stock”: In WooCommerce, edit the product you want to mark as “Coming Soon.” Go to the “Inventory” tab and set “Stock status” to “Out of Stock.” This prevents people from adding it to their cart.

6. Customize the “Out of Stock” Message (Optional): You can change the default “Out of Stock” message to something like “Coming Soon! Sign up to be notified when it’s available.” We’ll cover how to do this in the next section.

#### 2. Using Custom Code (For More Advanced Users)

If you’re comfortable with code, you can modify your theme’s `functions.php` file or create a custom plugin. Important: Always back up your website before making any code changes!

a. Changing the “Out of Stock” Message:

This code snippet changes the default “Out of Stock” message on product pages.

 add_filter( 'woocommerce_get_availability', 'wcs_custom_get_availability', 1, 2); function wcs_custom_get_availability( $availability, $_product ) {

if ( $_product->is_in_stock() ) {

$availability[‘availability’] = __(‘In Stock’, ‘woocommerce’);

} else {

$availability[‘availability’] = __(‘Coming Soon! Sign up below to be notified when it is available.’, ‘woocommerce’);

}

return $availability;

}

Explanation:

`add_filter(‘woocommerce_get_availability’, …)`: This line hooks into the WooCommerce filter that determines the product’s availability message.
`wcs_custom_get_availability($availability, $_product)`: This is the function that will modify the message.
`$_product->is_in_stock()`: Checks if the product is currently in stock.
`__(‘Coming Soon! Sign up below to be notified when it is available.’, ‘woocommerce’)`: This is the custom message that will be displayed when the product is out of stock. Replace this with your desired text.

How to Use It:

1. Open your theme’s `functions.php` file (Appearance > Theme Editor) or create a custom plugin. Remember to back up your website first!

2. Paste the code at the end of the file.

3. Modify the message as needed.

4. Save the file.

b. Hiding the “Add to Cart” Button:

This code snippet removes the “Add to Cart” button for out-of-stock products.

 add_filter( 'woocommerce_is_purchasable', 'filter_woocommerce_is_purchasable', 10, 2 );

function filter_woocommerce_is_purchasable( $is_purchasable, $product ) {

if ( ! $product->is_in_stock() ) {

$is_purchasable = false;

}

return $is_purchasable;

}

Explanation:

`add_filter(‘woocommerce_is_purchasable’, …)`: This hooks into the WooCommerce filter that determines if a product is purchasable.
`filter_woocommerce_is_purchasable($is_purchasable, $product)`: This is the function that will modify the purchasability status.
`! $product->is_in_stock()`: Checks if the product is *not* in stock.
`$is_purchasable = false;`: Sets the product to not purchasable, which removes the “Add to Cart” button.

How to Use It:

1. Open your theme’s `functions.php` file (Appearance > Theme Editor) or create a custom plugin. Remember to back up your website first!

2. Paste the code at the end of the file.

3. Save the file.

Important Note about Code: These code snippets are basic examples. You may need to adjust them based on your theme’s structure and desired functionality. Consider hiring a developer if you’re not comfortable with code. Also, be aware that theme updates can overwrite changes you make directly to `functions.php`. Using a child theme or a custom plugin is the best practice for long-term code modifications.

Optimizing Your “Coming Soon” Product Page

No matter which method you choose, here are some tips to make your “Coming Soon” page even more effective:

High-Quality Images/Videos: Showcase the product in the best possible light. Use professional-looking visuals.
Compelling Copywriting: Write a description that highlights the benefits of the product and why people should be excited about it. Use strong verbs and evocative language.
Clear Call to Action (CTA): Make it easy for people to sign up for notifications. Use a button with clear, actionable text like “Notify Me When Available” or “Get Early Access.”
Mobile Optimization: Ensure your “Coming Soon” page looks great on all devices.
Test and Iterate: Track your sign-up rate and make adjustments to your page as needed. Experiment with different headlines, images, and copy to see what works Explore this article on Woocommerce How To Change The Shipping Adjustment best.

Example Scenario

Let’s say you’re launching a new line of organic dog treats.

Coming Soon Page: Display a mouth-watering image of the treats. The headline could be: “Healthy & Delicious Organic Dog Treats – Coming Soon!”. The description highlights the health benefits and uses words like “all-natural,” “grain-free,” and “wholesome.” The call to action is “Sign Up for 15% Off Your First Order!” and directs to a Mailchimp signup form.
Product Page: Set the product to “Out of Stock” in WooCommerce.
Custom Code (Optional): Implement the code snippet to change the “Out of Stock” message to “Coming Soon! Be the first to know when these treats are available and get 15% off!”
Targeting (with SeedProd): The SeedProd plugin is configured so the “Coming Soon” page ONLY shows up when someone visits the specific URL of the dog treat product page, like `https://yourdogtreatstore.com/product/organic-peanut-butter-treats/`. The rest Explore this article on How To Set Up Payment Woocommerce of the site is still fully functional.

Conclusion

Making your WooCommerce items “Coming Soon” is a powerful strategy for building anticipation, generating leads, and driving sales. By following these steps and optimizing your “Coming Soon” page, you can create a successful product launch and connect with your target audience. Remember to choose the method that best suits your technical skills and needs, and always back up your website before making any changes! Good luck!