How to Add “Made to Order” on Shopify?

E-commerce isn’t just about selling ready-to-ship products anymore — it’s about offering experiences that feel personalized and exclusive. One trend that’s becoming increasingly popular among online merchants is “Made to Order” (MTO) products.

Whether you’re a jewelry designer customizing pieces, a furniture maker crafting to fit, or a print-on-demand business creating items only when ordered, made-to-order helps reduce inventory waste, optimize production, and give customers exactly what they want.

If you’re wondering how to add “Made to Order” products on Shopify, this guide walks you through everything — from setup and product configuration to automation, fulfillment, and communication strategies.

What Does “Made to Order” Mean on Shopify?

“Made to Order” means a product isn’t stocked or ready for immediate shipment — it’s created only after a customer places an order.

Unlike standard Shopify products that are fulfilled immediately, made-to-order items often require:

• Customization (e.g., engraving, color, material choices)
• Longer processing or production times
• Manual confirmation or automation workflows before fulfillment

In short, customers pay upfront, and you begin production after receiving the order.

Shopify supports this model beautifully with flexible product settings, fulfillment tools, and third-party apps that make managing MTO products simple and transparent.

Shopify Partners can leverage Shopify’s flexible product settings, fulfillment tools, and third-party apps to manage made-to-order products efficiently and transparently.

Why Offer Made-to-Order Products on Shopify?

Before diving into setup, it’s important to understand why this model can benefit your business:

1. Lower Inventory Costs
Since you only produce items after they’re ordered, you don’t need to keep large stock. This reduces inventory costs and risk.

2. Eco-Friendly and Sustainable
Made-to-order means less waste and overproduction — something today’s environmentally conscious customers value.

3. Personalized Shopping Experience
It allows for unique customization, making each order special. Personalization drives engagement and repeat customers.

4. Higher Perceived Value
When customers know something is handcrafted or tailored just for them, they’re often willing to pay more.

5. Better Production Planning
With clear demand data, you can manage resources and production timelines more efficiently.

Step-by-Step: How to Add “Made to Order” Products on Shopify

Now, let’s walk through the setup process.

Step 1: Create Your Product in Shopify
Log in to your Shopify Admin.
Go to Products → Add Product.
Enter the product title, description, and images.

Be sure to clearly describe that this product is Made to Order.
Example: “Each item is handcrafted and will be ready within 10 business days.”

Add pricing, SKU, and variants (like color, size, or material).

Pro Tip:
If you’re using multiple customization options, you can use Shopify’s Product Variants or an app like Infinite Options or Bold Product Options to manage custom fields.

Step 2: Disable Inventory Tracking (Optional)
Since you’re not stocking this product, you might not want Shopify to track inventory levels.
In the product editor, scroll to the Inventory section.
Uncheck Track Quantity.
If you prefer to keep limited slots (e.g., “10 made-to-order pieces per month”), keep tracking enabled but manage manually.
This ensures customers can still order even if the item isn’t in physical stock.
Looking for Shopify Experts for guidance? Contact us today!

Step 3: Add Customization Options (If Applicable)
Made-to-order often means customization. You can allow customers to input:
Text for engraving
Color or size preferences
Image uploads for personalized designs

You can do this using:

• Shopify’s Built-in Variants: Best for simple options (color, size).
• Custom Fields Apps: For advanced options, install an app like:
• Infinite Options
• Product Personalizer
• Bold Product Options

These apps let customers select or enter preferences that appear on the order details page, so your team knows exactly what to create.

Step 4: Adjust Fulfillment Settings
Since fulfillment will take longer, update your settings accordingly.
In the Shipping & Delivery section, adjust the Processing Time.
Include clear notes like:
“Production time: 7–10 business days before shipping.”
If using third-party fulfillment (e.g., print-on-demand), integrate that app — such as Printful or Gelato — which can handle MTO workflows automatically.
Transparency is key here — it builds trust and prevents refund requests.

Step 5: Communicate Lead Time and Process
Customers should always know what to expect. Add clear communication at:
Product Description: Explain that the product is made after ordering and include the timeline.
Shipping Policy Page: Add a section about MTO timelines.
Order Confirmation Email: Use Shopify’s Email Templates to include a note like:

“Thank you for your order! Your made-to-order item will be crafted and shipped within 10–14 business days.”
You can customize this under Settings → Notifications → Order Confirmation.

Step 6: Tag and Organize Made-to-Order Products
Tagging helps you organize products and automate workflows.
In your product editor, add a tag like made-to-order or custom.
You can then create a Collection for all MTO products.
Go to Products → Collections → Create Collection.
Use automated conditions: Product tag is equal to made-to-order.
This makes it easy for customers to browse your made-to-order catalog.

Step 7: Automate Notifications or Workflows
You can automate communication or fulfillment steps using:
Shopify Flow (for Shopify Plus merchants): Automatically send notifications to your production team when an MTO order is placed.
Zapier / Make (Integromat): Connect Shopify to tools like Google Sheets, Trello, or Slack for order tracking.
For example:
When an order tagged “made-to-order” comes in → send a Slack message to your production team.

Step 8: Manage Fulfillment and Delivery
Once your made-to-order item is ready:
Go to Orders → Fulfill Items.
Add the tracking number if applicable.
Send the fulfillment confirmation to the customer.
You can also use Shopify’s Order Timeline feature to leave notes for internal communication, like “Production started” or “Sent to packaging.”
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How to Optimize Your Made-to-Order Page for SEO

If you’re offering made-to-order products, SEO plays a huge role in discoverability.

1. Use Intent-Focused Keywords
Example:
“Custom-made jewelry in California”
“Made-to-order furniture online”
“Personalized handmade gifts USA”

2. Add FAQs to Your Product Page
Include common questions like:
“How long does production take?”
“Can I cancel a made-to-order item?”
“Can I customize my product?”
These help improve user experience and rank for long-tail queries.

3. Show Social Proof
Add customer reviews or testimonials to show quality and reliability.

4. Leverage Schema Markup
Use Product Schema to help Google understand your product details like price, stock, and customization options.

Tips for Managing Customer Expectations

Set clear production timelines. Don’t promise 5 days if it takes 10.
Offer regular updates. Consider an automated “Your order is being made!” email.
Allow minor flexibility. Offer optional expedited production for an extra charge.
Show behind-the-scenes content. Customers love to see how their product is being created — it builds trust.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not Highlighting Processing Time Clearly
→ Leads to confusion and refunds.

Using the Same Settings as Ready-to-Ship Products
→ Causes fulfillment errors.

Ignoring SEO for MTO Products
→ Makes your offerings harder to find online.

Overcomplicating Customization
→ Too many options can overwhelm users; keep it simple.

Conclusion

“Made to Order” isn’t just a sales model — it’s a way to build deeper customer relationships through personalization, craftsmanship, and trust. Shopify makes it easy to manage this model with the right setup, apps, and automation.

At Aron Web Solutions, we help businesses create seamless made-to-order workflows on Shopify, ensuring every step — from customization options to fulfillment — is smooth and efficient.