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Pre-Orders: How They Work & When They Ship

Some Trail’s End products are offered as pre-orders to ensure they arrive in good condition. This article explains how pre-orders work, when they ship, and what to expect after placing an order.

Updated over 2 weeks ago

How do pre-orders work?

Certain products, such as chocolate items, are offered seasonally as pre-orders to prevent melting during shipping to warmer regions of the country.

When you place an order that includes one or more pre-order items:

  • Your order is accepted at checkout

  • Payment is completed at the time of purchase

  • The entire order is held and shipped together once the pre-order item becomes available

You will receive an email notification when your order ships.

You can also track your order by logging into your account and viewing your order history.


When will pre-order products be shipped?

Shipping for orders that include pre-order items is weather-dependent.

  • Shipping to northern states typically begins in early October

  • Shipping to southern states, U.S. territories, and APO/FPO addresses typically continues through late November

When your order ships, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking information.


Important things to know about pre-orders

  • Pre-order items are clearly marked on the website

  • Orders containing pre-order items will not ship until all items are available

  • In-stock items in the same order will ship together with the pre-order item

If you want in-stock items to arrive sooner, please place a separate order for those items.

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