When do preorders get charged? Store-by-store
By Britton Jewell · Last updated . Store rules checked .
Short answer: most big stores (Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy) charge your card when the item ships. Collector stores like Big Bad Toy Store and Entertainment Earth charge when the stock reaches their warehouse. A few charge when you order: McFarlane Toys Store, Super7, NECA, Funko Shop and GameStop store pickup. Crowdfunded items are only charged if the campaign funds.
Who wrote this: Britton Jewell, a collectibles reseller who runs BuyHoldCollect. We place a lot of preorders ourselves and keep track of when each one gets charged. More about us.
Quick answers
Does Amazon charge for preorders right away?
Not when Amazon sells the item itself: you're charged when the order enters the shipping process. Third-party sellers are different. Amazon says payment for their orders “processes immediately, or when the order ships.” And if a preorder is in the same order as other items, Amazon may charge the full amount five days after the order date.
When does BBTS charge for a preorder?
When the item arrives at Big Bad Toy Store's warehouse, not when you order. You then have 4 days to pay or BBTS cancels the order. Some items also need a non-refundable down payment when you order.
Which stores charge when you order?
Of the stores we checked, McFarlane Toys Store, Super7, NECA's store and GameStop orders for store pickup charge when you order, and Funko Shop charges within 24 hours. Buyers report that Mattel Creations does too, though Mattel doesn't publish it. Walmart also charges right away if you pay for a preorder with PayPal or a gift card.
Why was I charged before my preorder shipped?
Often it's an authorization hold, not a charge. Many stores place a temporary hold when you order, and some place another one shortly before release; holds drop off on their own. If the charge actually posted, the store may charge when you order, the item may have reached a collector store's warehouse, or on Amazon it may be a third-party order or part of an order with other items.
Do preorders lock in the price?
Only at some stores. Hasbro Pulse locks the price when you order, Best Buy gives you the lower of the two prices, and Amazon guarantees the lowest price only on items with the Pre-order Price Guarantee badge. Target charges the price on the day it ships, and third-party sellers on Amazon aren't covered by Amazon's guarantee.
When each store charges
Each row links to the store's own help page. Store rules change, and your order confirmation always wins over this table.
| Store | When you're charged | Details and cancelling |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon - sold by Amazon | When it ships | Price guarantee only on items with the Pre-order Price Guarantee badge. Cancel: Any time before it enters the shipping process. (Amazon - sold by Amazon help page) |
| Amazon - third-party seller | When it ships | Amazon says third-party orders may be charged right away. No price guarantee. Cancel: Depends on the seller. (Amazon - third-party seller help page) |
| Walmart | When it ships | Charged at ship or pickup. PayPal and gift-card preorders are charged at order. Cancel: Before it's processed, in Purchase history. (Walmart help page) |
| Target | When it ships | Charged when it ships or is ready for pickup, at that day's price. New hold 7 days before release. Cancel: A cancelled preorder can't be reinstated. (Target help page) |
| GameStop - ship to home | About 1 week before release | Charged about 1 week before the release date. Cancel: Until final processing. (GameStop - ship to home help page) |
| GameStop - store pickup | When you order | Online order for store pickup: charged in full when you order. Cancel: Refund to card if cancelled before pickup or within 30 days of release; gift card after. (GameStop - store pickup help page) |
| GameStop - in-store reserve | Deposit now, the rest when it ships | Deposit at the counter ($10 minimum on most items); the rest when you pick it up. Cancel: Deposit refundable to card up to 30 days after release; store credit after. (GameStop - in-store reserve help page) |
| Best Buy | When it ships | You get the lower of the two prices. Cancel: Any time before it ships. (Best Buy help page) |
| Hasbro Pulse | When it ships | Charged during fulfillment. Price is locked when you order. Cancel: While 'Cancel this item' shows in your account. (Hasbro Pulse help page) |
| Mattel Creations | When you order | Mattel doesn't publish this; buyers report being charged when they order (see the exceptions below). Cancel: Can't be changed or cancelled once submitted. (Mattel Creations help page) |
| Funko Shop | When you order | Charged within 24 hours of ordering. Cancel: Not covered on this page. (Funko Shop help page) |
| Loungefly | When it ships | Charged when the order ships. Cancel: Not stated. (Loungefly help page) |
| McFarlane Toys Store | When you order | Charged in full when you order. Cancel: Before processing or shipping. (McFarlane Toys Store help page) |
| Pokemon Center | When it ships | Hold drops after 5-7 business days; a new hold 3-5 business days before shipping. Cancel: Only before it's processed. (Pokemon Center help page) |
| Big Bad Toy Store | When stock reaches the store's warehouse | Some items need a non-refundable down payment at order. Cancel: Any time before it arrives at BBTS; any down payment is kept. (Big Bad Toy Store help page) |
| Entertainment Earth | When stock reaches the store's warehouse | Small authorization at checkout; charged when the item is in stock. Cancel: Before it's sent to the warehouse; 15% restocking fee during processing. (Entertainment Earth help page) |
| Sideshow | Deposit now, the rest when it ships | Deposit (usually 10%) at order; balance and shipping when it ships. Sideshow doesn't say when items without a deposit are charged. Cancel: Free within 24 hours; after that the deposit is kept. (Sideshow help page) |
| Hot Topic / BoxLunch | When it ships | No PayPal, Venmo or gift cards on preorders. Cancel: By phone or email. (Hot Topic / BoxLunch help page) |
| Toys R Us | When it ships | General order rule; no preorder-specific page. Cancel: Can't change or cancel after ordering; refuse the package or return it instead. (Toys R Us help page) |
| Barnes & Noble | When it ships | Authorized at order, re-authorized when stock arrives, charged when it ships. Cancel: Only a brief window after ordering. (Barnes & Noble help page) |
| Super7 | When you order | Payment plans: first payment at order, then every 2 weeks. Cancel: Final sale. (Super7 help page) |
| NECA | When you order | Charged when you order. Cancel: All sales final. (NECA help page) |
| Good Smile | When it ships | Global site: charged when it ships (large orders at checkout). Cancel: Not covered on this page. (Good Smile help page) |
| AmiAmi | When stock reaches the store's warehouse | Invoiced once every item in the order has arrived. Prices may be in yen. Cancel: Request before release; not once invoiced. (AmiAmi help page) |
| Crowdfunding or drawing | Only if funded (or picked) | HasLab, BBTS Collectors Decide, Mattel crowdfunds, Kickstarter, BackerKit and Funko drawings charge only if the campaign funds or you're picked. Rules vary by campaign. Cancel: Varies by campaign. (Hasbro Pulse HasLab help page) |
Want these rules applied to your own preorders? The free tracker below does it for you.
Exceptions, in plain words
- Mattel Creations. Mattel doesn't publish when it charges for preorders. On Mattel's own community forum, buyers report being charged when they order (one thread asks why preorders are billed four months in advance), so the table lists it as charged when you order.
- Amazon third-party sellers. Amazon says payment for an order from a third-party seller “processes immediately, or when the order ships” (Amazon's page on ordering from a third-party seller). Those orders also aren't covered by Amazon's preorder price guarantee.
- Amazon orders with several items. When an order holds more than one item, Amazon says “the full amount will be charged after all items have shipped or five days after the order date, whichever occurs first” (Amazon's page on authorization charges). Ordering a preorder alone keeps it on the ship-date rule.
- Sideshow items without a deposit. Sideshow explains its deposit items (deposit when you order, the rest and shipping when it ships) but doesn't say when items without a deposit are charged (Sideshow's start-here page).
- Best Buy and PayPal. Best Buy's preorder FAQ says you aren't charged until the item ships (Best Buy's preorder FAQ). Answers in Best Buy's product Q&A say PayPal preorders are charged right away; that comes from those answers, not a Best Buy policy page.
- Good Smile. Good Smile's global site charges when the order ships, and large orders at checkout (Good Smile's payment guide). Its US site doesn't say directly.
- Toys"R"Us. There's no preorder page, only the general order help: card holds aren't charged until the order ships, and orders can't be changed or cancelled (ToysRUs.com order help).
Holds vs. charges
An authorization hold is the store checking your card and reserving the amount. Amazon describes it as reserving the funds, “but it isn't an actual charge” (Amazon's page on authorization charges), and holds drop off on their own if the order changes or is cancelled. Some stores place a new hold shortly before release: Target places one 7 days before release (Target's preorder help), and Pokemon Center places one 3-5 business days before shipping (Pokemon Center's preorder FAQ). A hold that appears and disappears is normal. A charge that actually posts is the one to check against the table above.
Track every preorder in one sheet
The free BuyHoldCollect preorder tracker is a Google Sheet that uses the rules on this page to estimate when each of your preorders will be charged and what's due each month.
Related: Why was my preorder cancelled? · Will this action figure be restocked or reprinted? · How to get a chase: singles or case packs?
Not affiliated with or endorsed by any store listed. Store policies change; this page is general information, not financial advice, and your order confirmation always wins. "We" statements reflect one reseller's experience, not official retailer or manufacturer policy.