Scan Product Launch and Pre-Order FAQ
Pre-order + Transparency = Confidence
We know that Scan is a top destination for the latest tech releases, and we massively appreciate our customers trusting us as their destination of choice. During high-profile launch days demand is extremely high and stock may sell out extremely quickly. Pre-orders are now part of the buying process, and we aim to be transparent about how we handle them. For 2025, we've reviewed our processes to offer more clarity. Please read the guide and FAQs below before purchasing to understand what will happen and how you can reduce common issues.
- At launch, customers will be able to add a product to their basket and checkout while stock is available. We will initially limit orders to 1 per household for website and store to ensure a fair allocation.
- If there are a large number of customers in the checkout phase, we may switch off the add to basket button for a short period of time while those transactions go through. If there is still stock left after this, we will switch the 'buy' button back on to allow the remaining stock to be bought. This might cause the buy button to appear momentarily before disappearing again shortly afterward.
- Products will be secured on a first-to-complete transaction basis, with several security measures in place to prevent bots and potential scalpers. This means that there is a chance you could be part way through the checkout process when the stock runs out, resulting in being directed back to the product page.
- If demand is extremely high, like on a launch day, it is possible that in a very small number of cases, we could oversell a model. If this happens, we will contact the customer afterwards and offer a refund, or the ability to be placed in the pre-order queue.
- Once all available stock is sold, we will then start to take pre-orders. Where possible, we will give an estimated arrival date in batches. Please understand that these dates are provided by our partners / suppliers and can change outside of our control. If at any time you decide you no longer want your pre-order, you can cancel your order in 'MyAccount' or contact customer services to receive a full refund.
More Questions
Naturally, we believe that we offer the best experience for customers in the UK with transparent communication, quality delivery service through DPD and the best aftersales care with a 5 Star Trustpilot score. But on top of that, we have some of the best industry relationships and often secure the largest allocations of stock while doing more than anyone else to reduce the impact of bots and scalpers.
Scan has developed its own sophisticated in-house system specifically for identifying bot traffic and potential scalpers which we constantly review and improve using our own data. We also have a list of known scalpers and can even in many cases track when products bought from Scan during a launch are sold on popular auction websites. We add these account details to our list and where possible cancel the order before stock gets delivered. Despite this, we recognise it's impossible to catch every instance.
We recommend having your payment method completely ready before the launch. This includes ensuring that you have sufficient balance to make payment on a credit or debit card and being ready to complete any additional bank verification checks. We also recommend avoiding using pre-paid or virtual credit cards as these may not pass our checks. If you have bought from Scan before and saved your card or address details, you can use the saved details but it's wise to check these are correct before you start a transaction.
Unfortunately, due to the way that these systems work there can be delays in processing during the busiest part of a launch, so we may switch them off until we re-open for pre-orders. We recommend using a credit or debit card during the initial product launch.
This can vary but should be within a few minutes with a maximum of 30 minutes.
Due to the extreme demand there will have been a significant amount of people in the basket at various stages. When stock sells out the item in your basket is removed. This prevents a purchase being made when there is no longer stock available and avoids disappointment further into the checkout process. If this happens our customer services team will not be able to help as the product is no longer available. In these circumstances your only option is to select another product that is in stock. There is a very small possibility in extreme circumstances that this could have happened during payment. If this is the case, then the transaction will be reversed automatically.
During extremely busy launches its possible that multiple customers can transact at the exact same time. This can rarely result in a very small oversell. If this happens then we will contact the affected customers and offer a refund or to be on the pre-order queue.
Due to extremely high demand during a launch, and to reduce scalping we have taken the decision to limit orders to 1 per household for the initial launch period. We understand this could affect a small number of genuine customers with legitimate reason to buy more than 1. However, due to the need to reduce the potential for scalping it is a decision we have had to make and hope you understand.
If the product you ordered was in stock and it has been dispatched already then we will not be able to amend it until we have it back from the courier. If your order was a pre-order you can change to a different model by contacting our customer service team, providing that model is open for pre-orders. Please note that as each model has its own pre-order queue, so you will be placed at the back of the queue for the new model that you move your pre-order on to. If you then decided to move back, you would not go back to your original queue position.
You can get a full refund on your order at any time. Simply cancel the order via My Account or contact our customer service team. Please note if you cancel your order during a major launch period you will not be able to place a new order on a different launch product of the same category until we release the 1 per household restrictions. If you are unsure we recommend that you contact the customer services team before you cancel your order.
- Scan will offer our customers the ability to pre-order certain products. For major launch products this will be limited to 1 per Household and you will be placed into a queue for your ordered product on a first come first served basis. Where possible we will provide ETAs as given to us by the suppliers based on your queue position and the shipment schedule at the time of ordering. Please be aware that any ETA provided is an estimate and can change. You can find the latest ETA for new pre-orders on the product page or main launch page next to the pre-order button.
- During a launch period Scan will publish a status / FAQ page with any additional information we have available along with links for tracking your order so that you don’t need to contact our customer services team for updates. For 2025 we have introduced a new real-time system to track your queue position and order progress within your account.
- Upon completing your pre-order you will receive a confirmation email with details about your order and any information you may need about tracking and expected ETA. Please do not rely on dates specified on our website after you have pre-ordered as that information will be for new pre-orders and not for your specific order.
- For major launch products with potentially longer lead times we may email you with the opportunity to opt-in to being offered alternative models should they become available. These would be offered to people at the front of the existing queue. If you don't opt in then you will simply wait for your pre-order to reach the front of the queue, and we will ship your product when available.
- Customers opted in for alternative models could receive an email with 1 or more products available to them. Should they wish to make a switch then they will have 24 hours to respond to do so before we offer that product to the next queue batch. If you do not respond to the email within 24 hours, then we will not be able to honour that particular offer. You will still be opted-in to receive further switch offers as more alternative stock becomes available.
More Questions
Yes, you can use both options for a pre order. Please be aware that the payment schedule for PayPal credit starts when you place the order, whereas for Scan Finance it only starts when we deliver the product.
Yes, we do take full payment for pre-orders. If we did not charge, there would be a distorted queue as customers would simply register interest. This would give unrealistic forecasts and make it difficult for our suppliers to allocate stock. Much in the same way as people book concert ticket or pay for a seat on an airline; you are paying for a future access to guarantee stock; a pre-order works in exactly the same way. With the addition of the pre-order promise, you have the choice to be refunded immediately without any penalty.
Yes, you can change your pre-order to a different model by contacting our customer service team, providing that model is open for pre-orders. Please note that as each model has its own pre-order queue, so you will be placed at the back of the queue for the new model that you move your pre-order on to. If you then decided to move back, you would not go back to your original queue position.
You can get a full refund on your pre-order at any time. Simply cancel the order via My Account or contact our customer service team. Please note if you cancel your order during a major launch period you will not be able to place a new order on a different launch product of the same category until we release the 1 per household restrictions. If you are unsure we recommend that you contact the customer services team before you cancel your order.
There are lots of reason that are out of our control that can lead to a change in the ETA of a product. These include shipping delays, customs delays and issues, recalls, Distribution delays and other reasons. We work closely with the brands and suppliers to get as much stock in as possible and will be doing everything we can to ensure you have the latest information.
Delays would not affect your order in any way. For PayPal credit you are responsible for paying the monthly payments from the point of the transaction as per the terms and conditions. For Scan Finance payments only start 30 days after the point that we deliver your goods. Please see the terms and conditions for full info.