Last Updated on by Dan S
Originally Published April 26, 2021.
If you sell everyday products on Shopify, you can set a certain price for each product. However, if you sell high-end furniture or decor items, your customers might ring you up to ask for a quotation.
In this case, you’d want to make a custom customer quotation for the client, which will be valid for a particular number of days. Then, the client will be notified when there’s a new quotation, and they’ll be able to view it or amend quantities.
Does Shopify allow you to create custom quotations for your clients, or do you have to use an app for it?
Here’s what you need to know.
Creating customer quotations in Shopify
In Shopify, you can create draft orders for your customers, and that’s the closest you will get to creating customer quotations. Basically, you can generate an order that stays as a draft unless the client pays for it.
Then, this order is displayed on the Orders page of your admin under the Drafts section. You can include custom items in this order or apply discounts for specific clients. Additionally, Shopify now offers a price lock feature that ensures quoted prices remain unchanged even if catalog prices fluctuate, which is particularly helpful for maintaining quoted prices to customers.
Expiring a Quote
If you want a quotation to expire automatically after a certain period, it’s important to note that Shopify has implemented an automatic retention policy. Draft orders created on or after April 1, 2025, are automatically deleted after 1 year of inactivity. Any edit to the draft order resets this timer.
For shorter expiration periods, you can manually delete the custom order after the set number of days. Once deleted, your customers will no longer be able to view the order.
Additionally, any staff member with admin access on your account can email these orders to the customers.
Adding more products to Quotation
In case the customers want to add more products to the draft order, they can contact you. Then, you’ll make a new invoice for them reflecting the changes made to the order. Once they are satisfied, they can complete the payment through the link you’ve sent them via email.
You can create draft orders by following Shopify’s guide.
Using an App for Custom Quotations
If you prefer a more streamlined approach to creating and managing customer quotations, consider using a dedicated quote app. Popular options in 2025 include apps like Qteedy, SA Request a Quote, Quick Quote, and YouQuote. These apps offer enhanced features beyond basic draft orders:
- Create Quotes Easily: Customers can generate a quote instead of making an order. Quotes can be created on both the cart page and product page.
- Adjustable Pricing: You can adjust prices for each customer and then convert the quote into an order automatically if needed.
- Automated Notifications: Many apps offer automatic notifications when new quote requests are submitted, helping you respond faster to customer inquiries.
- Order Creation: These apps can create a Shopify draft order in your store once you send a quote, giving you flexibility in your workflow.
- Customizable Design: The look and feel of the quotes can be tailored to match your store’s design, ensuring a seamless integration with every Shopify theme.
- User-Friendly: Customers can create a quote with a single click, making the process quick and easy.
- Hide Prices: Many quote apps allow you to hide product prices and display a “Request a Quote” button instead, which is particularly useful for B2B stores.
- Customizable Quotes: Each quote can be fine-tuned to meet your specific needs, providing flexibility in how you manage customer interactions and pricing.
Conclusion
Shopify allows you to create draft orders, which can function similarly to customer quotations, especially useful for high-end products where customers often seek personalized pricing.
As of 2025, Shopify has enhanced draft order functionality with features like price locking to maintain quoted prices and automatic cleanup of inactive draft orders after one year. While Shopify’s draft order feature does not support custom expiration periods for quotations, you can manually manage this by deleting orders after a set period. Additionally, admin-access staff members can easily email these draft orders to clients.
If clients wish to modify their orders, you can create a new invoice reflecting the changes. This flexible approach helps you manage custom quotations and maintain customer satisfaction, ensuring a smooth purchasing experience for high-value items.
For a more efficient and feature-rich solution, consider using a dedicated quotation app from the Shopify App Store. Apps like Qteedy, SA Request a Quote, Quick Quote, and YouQuote offer enhanced functionality including automated notifications, price hiding capabilities, and customizable quote forms that make the entire quotation process more streamlined.
By integrating a quotation app, you can enhance the customer experience, making it easier to manage and fulfill custom quotations, ultimately leading to increased satisfaction and smoother transactions for high-value items.
