Pre-Order is quite frequently not an option.
Last example that comes to mind is Vince Flynn's newest book. First time I heard about it was when he posted on his website that he was having health problems and his new book would be pushed back to spring of 2012. No way to pre-order, but definately a need to keep track.
Also, I might not remember where I pre-ordered it ... amazon or iTunes ... it doesn't help me keep track. So basically my need is a remember-to-get list
and I think I'll manage it with goodreads for now.