Continue Selling When Out of Stock on Shopify: Preorders, Backorders, and Best Practices
Shopify’s Continue selling when out of stock lets you accept orders at 0 inventory for preorders or backorders. This guide shows how to enable continue selling when out of stock Shopify, configure UX and policies, and protect operations across locations and channels.
What “Continue selling when out of stock” actually does
How it affects inventory (negative counts) and ordering
When inventory tracking is on and the setting is enabled on a variant, customers can check out even if on-hand is 0.
Shopify will allow inventory to go negative for that variant at the location(s) fulfilling the order.
Orders are created normally and can be paid now; the items remain unfulfilled until stock arrives.
Cart/checkout availability is determined by the variant’s availability per sales channel and the setting state, not on-hand quantity.
Preorders vs backorders: key differences
Preorder: Product not yet released. You communicate an ETA before launch. Often longer lead times and marketing hype.
Backorder: Product was in stock, then sold out. You continue selling with a shorter replenishment window.
Operationally they’re identical in Shopify; the difference is customer expectation, messaging, and fulfillment timeline.
When to use it—and when not to
Use it when:
You have a reliable ETA or PO inbound and can ship within a stated window.
You want to capture demand and cash flow without pausing acquisition.
You can automate communications for delays and partial shipments.
Do not use it when:
Your lead time is unknown or volatile.
You have strict MAP/marketplace rules that forbid preorders.
The item is made-to-order with highly variable timelines (consider deposits, draft orders, or request-a-quote instead).
Your payment gateway authorization window will expire before ship date and you cannot capture later.
Decision quick-check:
Known ETA ≤ 30 days and you want to charge now → Enable continue selling (preorder/backorder).
Uncertain ETA or > 30–60 days → Offer restock alerts instead.
Custom/made-to-order → Consider deposits or manual invoicing.
Requirements and limitations
Inventory tracking must be on
The toggle only appears if Track quantity is enabled on the variant.
If you use multiple variants, enable tracking and the continue selling toggle per variant.
Multi-location nuances and allocation
Negative inventory accrues at the location fulfilling the order. If you use automatic location priority, the first eligible location will carry the negative.
If a variant is stocked in multiple locations, consider:
Disable selling from locations that should not accept preorders (per location availability).
Set location priority so negative inventory accrues where inbound POs land.
Transfers/POs should be aimed at the same location to auto-clear negative counts on receipt.
Channel compatibility and known caveats
Online Store and POS: Supported. POS can sell items below 0; train staff on preorder wording.
Shop app: Supported if product is available to the channel.
Social/marketplaces: Some channels require in-stock status and may not surface preorder states. Verify:
Facebook/Instagram Shops may hide items with 0 inventory unless marked as available; behavior varies by region/policy.
Google channel supports the “preorder” availability attribute via structured data and feed; ensure correct schema/feed configuration.
Subscriptions, bundles, and draft orders have nuances (see Edge cases in later sections).
Enable the setting step-by-step
Single product/variant in the admin
Products > open product > select Variant.
Check Track quantity.
Check Continue selling when out of stock.
Save. Repeat per variant as needed.
To disable or revert:
Uncheck Continue selling when out of stock, optionally set a safety inventory policy, and Save.
Bulk editor and CSV import
Bulk editor:
Products > All products > check items > Edit products.
Add columns: Track quantity, Continue selling when out of stock.
Set values for selected variants and Save.
CSV import fields (per variant row):
Variant Inventory Tracker: shopify
Variant Inventory Qty: 0 (or current on-hand)
Variant Continue Selling When Out Of Stock: TRUE or FALSE
Minimal CSV example rows:
Handle: my-product, Option1 Name: Size, Option1 Value: M, Variant Inventory Tracker: shopify, Variant Inventory Qty: 0, Variant Continue Selling When Out Of Stock: TRUE
Tip: Export a small sample first, edit, then re-import to avoid schema mistakes.
API example for developers
REST (variants endpoint):
PUT /admin/api/2024-10/variants/{variant_id}.json
body fields: inventory_management=shopify, continue_selling=true
GraphQL (ProductVariantUpdate):
mutation with productVariantUpdate input: { id, inventoryPolicy: CONTINUE, inventoryManagement: SHOPIFY }
Note: To manage inventory per location, use InventoryLevel and InventoryItem APIs; negative availability is implied by inventoryPolicy: CONTINUE rather than level values alone.
Storefront UX: make it clear it’s a preorder/backorder
Swap Add to cart to Preorder and add badges
Use theme conditionals to change the CTA when
product.selected_or_first_available_variant.inventory_policy == 'continue'and on-hand ≤ 0.Example labels:
Button text: Preorder
Badge: Backorder — Ships soon
Also add a small note near the CTA: This item is a preorder. Your card is charged now; ships by [ETA].
Show estimated ship dates and availability notes
Store ETA in a product or variant metafield (e.g.,
metafields.preorder.eta_date).Display near the price and in the cart line item note:
Ships by: 2026-03-15
Limited run: Orders placed now ship in 2–3 weeks.
If you sell multiple variants with different ETAs, show the variant-level metafield in the selector change event.
SEO/schema and merchandising considerations
Use Product structured data with
availability: https://schema.org/PreOrderwhen the CTA is Preorder. Switch back toInStockonce available.Include preorder messaging in meta descriptions and on-page copy; avoid misleading “In stock” badges.
Add collection badges/filters for Preorder to reduce confusion and improve click-through.
Use a dedicated Preorder policy page linked in footer, PDP, and cart.
Payments, fulfillment, and shipping implications
Charge now vs charge later approaches
Charge now (default checkout capture):
Pros: Immediate cash flow, simpler operations.
Cons: If delays occur, you must manage customer expectations and potential refunds.
Ensure your payment gateway allows long fulfillment windows; communicate ETAs clearly.
Charge later options:
Manual authorization and capture: Set Payments > Capture funds manually, then capture when ready to ship. Note that card authorizations typically expire in 7–30 days depending on card/network.
Invoices: Use draft orders to send invoices when stock arrives.
Third-party preorder apps may offer delayed capture or partial deposits; validate gateway compatibility and legal rules.
Partial fulfillments and split shipments
Shopify supports splitting an order into multiple fulfillments. If only some items are in stock, fulfill those and leave preorder items unfulfilled.
Communicate split shipping policies, extra shipping fees (if any), and tracking per shipment.
For bundles, ensure your fulfillment logic can handle partially available components (see Edge cases).
Shipping profiles and handling times for preorders
Create a Preorder shipping profile or rate with extended handling time messaging.
Show estimated handling time in the shipping method name or description (e.g., Ships in 2–3 weeks).
If using carrier-calculated rates, your transit time is separate from handling time; set expectations in PDP and checkout.
More time, More Sales
Communication and automation
Email/SMS templates for purchase and delay updates
Order confirmation (snippet):
Subject: Thanks for your preorder — ships by {{ ETA }}
Body: You ordered a preorder item. We expect to ship by {{ ETA }}. We’ll send updates if this date changes. Your payment was collected today.
Delay update:
Subject: Update on your preorder — new estimated ship date
Body: We’re sorry—your preorder will now ship by {{ NEW_ETA }}. Reply if you’d like to keep waiting or receive a refund.
Shipping notice for preorder:
Subject: Good news — your preorder is on the way
Body: Your preorder has shipped. Track it here: {{ tracking_url }}.
Policy page copy (snippet):
Preorders charge at checkout. Estimated dates are not guaranteed. If dates change by more than 14 days, we’ll notify you and offer options.
Shopify Flow/Klaviyo recipes to trigger events
Shopify Flow ideas:
Trigger: Inventory level updated → If negative inventory moves to ≥ 0 → Tag and notify ops to begin fulfilling backorders.
Trigger: Order created → If any line has
inventory_policy == continue→ Add order tag Preorder, send Slack alert, start ETA email sequence.Trigger: Transfer received → If variants had negative inventory → Auto-create picking tasks.
Klaviyo ideas:
Segment: Orders with Preorder tag → Flow: confirmation, reminder at T-7 days, delay notice if ETA metafield changes.
Event-driven: When ETA metafield updates → Send update email/SMS.
Refunds, delays, and expectation management
Define thresholds for automatic outreach (e.g., delay > 14 days).
Offer easy cancellation and partial refunds for unshipped items.
Maintain a single source of truth for ETAs (metafield or ERP) to avoid conflicting messages.
Risk, policy, and compliance
Regional preorder regulations and disclosures
Some regions require clear disclosure if goods will ship later and within a stated timeframe.
Card network rules limit authorization windows; if capturing later, ensure you ship before auth expiry or reauthorize with customer consent.
Include clear refund rights and contact options. When in doubt, consult local counsel on preorder disclosures and timelines.
Fraud/cash flow controls and caps
Set a backorder cap per variant (e.g., stop at -200 units). Use Flow to unpublish or uncheck Continue selling when threshold is hit.
Require 3D Secure or higher AVS/CVV checks for preorder items if fraud risk is elevated.
Monitor chargeback reasons tied to delays; adjust messaging and timelines.
Internal SOPs and stop-sell thresholds
Define who owns ETA updates, how often they refresh, and how changes are approved.
Establish a rollback plan: disable continue selling, switch CTA to Sold out, and trigger waitlist.
Document partial-fulfillment rules and customer service macros.
Reporting and forecasting
Key metrics: backorder rate, lead time, cancellation rate
Backorder rate: Preorder/backorder units ÷ total units sold.
Lead time to ship: Days from order date to fulfillment for preorder lines.
Cancellation rate: Canceled preorder lines ÷ preorder lines sold.
SLA adherence: Percent shipped by ETA.
PO alignment and demand forecasting
Compare preorder velocity to open POs by variant and location to validate coverage.
Use cohorts: orders placed in a given week vs shipped by week to detect slippage.
Feed preorder demand into forecasting models to avoid future stockouts.
Alerts and dashboards for exceptions
Alerts: Items at negative inventory with no inbound PO; ETAs older than X days; cap thresholds reached.
Dashboards: Segment by variant, location, and channel to spot operational bottlenecks.
Consider tagging orders with ETA version to audit promises vs actuals.
Troubleshooting
Can’t enable the toggle (common causes)
Inventory tracking is off for the variant.
You’re editing at the product level while variants override settings; configure per variant.
The product is managed by an external app that controls availability; check app settings.
Channel publishing is disabled, making the product unavailable despite the toggle.
Variant-level vs product-level mismatches
One variant can allow continue selling while another does not. Always confirm the duplicate rules across options.
Bulk edits may fail on hidden variants; include all variants in your filter before editing.
Theme/app conflicts and how to test
If the button still shows Add to cart or Sold out incorrectly:
Temporarily switch to a stock theme preview to isolate theme code issues.
Disable cart/stock apps one by one to find conflicts with availability logic.
Verify Ajax cart and quick-add components also implement the preorder logic.
Quick checklist
Prelaunch setup
Turn on Track quantity and Continue selling for targeted variants.
Add ETA metafields and populate dates.
Update theme: CTA, badge, and ETA messaging; add PreOrder schema.
Create preorder policy page; link on PDP/cart.
Configure Flow/Klaviyo automations and tags.
Set stop-sell thresholds and caps.
Go-live validation
Test a full preorder checkout (desktop/mobile) in a passworded preview.
Confirm channel visibility, shipping methods, taxes, and payment capture settings.
Validate confirmation emails/SMS include preorder language and ETA.
Place a partial-availability order and test split fulfillment.
Post-fulfillment review
Measure lead time vs ETA and cancellation rate.
Reconcile negative inventory clearing upon PO receipt.
Review support tickets and refine messaging or timelines.
Decide to keep selling, cap, or switch to restock alerts.
FAQs
How do I enable continue selling when out of stock for specific variants only?
Open the product, select the variant, enable Track quantity, then check Continue selling when out of stock. Repeat only for the variants you want; others can remain standard.
Will this work with multiple locations and Shopify POS?
Yes. Negative inventory accrues at the fulfilling location. Set location priority and per-location availability. POS can sell below 0; train staff to explain preorder timing.
Can I charge customers only when the item ships instead of at checkout?
You can set manual capture to charge later (authorization lifetime varies) or invoice customers when stock arrives. Some preorder apps support deposits; verify gateway support and timelines.
How do I show Preorder and estimated ship dates on the product page?
Use theme logic to switch the CTA when inventory policy is continue and on-hand ≤ 0, and display an ETA stored in a product/variant metafield near the price and in the cart.
Does this setting sync correctly to Facebook/Instagram/Google channels?
Behavior varies. Online Store is fine; some social channels may hide 0-inventory items. For Google, use “PreOrder” availability in structured data and feed. Test each channel’s rules.
How can I prevent overselling past a certain negative inventory threshold?
Use Shopify Flow to monitor variant inventory ≤ -X and automatically unpublish products or uncheck Continue selling when out of stock, then notify your team.
Can I use this with subscriptions or product bundles?
Subscriptions: Gateways and subscription apps may not support delayed capture for preorders; test carefully. Bundles: Ensure the bundle app respects component availability and preorder messaging.
How do I bulk enable or disable this setting across many products?
Use the bulk editor (add the Continue selling column), CSV with Variant Continue Selling When Out Of Stock set to TRUE/FALSE, or the API via inventoryPolicy: CONTINUE. Always test with a small batch first.
Read more insights on inventory management in the Verve AI blog, where we break down real-world Shopify use cases.
Forecasting errors, stockouts, and over-ordering usually come from disconnected tools. Verve AI brings forecasting, replenishment, and purchase orders into one place.
Shopify merchants: Install Verve AI from the Shopify App Store.
WooCommerce stores: Get started with the Verve AI WooCommerce plugin.