What to do when you hit your alert limit
Every STOQ plan includes a monthly limit on back in stock notifications. Use this guide if your alerts have stopped, or you want to know what happens as you approach your limit.
Before you begin
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Know your plan's behavior at 100% | On paid plans with Continue sending beyond plan limit turned on, sending continues with a per-notification fee. Otherwise, sending pauses until you upgrade or the month resets. See Back in stock plans and billing. |
What happens at 100% of your limit
When you use 100% of your monthly notification limit, STOQ emails your store admin address a "You've used up 100% of your alerts limit" notice. What happens next depends on your overage setting:
- Overage on (paid plans): the email confirms alerts will keep sending, and overage charges now apply per notification beyond the limit.
- Overage off, or you're on the free plan: the email says customers can still sign up, but notifications won't send until you upgrade your plan or your limit resets on the next billing cycle.
An in-app banner backs this up on your STOQ dashboard. If sending has paused, you'll see a critical Upgrade to send more alerts banner: "100% of your alerts limit this month has been used. Upgrade your plan to send more alerts." If overage is on instead, you'll see an informational Overage charges are being applied banner showing how many notifications have gone out above your limit.
To choose whether sending pauses or continues with overage charges once you hit 100%, open Plans in the STOQ sidebar and expand Back in stock notifications. See Back in stock plans and billing for both options.
Recover alerts blocked by your plan limit
Notifications that couldn't send while you were at your limit are marked as blocked, not lost. If you upgrade to a higher-priced plan, STOQ can queue up recently blocked alerts to send under your new limit.
Upgrade your plan
- In the left menu of the STOQ app, click Plans.
- Click Subscribe on a higher plan and approve the charge in Shopify.
Release the blocked alerts
Back on Plans, a Send notifications blocked by plan limit banner appears if you have any recently blocked alerts. Click its Send [N] notifications action, where [N] is the number of blocked signups shown in the banner.
A Blocked notifications queued confirmation appears, and the banner clears. STOQ queues those signups to be notified under your new limit.
This banner only appears right after an upgrade, and only covers alerts blocked in about the last week. If it's been longer, or the banner is gone, restock the product again from Shopify, STOQ sends a fresh round of alerts to everyone still waiting.
Check your usage before you hit the limit
To see where you stand and avoid running out mid-month, see Track your Back in stock notification usage.
FAQ
Will customers still be able to sign up for alerts after I hit my limit?
Yes. Signups always stay open, whether sending is paused or continuing with overage charges. Only the notification itself is affected.
Does hitting the limit affect alerts I already sent?
No. Alerts already sent aren't touched. The limit only blocks new notifications from going out once you're at 100% for the month.
What happens to blocked alerts if I don't upgrade?
They stay blocked until your monthly limit resets on your next billing cycle, at which point STOQ can send again as new restocks or manual sends trigger notifications. Upgrading is the only way to release already-blocked alerts before then.
Can I turn on overage charges so alerts never pause?
Yes, on paid plans. Open Plans, expand Back in stock notifications, and select Continue sending beyond plan limit. New overage settings require a brief verification before they take effect.
Related guides
Back in stock plans and billing
Plan limits, overage fees, and how to choose between pausing and continuing past your limit.
Track your Back in stock notification usage
See exactly how many alerts you've used this month and when you're approaching your limit.
Send back in stock alerts manually
Trigger a fresh round of alerts to a waitlist once your limit resets or you've upgraded.
View your reports
Check delivery status and history for notifications sent to your customers.
