Turn on email and SMS channels

Use this guide to turn on email and/or SMS as channels for Back in Stock alerts. By the end, customers will see an email field, a phone number field, or both on the “Notify me” form, and receive the restock alert through whichever channel you turned on.

Before you begin

You need	Why
Access to the Back in stock alerts section of the app	Channels live under Signup widget → Customize widget → Signup form → Channels
A paid plan, to turn on SMS	Email alerts are available on all plans; SMS alerts require a paid plan

Choose your setup

Email and SMS are each their own on/off toggle, and you can turn on one or both:

• Email: on by default, available on every plan, and needs no setup or verification.
• SMS: requires a paid plan, and carries a per-message carrier charge once alerts start sending.

Most stores start with Email only, since it’s free and needs no verification, then add SMS later.

What customers will see

• Only Email on: the form shows an email field.
• Only SMS on: the form shows a phone number field.
• Both on: the form shows both options, and customers pick which channel to sign up with.
• Both off: the “Notify me” button and form won’t collect any way to reach the customer, so at least one channel should stay on for alerts to be useful.

Set it up

On a phone, this menu is collapsed. In the Shopify mobile app, tap the STOQ logo at the top of the screen to open it, then choose the section named below. There is no hamburger icon. See Finding the STOQ menu.

1. Open Channels

   1. In the left menu bar of the STOQ app, click Back in stock alerts.
   2. Click the Settings tab.
   3. Open the Signup widget sub-tab and click Customize widget to open the widget editor.
   4. Open the Signup form tab.
   5. Click Channels in the sidebar.

   

   

2. Turn on Email alerts

   Toggle Email alerts on or off. It’s on by default; turning it off removes the email field from the signup form, so customers can no longer register by email for that store.

   

3. Turn on SMS alerts

   Toggle SMS alerts on. If you’re not on a paid plan, the toggle is disabled and shows an Upgrade link instead, and you’ll need to upgrade before SMS can be enabled.

   

4. Confirm the charges notice

   Turning SMS on for the first time shows a confirmation dialog about the per-message carrier charge. The OK, I understand button is disabled for a few seconds; wait, then click it to switch the toggle on.

   

5. Complete carrier verification if prompted

   If your store isn’t yet verified for SMS, a warning banner appears: customers can still sign up by phone number, but no text messages will send until STOQ completes carrier verification for your store.

Caution

SMS messages carry a per-message carrier charge that varies by country: you’re only billed once messages actually send, not for sign-ups. Charges are non-refundable because they’re paid directly to network carriers. Emojis, accented characters, and non-Latin-script languages can push a message over the single-segment limit and multiply the cost. See SMS alert pricing and charges.

Check your setup

1. Open the signup form editor’s preview pane after toggling a channel: the corresponding field (email or phone) should appear or disappear immediately.

2. Use Test Back in Stock Alerts to confirm a signup and restock actually deliver through the channel you enabled.

   

Troubleshooting

The SMS alerts toggle is greyed out

SMS alerts require a paid plan. Upgrading unlocks the toggle.

Customers say they never received a text after you turned SMS on

Your store may still need carrier verification. Check the Channels panel for a verification warning banner; customers can sign up by phone during this time, but no messages send until verification completes.

Some customers say SMS alerts aren't available even though SMS is on and your store is verified

Certain phone country codes can be automatically restricted from receiving SMS to comply with local carrier regulations. This is applied at the account level for compliance reasons, not a setting you toggle.

The 'Notify me' form isn't collecting a way to reach customers

Check that at least one channel, Email or SMS, is turned on.

FAQ

Do I have to enable both Email and SMS?

No. Each channel can be turned on or off independently. Most stores start with Email only, since it’s free and needs no verification, then add SMS later.

Will I be charged for every customer who signs up by phone?

No. You’re only charged when an actual SMS message sends (e.g., when you restock and alerts go out), not for the sign-up itself.

Why does one SMS cost more for some customers than others?

Carrier charges vary by destination country, and messages using emojis, accented characters, or non-Latin scripts can be split into multiple billed segments even if they look like one short message.

Can I turn off Email and only use SMS?

Yes: toggle Email off and SMS on. Just be sure at least one channel stays enabled, otherwise the signup form has no way to capture customers.

Related guides

Back in Stock OverviewHow the Back in Stock alerts feature works end to end.

Customize the back in stock email notificationCustomize the restock email customers receive.

SMS Alerts for Back in StockSMS-specific setup, verification, and messaging details.

Designing the Signup FormCustomize the fields and layout of the "Notify me" form.