Change default country for a phone number field

When customers sign up for back in stock alerts via SMS, STOQ displays a phone number field with a country selector in the signup popup. By default, the country is set to the United States (US +1). If most of your customers are in a different country, you can change the default country so they see the correct country code right away, reducing friction and signup errors.

This setting applies to the phone number field in the "Notify me" signup form on your storefront.

Why Change the Default Country

Matching the default country to your primary customer base makes the signup experience smoother and faster.

• Customers do not have to scroll through a long list of countries to find their own.
• The correct country calling code (e.g., +44 for the UK, +91 for India) is pre-filled automatically.
• Reduces phone number entry errors that can cause failed SMS alert deliveries.
• Particularly useful for stores that sell primarily outside the United States.

Prerequisites

Before you can configure the default country for the phone number field, make sure the following are in place.

• SMS alerts must be enabled. The phone number field only appears in the signup popup when SMS alerts are turned on.
• A paid STOQ plan is required. SMS alerts are available on paid plans only.

How to Change the Default Country for Phone Number in Popups

Follow these steps to update the default country shown in the phone number field of your signup popup.

1. Open the STOQ app from your Shopify admin.
2. Click Back in stock alerts in the left menu bar.
3. Click the Signup widget tab.
4. Click Customize form.
5. In the sidebar, click Form content.
6. Scroll down to the Phone number field section and click Show to expand it.
7. From the Default country selected dropdown, choose the country you want as the default.
8. Click Save in the top save bar to apply your changes.

Additional Phone Number Field Options

Inside the Phone number field section, you will find two more settings you can adjust alongside the default country.

• Show SMS registration option first - When enabled, the SMS/phone number tab appears before the email tab in the signup form. Disable this if you prefer email to show first.
• Restrict SMS registration to default country - When enabled, customers can only sign up for SMS alerts using a phone number from the selected default country. The country dropdown on the storefront becomes locked, and no other countries are available.

Customizing Phone Field Labels and Messages

While in the Phone number field section, you can also customize the text your customers see.

• SMS channel label - The label shown above the phone input (default: "SMS").
• Phone placeholder - Placeholder text inside the phone number input (default: "Phone number").
• Phone error - The error message shown when a customer enters an invalid phone number (default: "Please enter a valid phone number").

How It Looks on Your Storefront

Once you save your changes, the signup popup on your storefront will display the selected country as the default in the phone number field.

• The country code dropdown shows the selected country's abbreviation and calling code (e.g., "IN (+91)").
• Customers can still change the country from the dropdown, unless you have enabled Restrict SMS registration to default country.

Known Limitations

There are a few things to keep in mind when using this feature.

• The default country setting applies globally to all products and all pages on your store. You cannot set different default countries for different products or pages.
• SMS alerts require carrier verification for your store. Until verification is complete, customers can sign up with their phone number, but SMS alerts will not be sent. This does not affect email alerts.
• SMS delivery charges vary by country. Review STOQ's SMS pricing before enabling SMS for international customers.
• Certain country codes may be blocked due to local regulations. If this applies to your store, a warning will appear in the Channels settings.

Troubleshooting

If you run into issues with the default country setting, use the table below to find a fix.

FAQs

Q. What is the default country set to when I first install STOQ?

A. The default country is set to United States (US +1) on all new installations.

Q. Can I restrict signups to only one country?

A. Yes. Enable Restrict SMS registration to default country in the Phone number field section. This locks the country dropdown on your storefront so customers can only sign up with a phone number from the selected default country.

Q. Do I need a paid plan to use this feature?

A. Yes. SMS alerts are available on paid STOQ plans only. The phone number field and default country settings only appear when SMS alerts are enabled.

Q. Will changing the default country affect existing signups?

A. No. Changing the default country only affects the signup form going forward. Customers who have already signed up will not be affected.

Q. Can I show the SMS option before email in the signup form?

A. Yes. In the Phone number field section, enable the Show SMS registration option first checkbox. This places the phone number tab before the email tab in the signup form.

Q. How do I know if my store is verified for SMS alerts?

A. If your store is not yet verified, you will see a yellow banner in Channels that says "Verification for SMS alerts in progress." Contact STOQ support if you need to check the status.

Updated on: 02/03/2026