How to Collect Preorder Payments Manually in Bulk
When customers place preorders through STOQ, their payments may be partially paid or authorized but not yet fully collected. STOQ lets you collect outstanding preorder payments in bulk directly from the app, saving you from processing each order one by one. After bulk collection, you receive an email with a CSV status report so you can verify every charge.
Why Use Bulk Payment Collection
Collecting preorder payments in bulk through STOQ is faster and safer than processing payments individually through Shopify.
- Save time. Select multiple preorders and collect all outstanding payments with a single action instead of charging each order separately.
- Get a status report. STOQ sends you an email with a CSV file showing the result of each payment attempt, so you have a clear record of what succeeded and what failed.
- Avoid accidental errors. STOQ uses Shopify's payment API to actually charge the customer's card. This is different from Shopify's built-in "Capture Payment" button, which can mark orders as paid without charging the card (see the warning below).
Prerequisites
Before collecting preorder payments in bulk, make sure the following are in place.
- Orders must have an outstanding balance. Only orders with a financial status of Unpaid, Partially paid, or Authorized can be charged. Orders already marked as Paid are automatically skipped.
- Customers must have a valid payment method on file. If the customer's card has expired or been removed, the payment attempt will fail. STOQ will note this in the status report.
How to Collect Preorder Payments in Bulk
Follow these steps to collect outstanding payments for multiple preorder orders at once.
- Open the STOQ app from your Shopify admin.
- Click Reports in the left menu bar.
- Click the Preorders tab to view your preorder orders.
- Use the checkboxes on the left side of the table to select the preorders you want to collect payment for. You can select multiple orders.
- Once you have selected at least one unpaid order, click the Collect payments button that appears in the bulk action bar above the table.
- STOQ will initiate payment collection for all selected unpaid orders.
What Happens Next
After you click Collect payments, STOQ processes each selected order in the background.
- STOQ filters out any orders that are already marked as paid.
- For each remaining order, STOQ charges the customer's card for the outstanding balance using Shopify's payment API.
- Once processing is complete, you will receive an email at your store's email address with a status report.
- The status report email includes a CSV file attachment showing the order name, payment status, and any error notes for each order.
Filtering Orders Before Collection
You can use the filters on the Preorders table to narrow down which orders to select before collecting payments.
- Payment status — Filter by Unpaid, Partially paid, or Authorized to see only orders with outstanding balances.
- Fulfillment status — Filter by fulfillment state if you only want to collect payments for orders at a certain fulfillment stage.
- Cancelled status — Exclude cancelled orders from your view.
- Search — Search by order name to find specific orders.
Using filters helps you select the right group of orders before running the bulk payment collection.
Understanding Payment Statuses
Each preorder order in the table shows a financial status badge. Here is what each status means in the context of payment collection.
Status | Meaning | Can collect payment? |
|---|---|---|
Unpaid | No payment has been collected | Yes |
Partially paid | A partial payment (e.g., deposit) has been collected | Yes |
Authorized | Payment has been authorized but not captured | Yes |
Paid | Full payment has been collected | No (skipped) |
Refunded | Payment was refunded to the customer | No |
Voided | Payment authorization was voided | No |
Known Limitations
Keep these points in mind when using bulk payment collection.
- Bulk payment collection processes orders one at a time in the background. For large selections, it may take several minutes to complete.
- If a customer's payment method has expired or been removed, the charge will fail. The failure will be noted in the CSV status report.
- Orders that are already paid are automatically skipped during bulk collection.
- The status report email is sent to the email address associated with your Shopify store. You cannot change the recipient.
- Do not use Shopify's Capture Payment button on the order page. It marks the order as paid without actually charging the customer's card. Always use STOQ's Collect payments action.
Troubleshooting
If bulk payment collection is not working as expected, use this table to find a fix.
Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
Collect payments button is disabled | All selected orders are already paid | Select at least one order with an Unpaid, Partially paid, or Authorized status |
No orders appear in the Preorders tab | No preorder orders exist yet | Ensure customers have placed preorders through your store |
Payment failed for some orders | Customer's card expired or was declined | Check the CSV status report for error details. Contact the customer to update their payment method |
Did not receive the status report email | Email was sent to the store email address | Check the inbox and spam folder for the email associated with your Shopify store |
Order shows as paid but customer was not charged | Shopify's Capture Payment button was used | This cannot be reversed. For future orders, always use STOQ's Collect payments action |
FAQs
Q : Does STOQ actually charge the customer's card?
A : Yes. STOQ uses Shopify's payment API to charge the customer's card for the outstanding balance. This is a real charge, not just a status update.
Q : Why should I not use Shopify's "Capture Payment" button?
A : Shopify's Capture Payment button on the order page marks the order as paid without actually attempting to charge the customer's card. This means the order appears paid in your admin, but no money was collected. Always use STOQ's Collect payments action to ensure the customer is charged.
Q : What happens if a payment fails?
A : If a payment fails (e.g., expired card, insufficient funds), the order remains in its current financial status. The failure reason is included in the CSV status report sent to your email. You can contact the customer to resolve the issue and try again.
Q : Can I collect payments for all preorders at once?
A : You can select all orders on the current page using the select-all checkbox. If you have multiple pages of orders, you will need to process each page separately.
Q : How long does bulk payment collection take?
A : Processing time depends on the number of orders selected. Each order is processed individually in the background. The status report email is typically sent within a few minutes after you initiate the collection.
Q : Will the customer receive a notification when payment is collected?
A : Yes. When a payment is successfully collected, Shopify automatically sends the customer an email about the order charge, and the order is marked as paid in your Shopify admin.
Q : Can I undo a bulk payment collection?
A : No. Once payments are collected, they cannot be automatically reversed through STOQ. You would need to issue refunds manually through Shopify's order management if needed.
Q : Where do I find the status report?
A : The status report is sent to the email address associated with your Shopify store. It includes a CSV attachment with the order name, payment status, and any error notes for each order in the batch.
Updated on: 18/02/2026
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