How to customize STOQ email templates for back in stock alerts
STOQ sends email notifications to customers when a product they signed up for is back in stock. You can customize every part of these email templates to match your brand, including the subject line, heading, description, button, colors, fonts, logo, footer, and social links. Changes appear in a live preview as you edit, so you can see exactly how your email will look before saving.
Why Customize Your Email Template
A branded email builds trust and encourages customers to complete their purchase.
- Brand consistency. Match your email to your store's look and feel with your logo, brand colors, and fonts.
- Higher conversions. A well-designed email with a clear call-to-action drives more customers back to your store.
- Personalized messaging. Use dynamic variables to include the customer's name, product details, and pricing in every email.
- Multiple notification types. Customize the primary back in stock alert and any follow-up reminder notifications separately.
How to Open the Email Template Editor
Follow these steps to access the email template editor for back in stock alerts.
- Open the STOQ app from your Shopify admin.
- Click Back in stock alerts in the left menu bar.
- Click the Notifications tab.
- Select the notification you want to edit (e.g., Back In Stock - Notification).
- In the Email template card, click the Customize email button.
Editing the Email Template
The email editor is organized into five sections, accessible from the left panel. Click any section to expand it.
Email Alerts Toggle
At the top of the editor, you will see the Email alerts toggle. This controls whether back in stock email notifications are sent to customers.
- Toggle on to enable email alerts.
- Toggle off to disable email alerts.
Tip: You can also access the Languages link at the top right of this section to translate your email template into other languages.
Send Emails Through
This section lets you choose which service sends your emails. Click Send emails through to open it.
- STOQ (default): Emails are sent directly by STOQ. You get full control over the template design in the editor.
- Klaviyo: Connect your Klaviyo account to send emails through Klaviyo flows. Requires a Standard plan and Klaviyo API keys.
- Shopify Flow: Use Shopify Flow triggers to send emails through a connected marketing platform.
Note: When you select Klaviyo or Shopify Flow, the content and style controls in the STOQ editor are disabled. You will design your email in the external platform instead.
Address
Click Address to edit the sender information and logo.
Field | Description |
|---|---|
From name | The name customers see as the sender (e.g., your store name) |
From address | The email address customers see as the sender. Requires a paid plan to change from the default ( |
Note: When you change the From address, STOQ will prompt you to verify ownership of the email address. After verification, you may also need to set up DKIM authentication. Follow the on-screen instructions or contact support for help.
Content
Click Content to edit the text and button in your email. This section has two tabs: Standard and Custom HTML.
Standard Template
The standard template lets you edit these fields:
Field | Description |
|---|---|
Subject | The email subject line. This is the first thing customers see in their inbox |
Pre-header | A short preview text that appears next to the subject line in most email clients |
Heading | The main headline displayed inside the email body |
Description | The body text or message to your customers |
Button text | The label on the call-to-action button (e.g., "Buy now") |
Take customer to | Where the button links to: Checkout (adds product to cart) or Product page |
Button corner radius | Rounds the button corners. Set to 0 for square edges |
Button text color | The color of the text on the button |
Button background color | The background color of the button |
Footer | Text displayed at the bottom of the email, below the product image |
Unsubscribe text | The unsubscribe link text shown at the very bottom of the email |
Tip: Click the Variables link above any text field to open a list of dynamic variables you can insert. Click Add to field next to a variable to append it to the selected field.
Available Variables for Standard Templates
Use these Liquid variables in your email content. They are automatically replaced with real values when the email is sent.
Variable | Description |
|---|---|
| Your store domain |
| Your store name |
| URL of your store logo |
| Customer's name |
| Customer's email address |
| Product name |
| Variant name |
| Full product name including variant |
| Product vendor name |
| Product price |
| Product currency code |
| Unsubscribe link URL |
Custom HTML Template
If you need full control over the email layout, you can write your own HTML template.
- In the Content section, click the Custom HTML tab.
- Check the Use HTML template checkbox to enable it.
- Paste or write your HTML in the Email template field.
- Click Variables to see the available template variables for custom HTML.
Note: Custom HTML templates require a Standard plan. When enabled, the live preview is not available. Test your template by sending a test email.
Colors and Styles
Click Colors & styles to adjust the visual design of your email.
Setting | Description |
|---|---|
Text color | The color of all text in the email |
Section color | The background color of the email content area |
Background color | The color behind the entire email |
Corner radius | Rounds the corners of the email content area |
Email font | Choose from 18 font options including Default, Helvetica Neue, Georgia, Garamond, and more |
Header text size | Font size for the heading (in pixels) |
Description text size | Font size for the description (in pixels) |
Custom CSS | Add your own CSS rules to further customize the email design |
Tip: Click the Selectors link above the CSS field to see all available CSS selectors. Click Add to field next to a selector to add it to the CSS editor with an empty rule block.
Available CSS Selectors
Selector | Targets |
|---|---|
| The entire email container |
| The logo area |
| The logo image |
| The heading text |
| The description text |
| The product image |
| The button area |
| The "Buy now" button |
| The footer text |
| The unsubscribe link |
Social Links
Click Social links to add social media icons to the bottom of your email.
- Icon Color: Choose between Black or White icons.
- Add URLs for any of these platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, X (Twitter), YouTube, WhatsApp.
Only platforms with a URL entered will show their icon in the email. Leave a field empty to hide that icon.
How to Send a Test Email
Before saving your changes, you can send a test email to see how it looks in a real inbox.
- In the email template editor, look at the preview panel on the right.
- Below the email preview, click Send test email.
- Enter your email address in the modal that appears.
- Click Send.
The test email will be sent to the address you entered. Check your inbox (and spam folder) to review the result.
Note: Test emails are only available when using STOQ as the email provider and the Standard template (not Custom HTML). Only one email address can be entered at a time.
How to Save Your Changes
After editing your email template, click Save changes at the top of the page. Your changes apply to all future back in stock email notifications for the selected notification type.
Tip: If you navigate away without saving, a prompt will ask if you want to save or discard your changes.
Customizing Reminder Notifications
STOQ supports follow-up reminder emails that are sent after the initial back in stock alert. Each reminder has its own template that you can customize separately.
- Go to Back in stock alerts > Notifications.
- Select a different notification from the list (e.g., Back In Stock - Reminder Notification 1).
- Click Customize email in the Email template card.
- Edit the template using the same controls described above.
Reminder emails are only sent if the customer has not yet purchased the product and it is still in stock.
Known Limitations
Keep these points in mind when customizing your email templates.
- The From address can only be changed on a paid plan. Free plan stores use the default STOQ address.
- Email verification and DKIM authentication are required when using a custom From address.
- Custom HTML templates require a Standard plan. The checkbox is disabled on lower plans.
- Klaviyo and Shopify Flow integrations require a Standard plan.
- The live preview is not available when using Custom HTML templates, Klaviyo, or Shopify Flow.
- Test emails are only available with the STOQ provider and the Standard template.
- Each notification type (primary alert, reminders) has its own template. Changes to one do not affect the others.
- Social media icons only appear if at least one platform URL is provided.
- The "Powered by STOQ" watermark is controlled by a separate setting and cannot be removed on the free plan.
- Custom CSS in the email template is separate from the popup/button CSS customization.
Troubleshooting
If your email template is not working as expected, use this table to find a fix.
Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
From address field is disabled | Store is on the free plan | Upgrade to a paid STOQ plan to use a custom From address |
"Email verification required" banner appears | From address has not been verified | Click Verify email in the banner and follow the instructions |
"DKIM authentication required" banner appears | DKIM records not set up for the domain | Click Download records and add them to your DNS. See the on-screen instructions |
Content fields are disabled | Email provider is set to Klaviyo or Shopify Flow | Switch back to STOQ in Send emails through to edit content in STOQ |
Custom HTML checkbox is disabled | Store is not on the Standard plan | Upgrade to the Standard plan to use custom HTML templates |
No live preview showing | Using Custom HTML template, Klaviyo, or Shopify Flow | The live preview only works with the STOQ standard template. Send a test email instead |
Test email button not visible | Using a non-STOQ provider or Custom HTML | Switch to STOQ provider and Standard template to access the test email feature |
Changes not appearing in emails | Changes were not saved | Click Save changes at the top of the page after editing |
Social icons not showing | No social media URLs entered | Enter at least one platform URL in the Social links section |
FAQs
Q: Can I use different email templates for different products?
A: No. The email template applies to all back in stock alert notifications globally. You cannot set a different template per product. However, the email content is personalized automatically using variables like {{product.title}} and {{product.price}}.
Q: How do I preview my email changes?
A: The live preview panel on the right side of the editor updates in real time as you make changes. For Custom HTML templates, send a test email to preview the result in your inbox.
Q: Can I send emails through Klaviyo instead of STOQ?
A: Yes. Go to the Send emails through section in the email template editor and select Klaviyo. You will need a Standard plan, a Klaviyo API key, and a configured Klaviyo flow. Follow the on-screen setup instructions.
Q: What is the difference between the Standard template and Custom HTML?
A: The Standard template provides a visual editor with fields for subject, heading, description, button, and more. Custom HTML gives you full control by letting you write your own HTML code. Custom HTML requires a Standard plan and does not have a live preview.
Q: Do I need to customize reminder email templates separately?
A: Yes. Each notification in the sequence (primary alert, reminder 1, reminder 2, etc.) has its own email template. Changes to one template do not affect the others.
Q: How do I translate my email template into other languages?
A: Click the Languages link at the top of the editor sections (e.g., in the Email alerts or Content sections). This takes you to the translation page where you can add translations for each supported language.
Q: Can I add my own CSS to the email template?
A: Yes. Go to Colors & styles and scroll to the Custom CSS section. Click Selectors to see available CSS selectors, then add your own rules. Changes appear in the live preview immediately.
Q: Why is the "Use HTML template" checkbox disabled?
A: Custom HTML templates require a Standard plan. If you are on a lower plan, the checkbox will be disabled. Upgrade your plan to unlock this feature.
Updated on: 05/03/2026
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