How to send back in stock notifications manually

Sending back-in-stock notifications manually lets you control exactly when customers hear about restocked products instead of relying solely on automatic alerts. Use the Reports section in STOQ to send notifications in bulk, by channel, or one customer at a time. Manual sending is ideal when you want to stagger alerts, notify a specific number of customers, or choose the exact moment shoppers are alerted.

Before You Begin

Make sure the following requirements are met before you send notifications manually:

• STOQ is installed and enabled on your Shopify store with the app embed turned on.
• At least one notification channel is active (email, SMS, or push) under Back in stock alerts > Settings > Channels.
• Customers have signed up for back-in-stock alerts on one or more products. You need existing sign-ups (requests) before you can send notifications.
• Your email or SMS provider is configured correctly. If you use Klaviyo for email or SMS, make sure the integration is connected and the flow or template is set up.
• If GDPR opt-in is enabled, customers must have confirmed their registration before they can receive a notification.

${color}[#000000](How to Send Notifications Manually from the Reports Overview

)

The Reports overview lists every sign-up across all products. From here you can send notifications in bulk or individually.

Step 1 -- Open the Reports Page

1. In your Shopify admin, open the STOQ app.
2. Click Reports in the left-hand navigation menu.
3. You will land on the Current waitlist tab, which shows all unsent requests.

Step 2 -- Filter the List (Optional)

Narrow down the requests you want to notify before sending. The following filters are available:

Step 3 -- Send Notifications in Bulk

1. After applying any filters, look at the top-right area of the list. You will see the total number of sign-ups and a Send notifications button.
2. Click Send notifications to send to all matching requests across every active channel.
3. A confirmation dialog asks "Are you sure you want to send?" -- click OK to proceed.
4. A green "Notifications queued" banner appears. Click Track progress to monitor delivery in More > Track sending progress.

To send only via a specific channel:

1. Click the dropdown arrow next to the Send notifications button.
2. Select Send email or Send SMS.
3. Confirm when prompted.

Step 4 -- Send a Single Notification

Each row in the list has its own Send button on the right side.

1. Find the customer you want to notify.
2. Click Send in that row.
3. STOQ sends the notification immediately and displays a "Notification sent" toast message at the bottom of the screen.

How to Send Notifications from a Product or Variant Page

For more precise control, you can send notifications for a specific product or variant.

Step 1 -- Open the Product Notification Page

1. Go to Reports in the STOQ navigation menu.
2. Switch to the Products tab.
3. Click on a product name to open its notification detail page, or click on a specific variant.

You will see three tabs: Current waitlist, Notifications sent, and Orders.

Step 2 -- Send All or a Specific Number of Notifications

1. On the Current waitlist tab, click the Send notifications button in the status bar.
2. If the product is out of stock, a confirmation dialog warns: "Are you sure you want to notify customers? This product is out of stock." Click OK to continue.
3. A modal opens with the title "Send notifications for [Product Name]" and shows:

• The total number of requests available to notify in the selected date range.
• Send all -- sends notifications to every waiting customer.
• Send a specific set of notifications -- lets you enter the exact number of notifications to send.

4. Choose your option, then click Send.
5. A "Request processed" toast confirms the notifications are being sent.

To send only email or SMS:

1. Click the dropdown arrow next to Send notifications.
2. Select Send email or Send SMS.
3. Complete the modal as described above.

Step 3 -- Send a Single Notification from the Product Page

Just like the Reports overview, each row on the product notification page has a Send button. Click it to notify that one customer immediately.

Advanced Tips

These tips help you get more out of manual notification sending.

• Stagger sends by limiting the number. On a product page, use the "Send a specific set of notifications" option to notify a small batch first. Monitor orders, then send the next batch. This is helpful when inventory is limited.
• Filter by channel before sending. If you only want to notify email subscribers (and skip SMS), use the channel-specific option in the dropdown instead of the main send button.
• Check inventory before sending. The product notification page shows the number of units available and variants in stock. Sending notifications for an out-of-stock product is allowed but triggers a warning.
• Track sending progress. After a bulk send, click Track progress in the success banner or navigate to More > Track sending progress to monitor how many notifications have been delivered.
• Use date filters to target recent sign-ups. For example, filter to the last 7 days and send only to the newest sign-ups while you wait for more stock.
• Disable automatic alerts for a variant. On the variant notification page, go to More > Disable alerts to prevent STOQ from sending automatic restock notifications. You can still send manually whenever you choose.

Known Limitations

Be aware of the following limitations when sending notifications manually.

• Deleted products or variants cannot be notified. The Send button is disabled for requests linked to deleted products or variants. Transfer sign-ups to another product using the Transfer signups option under the More menu.
• GDPR opt-in blocks unconfirmed customers. If opt-in is enabled, unconfirmed requests cannot receive notifications until the customer confirms their registration.
• Channel availability is checked before sending. If a channel (email, SMS, or push) is not properly configured or has reached its sending limit, STOQ displays an error banner with the reason.
• Manual sends are labelled separately in history. Notifications sent manually appear with the source label "Manual send" or "Bulk send" in the notification history, distinct from "Auto restock" or "Flow automation".
• Bulk send on the Reports overview does not let you limit the number. The option to send a specific number of notifications is only available on the product or variant notification page.

Troubleshooting

Use the table below to resolve common issues when sending notifications manually.

FAQs

Q: What is the difference between automatic and manual notifications?

A: **Automatic notifications are sent by STOQ when a product is restocked (inventory increases). Manual notifications are triggered by you from the **Reports section at any time, regardless of inventory changes. Both types use the same email or SMS templates.

Q: Can I send notifications for an out-of-stock product?

A: Yes. STOQ allows manual sending even when inventory is zero. A confirmation dialog warns you that the product is out of stock, but you can proceed. This can be useful if you plan to restock soon and want customers to be ready.

Q: How do I send notifications to only email or only SMS subscribers?

A: Click the dropdown arrow next to the Send notifications button and select Send email or Send SMS. This filters the send to only the selected channel.

Q: Can I control how many notifications are sent at once?

A: Yes, but only from a product or variant notification page. Click **Send notifications, then select "Send a specific set of notifications" in the modal and enter the number you want to send. This option is not available on the main Reports overview.

Q: Where can I see whether a notification was delivered or opened?

A: On the Notifications sent tab, click the more actions dropdown on any row and select "Why was this sent?". This shows the full notification history including source, delivery status (Sent, Delivered, Opened, Clicked, Bounced), and timestamps.

Q: Why is the Send button greyed out for some customers?

A: The button is disabled when the product or variant has been deleted from Shopify, or when GDPR opt-in is required and the customer has not yet confirmed their registration. For deleted products, use More > Transfer signups to move requests to another product.

Q: Can I disable automatic alerts for a specific variant but still send manually?

A: Yes. On the variant notification page, go to More > Disable alerts. This prevents STOQ from sending automatic restock notifications for that variant. You can still click Send notifications to send manually whenever you choose.

Q: Does sending manually count toward my plan's notification limit?

A: Yes. Manual sends count toward your plan's notification quota the same way automatic sends do. Check your usage under Plans to see how many notifications you have remaining.

Updated on: 11/04/2026