How to Send Back-in-Stock Notifications When Any Variant Is Restocked

By default, STOQ sends a back-in-stock notification only when the exact variant a customer signed up for is restocked. For example, if a customer signs up for "Blue / Large", they receive an alert only when "Blue / Large" is back in stock. The "Notify when any product option is restocked" setting changes this behaviour so customers are notified when any variant of the product they signed up for is restocked. With this setting enabled, a customer who signed up for "Blue / Large" would also be notified if "Red / Medium" is restocked. This is useful for products where the specific variant may not matter to the customer's purchase decision.

Why Send Notifications When Any Variant Is Restocked

There are several reasons to enable this setting.

• Increase conversion for interchangeable variants. For products where variants differ only slightly (such as packaging size or bundle quantity), customers are often willing to purchase any available option. Notifying them when any variant is restocked increases the chance of a sale.
• Reduce missed sales opportunities. If a customer signs up for a specific variant that takes longer to restock, they may lose interest. Alerting them when a different variant becomes available keeps them engaged and gives them the option to purchase sooner.
• Simplify inventory recovery. When a product has many variants and restock schedules vary, this setting ensures customers are notified as soon as any option is available rather than waiting for their exact choice.
• Better for products where variants are less relevant. Some products have variants that do not significantly affect the customer experience, such as colour variations on a phone case or minor size differences. Customers may not have a strong preference and would happily purchase any restocked option.
• Apply selectively to specific products. You can enable this setting for all products or only for selected products, giving you control over which products use this broader notification behaviour.

How to Enable Notifications When Any Variant Is Restocked

Follow these steps to enable this setting.

1. Open the STOQ app in your Shopify admin.
2. Go to Back in stock alerts from the left menu.
3. Select the Settings tab.
4. Scroll to the Variant notification settings card (identified by the variant icon).
5. Click the card to expand it.
6. Select Notify customers when any product option is restocked.
7. Under "Select the products this setting applies to", choose one of the following:

• All products — applies the setting to every product in your store.
• Selected products only — applies the setting only to products you pick from the product picker.

8. If you chose Selected products only, click Add products and select the products this setting should apply to.
9. Click Save in the top save bar to apply the change.

How to Revert to Default Variant-Specific Notifications

If you want to go back to notifying customers only when their specific requested variant is restocked:

1. Open the STOQ app in your Shopify admin.
2. Go to Back in stock alerts > Settings.
3. Scroll to the Variant notification settings card and expand it.
4. Select Notify customers when their requested product option is restocked.
5. Click Save.

Customers will now only receive alerts when the exact variant they signed up for is back in stock.

How to Apply This Setting to Selected Products Only

You do not have to enable this for your entire catalogue. To apply it selectively:

1. Enable Notify customers when any product option is restocked (see steps above).
2. Under "Select the products this setting applies to", choose Selected products only.
3. Click Add products to open the Shopify product picker.
4. Select the products where you want any-variant notifications to apply.
5. Click Save.

Products not in the selected list will continue to use the default behaviour (notify only for the specific requested variant). You can add or remove products from the list at any time by returning to this setting.

Known Limitations

Keep these points in mind when using this feature.

• This setting requires a paid STOQ plan. On the free plan, the option is visible but disabled.
• The setting applies at the product level, not the variant level. You cannot configure this for individual variants within a product.
• When enabled for "All products", every product in your store uses any-variant notifications. Switch to "Selected products only" if you want more control.
• Customers are not informed that they may receive a notification for a different variant than the one they signed up for. The notification they receive will reference the restocked variant, not the variant they originally requested.
• This setting does not change how the signup popup works. Customers still select a specific variant when signing up. The setting only affects which restock events trigger the notification.
• Removing a product from the "Selected products only" list does not cancel existing signups. Those customers remain on the waitlist but will revert to variant-specific notification rules.

Troubleshooting

FAQs

Q: What is the default notification behaviour in STOQ?

A: By default, STOQ notifies customers only when the exact variant they signed up for is restocked. For example, if a customer signs up for "Size M / Blue", they receive a notification only when "Size M / Blue" is back in stock. The any-variant setting changes this so they would also be notified if "Size L / Red" or any other variant of the same product is restocked.

Q: Does this setting affect all notification channels (email and SMS)?

A: Yes. When enabled, the any-variant notification behaviour applies to both email and SMS alerts. The customer receives their notification through whichever channel they signed up for (email, SMS, or both).

Q: Can I enable this for some products and use variant-specific for others?

A: Yes. Select Selected products only when enabling the setting, then add only the products where you want any-variant notifications. All other products will continue to use variant-specific notifications.

Q: Does the notification email or SMS show the variant that was restocked or the variant the customer signed up for?

A: The notification references the restocked variant. If a customer signed up for "Blue / Large" but "Red / Medium" was restocked, the notification will reference "Red / Medium".

Q: Will customers be notified multiple times if multiple variants are restocked?

A: Once a customer receives a notification for the product (triggered by any variant being restocked), their signup is fulfilled. They will not receive additional notifications for subsequent variant restocks unless they sign up again.

Q: Does this work with delivery policy (batching)?

A: Yes. Any-variant notifications respect all other notification settings including delivery policy, batching, minimum restock quantity, and automatic alert toggles. The only change is which restock events qualify as a trigger for sending the notification.

Q: What happens if I switch from any-variant to variant-specific while customers are on the waitlist?

A: Existing signups remain on the waitlist. After switching, those customers will only be notified when the specific variant they signed up for is restocked. The change applies to future notification triggers, not to the signups themselves.

Q: Do I need a paid plan to use this feature?</summary>

A: Yes. The "Notify customers when any product option is restocked" option requires a paid STOQ plan. On the free plan, the option is visible but cannot be selected.

Updated on: 14/04/2026