How to set minimum threshold for sending alerts
STOQ can send back in stock alerts automatically when a product is restocked. By default, alerts go out as soon as even one unit becomes available. You can set a minimum restock quantity threshold so alerts are only sent when a meaningful amount of inventory is available. This helps prevent customers from receiving alerts for products that sell out again almost immediately.
Why Set a Minimum Threshold
A minimum threshold gives you more control over when customers are notified about restocked products.
- Reduce overselling risk. Waiting until you have significant stock before notifying customers gives everyone a fair chance to purchase.
- Improve customer experience. Customers who click a back-in-stock alert and find the product available are more likely to complete the purchase and trust future alerts.
- Handle returns gracefully. A single returned item restoring inventory to 1 unit will not trigger a flood of alerts when your threshold is set higher.
Note: The minimum restock quantity feature is available on all STOQ plans, including the free plan.
Prerequisites
Before setting a minimum threshold, make sure the following are in place.
- The STOQ app is installed and active on your Shopify store.
- Send Automatic Notification is toggled on in the Notifications tab. The threshold field is only editable when automatic alerts are enabled.
How to Set the Minimum Restock Quantity
Follow these steps to configure the minimum threshold 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.
- In the Notification sequence section, select the first notification (Send Automatic Notification).
- Make sure the Send Automatic Notification toggle is turned on.
- In the Settings section below the toggle, find the Minimum restock quantity field.
- Enter the minimum number of units that must be in stock before alerts are sent. The default value is 1.
- Click the Save button next to the field.
How the Minimum Threshold Works
Once you save a minimum restock quantity, STOQ checks inventory levels before sending any automatic back in stock alert.
- When a product is restocked, STOQ compares the available inventory quantity against your minimum threshold.
- If the inventory is greater than or equal to the threshold, alerts are sent to customers who signed up.
- If the inventory is below the threshold, no alerts are sent. STOQ marks the restock event as completed without notifying anyone.
Example
Minimum restock quantity | Units restocked | Alerts sent? |
|---|---|---|
1 (default) | 1 | Yes |
10 | 3 | No |
10 | 10 | Yes |
10 | 50 | Yes |
5 | 1 (return) | No |
Tip: Set the threshold based on your typical demand. If a product usually gets 200 signups, setting the threshold to 20 or more ensures you have enough stock to satisfy at least some customers before alerts go out.
Manual Sends Bypass the Threshold
If you manually send alerts from the STOQ dashboard (using the bulk send or resend feature), the minimum threshold is bypassed. Manual sends always go through regardless of the current inventory level. The threshold only applies to automatic notifications triggered by restocks.
How It Works with Other Features
The minimum threshold interacts with several other STOQ features.
Batched Delivery
If you have batched delivery enabled, the minimum threshold check still applies. Alerts are only batched and sent if the restocked quantity meets the threshold first. If the threshold is not met, no batch is created.
Location-Based Alerts
If you use location-based alerts to monitor specific warehouse locations, STOQ checks inventory at those selected locations against the threshold. Only inventory at the locations you have selected counts toward meeting the minimum.
Reminder Notifications
The minimum threshold applies to the initial automatic notification. Follow-up reminder notifications are sent based on their own schedule and conditions (e.g., customer has not purchased, product still in stock). The threshold is also checked when reminders are triggered by a new restock event.
Known Limitations
Keep these points in mind when using the minimum restock quantity threshold.
- The threshold is a global setting. It applies to all products equally. You cannot set different thresholds for different products.
- The value must be greater than 0. Entering 0 or a negative number will show an error: "Quantity must be greater than 0."
- The threshold applies only to automatic alerts. Manual and bulk sends from the dashboard bypass it.
- The threshold checks the total available inventory (or inventory at selected locations if location-based alerts are enabled), not the number of new units added.
- The setting applies to both email and SMS back in stock alerts.
- Changes take effect immediately after clicking Save and apply to the next restock event.
Troubleshooting
If the minimum threshold is not working as expected, use this table to find a fix.
Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
Minimum restock quantity field is disabled | Automatic alerts are turned off | Toggle Send Automatic Notification on in the Notifications tab |
"Quantity must be greater than 0" error appears | Value entered is 0 or negative | Enter a whole number of 1 or higher |
Alerts sent even though stock is below threshold | Alerts were sent manually from the dashboard | Manual sends bypass the threshold. Only automatic alerts respect the minimum |
Alerts not sent even though stock exceeds threshold | Automatic alerts may be disabled, or email/SMS channels are off | Check that Send Automatic Notification is on and at least one channel (email or SMS) is enabled in the Status section |
Threshold seems ignored for a specific product | A return or small restock brought inventory just to the threshold level | Verify the actual inventory count in Shopify. Alerts send when inventory is greater than or equal to the threshold |
Setting did not save | The Save button next to the field was not clicked | After changing the number, click the Save button directly next to the field |
FAQs
Q: What is the default minimum restock quantity?
A: The default value is 1. This means alerts are sent as soon as even a single unit becomes available. You can increase this number at any time.
Q: Can I set different thresholds for different products?
A: No. The minimum restock quantity is a global setting that applies to all products in your store. There is no way to set a per-product threshold at this time.
Q: Does the threshold apply to SMS alerts as well?
A: Yes. The minimum restock quantity threshold applies to both email and SMS back in stock alerts. If the threshold is not met, neither email nor SMS alerts are sent.
Q: What happens if I set the threshold very high?
A: If you set the threshold higher than your typical restock quantity, alerts will never be sent automatically. For example, if you usually restock 10 units but set the threshold to 50, no automatic alerts will go out. You can still send alerts manually from the dashboard.
Q: Does a product return count toward the threshold?
A: Yes. If a return brings the available inventory to or above the threshold, automatic alerts will be triggered. This is one of the main reasons to set the threshold higher than 1 — to avoid sending alerts for single returns.
Q: Do I need a paid plan to use this feature?
A: No. The minimum restock quantity feature is available on all STOQ plans, including the free plan.
Q: Will manual sends from the dashboard still work if stock is below the threshold?
A: Yes. Manually sending alerts from the STOQ dashboard bypasses the minimum threshold check. Only automatic notifications triggered by a restock event are affected by the threshold.
Q: Does the threshold work with location-based alerts?
A: Yes. When location-based alerts are enabled, STOQ checks inventory only at your selected locations. The available quantity at those locations must meet the threshold for alerts to be sent.
Updated on: 03/03/2026
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