How to switch from another preorder or back in stock app to STOQ

Switching to STOQ from another Shopify app is straightforward. STOQ handles both back-in-stock alerts and preorders in a single app, with affordable pricing, 0% transaction fees, and 24/7 support. This guide walks you through the migration process so your customers continue receiving alerts without interruption.

Before You Begin

Review these points before starting the migration.

Make sure you have admin access to your Shopify store.
Export your data from your current app before uninstalling it. Most apps let you export customer signups as a CSV file. Do this first so you do not lose any data
STOQ offers a free plan and a free trial on paid plans, so you can test the setup before committing.
You do not need to uninstall your old app immediately. You can run both apps side by side during the transition to make sure everything works.

Step 1 - Install STOQ

Start by installing STOQ from the Shopify App Store.

Go to the Shopify App Store and search for STOQ.
Click Install to add STOQ to your Shopify store.
After installation, the STOQ app opens in your Shopify admin.

Step 2 - Choose a Plan

Pick the pricing plan that suits your business.

In the STOQ app, go to the Pricing page.
Review the available plans. All plans include both back-in-stock alerts and preorders with 0% transaction fees.
Click Subscribe on the plan you want.

Tip: STOQ offers a free trial on paid plans. You can test all features before being charged.

Step 3 - Enable the App Embed

The STOQ app embed must be enabled on your theme for the "Notify me" button and preorder widgets to appear on your storefront.

On the STOQ homepage, find the onboarding checklist.
Click Open Theme Editor on the "Enable app embed" step.
In the Theme Editor, make sure the STOQ app embed is toggled on.
Click Save in the Theme Editor.
Return to the STOQ app. A green checkmark appears once the embed is detected.

Note: If you are running both apps temporarily, disable the old app's embed or widget to avoid duplicate buttons on the same product page.

Step 4 - Complete the Onboarding Guide

STOQ includes a step-by-step onboarding checklist on the homepage. Follow it to set up the "Notify me" button, customize your branding, and test the alert flow. The onboarding covers both back-in-stock alerts and preorders.

Step 5 - Import Your Existing Signups

If you have customer signups from your old app, you can import them into STOQ so alerts continue without interruption.

Export your signups from your old app as a CSV file.
In the STOQ app, go to Reports and use the Import tab to upload your CSV.
STOQ walks you through a column mapping screen to match your CSV columns to the correct fields.

For a detailed guide on preparing your CSV and using the import tool, see the dedicated article: How to Import Customer Signups into STOQ.

Tip: If your CSV has errors, STOQ highlights the invalid rows and lets you download an error report to review and fix the issues before re-uploading.

Step 6 - Disable Your Old App

Once you have confirmed that STOQ is working correctly and your data has been imported, disable or uninstall your old app.

Go to Settings > Apps and sales channels in your Shopify admin.
Find your old preorder or back-in-stock app.
Click the app and select Uninstall (or disable its app embed in the Theme Editor if you want to keep it installed temporarily).
Verify that the STOQ "Notify me" button still appears correctly on your storefront.

Note: We recommend keeping both apps installed side by side for a few days to confirm everything works before uninstalling the old app.

Key Back-in-Stock Features in STOQ

Here is a quick reference of STOQ's top back-in-stock features.

Automatic notifications - send alerts automatically when products are restocked, with no manual effort required.
Email and SMS alerts - notify customers via email, SMS (through STOQ, Klaviyo, or Postscript), or both.
Location-specific alerts - send notifications only when specific inventory locations are restocked.
Reminder notifications - send follow-up alerts to customers who have not yet purchased after the initial notification.

Key Preorder Features in STOQ

Here is a quick reference of STOQ's top preorder features.

Flexible payment options - support pay now, pay later, and deposit-based preorders.
Shipping timeline - display estimated shipping dates or countdown timers on the product page so customers know when to expect delivery.
Fulfillment settings - choose between on hold (hold orders until ready to ship) and unfulfilled (split fulfillment for mixed orders).
0% transaction fees - keep 100% of your preorder revenue. Unlike other apps, STOQ does not take a cut of your sales.

Known Limitations

Keep these points in mind when switching to STOQ.

Historical notification data does not transfer. Only signups (waitlist registrations) can be imported. Past notification logs, conversion data, and analytics from your old app cannot be migrated.
Theme conflicts during transition. Running two back-in-stock or preorder apps simultaneously may cause duplicate "Notify me" buttons or preorder widgets. Disable the old app's embed before enabling STOQ's.
Preorder selling plans are app-specific. Shopify selling plans created by your old preorder app are tied to that app. You will need to create new preorder offers in STOQ and reassign products.
SMS carrier verification takes time. If you plan to use STOQ's built-in SMS provider, carrier verification is required and may take a few days.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
"Notify me" button does not appear after enabling the STOQ app embed	Make sure the old app's widget or embed is disabled. Check that the STOQ app embed is toggled on in Online Store > Themes > Customize > App embeds.
Duplicate "Notify me" buttons on the product page	Disable or uninstall the old app, or disable its theme embed in the Theme Editor. Only one back-in-stock widget should be active at a time.
CSV import fails with errors	Check that your CSV includes the required columns (Email or Phone, and SKU or Variant ID). Download the error report CSV from STOQ to review which rows failed.
Imported signups do not show in Reports	Imports are processed in the background. Wait a few minutes and refresh the Reports page. Large imports may take longer.
Old app's preorder selling plans still showing	Shopify selling plans are app-specific. Remove the old app's selling plans from the product in Shopify admin, then attach the STOQ selling plan through the STOQ preorder offer.

FAQs

Q: Can I run STOQ alongside my current app during the transition?

A: Yes. You can install STOQ and set it up while your old app is still active. We recommend running both apps for a few days to confirm STOQ is working correctly. Just make sure only one app's widget or embed is active on the storefront at a time to avoid duplicate buttons.

Q: Will I lose my existing customer signups when I switch?

A: No. Export your signups from your old app as a CSV file before uninstalling it, then import the CSV into STOQ. STOQ's column mapping tool helps you match your CSV columns to the correct fields.

Q: Does STOQ support both back-in-stock alerts and preorders?

A: Yes. STOQ is a single app that handles both back-in-stock alerts and preorders. You do not need separate apps for each feature. Both are included on all plans.

Q: Does STOQ charge transaction fees?

A: No. STOQ charges 0% transaction fees on all plans. You keep 100% of your preorder and back-in-stock revenue.

Q: How long does the migration typically take?

A: Most merchants complete the migration in under an hour. Installing STOQ, enabling the app embed, and completing onboarding takes a few minutes. Importing signups depends on the size of your CSV — small files import in seconds, while larger files may take a few minutes to process in the background.

Q: What integrations does STOQ support?

A: STOQ integrates with Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Omnisend, Shopify Flow, and the Shopify customers list. You can sync customer signup data, trigger automated workflows, and send notifications through third-party SMS providers like Klaviyo and Postscript.

Updated on: 23/04/2026

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