Send back in stock alerts in batches with Delivery Policy

By default, STOQ sends back-in-stock alerts to all customers on the waitlist as soon as a product is restocked. This gives you the highest chance of converting signups into sales. However, if your product is in high demand or you have limited stock, you may want to notify customers in smaller groups rather than all at once. STOQ's batched delivery feature lets you send alerts in waves, giving the first group of customers a chance to purchase before the next group is notified. This is configured through the Batched delivery settings under Delivery settings on the Back in stock alerts page. You control the batch size using a Notification multiplier and the timing between waves using the Interval between batches setting. This feature requires a paid STOQ plan (Lite, Pro, or Unlimited).

Before You Begin

Make sure the following requirements are met before enabling batched delivery.

• A paid STOQ plan. Batched delivery is a paid feature. Free plans can only notify all customers at once.
• At least one active back-in-stock campaign set up in STOQ so alerts can be sent when products are restocked.
• Products with waitlist signups. Batching only applies when customers have signed up for restock notifications on out-of-stock products.

Why Send Alerts in Batches

• Manage limited stock fairly: When you restock a small quantity, notifying all waitlisted customers at once can lead to a rush where most customers miss out. Batching ensures the first group of signups gets a fair chance to buy before others are notified.
• Reduce overselling risk: By notifying customers in waves, you allow time for purchases to be completed and inventory to update before the next batch goes out. This reduces the risk of selling more units than you have in stock.
• Priorities early signups: Customers are notified in the order they signed up. Batching rewards early interest by giving the first signups priority access to restocked products.
• Control notification volume: For stores with large waitlists, sending all alerts at once can create a surge in traffic and orders. Batching spreads the load over a period of time.
• Avoid unnecessary notifications: If stock sells out after the first batch, remaining customers are not notified. This prevents alerting customers about a product that is already sold out again.

How Batching Works

When a product is restocked and batching is enabled, STOQ does not send alerts to the entire waitlist at once. Instead, it sends alerts in groups (batches) with a delay between each group.

Here is the general flow:

1. A product variant is restocked (inventory goes above zero).
2. STOQ calculates the batch size based on your chosen mode (multiplier or fixed).
3. The first batch of customers on the waitlist receives their restock alert.
4. STOQ waits for the interval you set (1, 2, or 3 hours).
5. The next batch is sent.
6. This repeats until all customers on the waitlist have been notified or the product goes out of stock again.

How to Enable Batched Delivery

Follow these steps to turn on batched delivery for your back-in-stock alerts.

Step 1 - Open Delivery Settings

1. In your Shopify admin, open the STOQ app.
2. Click Back in stock alerts in the left navigation menu.
3. Click the Settings tab.
4. Scroll to the Delivery settings section.
5. Find the card labeled Notify all customers at once (or Notify customers in batches when a product is restocked if already enabled) and click it to expand the settings.

Step 2 - Select "Notify Customers in Batches"

1. Inside the expanded card, select the radio button: Notify customers in batches when a product is restocked.
2. The help text reads: "Select this to send alerts in groups. This gives your first set of customers a chance to purchase the product before others."
3. Additional configuration options appear below.

Choose Your Batching Mode

After enabling batched delivery, choose how STOQ calculates the number of notifications per batch. Two modes are available.

Per Unit of Stock (Multiplier)

This mode scales the batch size based on the number of units restocked. It is selected by default.

• How it works: Batch size = Notification multiplier × units restocked.
• Example: If you set the multiplier to 10 and restock 5 units, STOQ sends 50 notifications (10 × 5) in each batch.
• Best for: Stores where restocked quantities vary. More stock means more customers are notified per batch.

To configure:

1. Select the Per unit of stock (multiplier) radio button.
2. In the Notification multiplier field, enter a number. The default is 100.
3. Choose the Interval between batches from the dropdown (1 hour, 2 hours, or 3 hours). The default is 1 hour.

Fixed Batch Size

This mode sends the same number of notifications per batch, regardless of how many units were restocked.

• How it works: Batch size = the exact number you set in the Notifications per batch field.
• Example: If you set the batch size to 50, STOQ sends exactly 50 notifications per batch, whether you restocked 1 unit or 100 units.
• Best for: Stores that want predictable, consistent batch sizes. Useful when you want tight control over how many customers are notified at a time.

To configure:

1. Select the Fixed batch size radio button.
2. In the Notifications per batch field, enter a number. The default is 100. The minimum is 1.
3. Choose the Interval between batches from the dropdown (1 hour, 2 hours, or 3 hours). The default is 1 hour.

Comparing the Two Modes

Use this table to decide which batching mode is right for your store.

Interval Between Batches

Both batching modes use the same Interval between batches dropdown. This controls how long STOQ waits between sending each batch.

Saving Your Settings

After configuring your batching mode and interval:

1. Click Save at the top of the page (or use the save bar that appears when you have unsaved changes).
2. Your delivery policy settings are applied to all future back-in-stock alerts.

How to Disable Batching

If you want to return to notifying all customers at once:

1. Go to Back in stock alerts → Settings → Delivery settings.
2. Expand the batching card.
3. Select the radio button: Notify all customers in waitlist when a product is restocked.
4. Click Save.

All future restock alerts will be sent to the entire waitlist immediately.

Real-World Examples

These examples show how each mode works in practice.

Example 1: Multiplier Mode with Limited Restock

• Multiplier: 10
• Units restocked: 3
• Waitlist size: 200 customers
• Interval: 1 hour

Result: Batch size = 10 × 3 = 30 per batch. STOQ sends 30 alerts, waits 1 hour, sends 30 more, and repeats until all 200 customers are notified (7 batches total over ~6 hours).

Example 2: Multiplier Mode with Large Restock

• Multiplier: 10
• Units restocked: 50
• Waitlist size: 200 customers
• Interval: 1 hour

Result: Batch size = 10 × 50 = 500 per batch. Since the waitlist only has 200 customers, everyone is notified in the first batch.

Example 3: Fixed Batch Size

• Fixed batch size: 50
• Units restocked: 3
• Waitlist size: 200 customers
• Interval: 2 hours

Result: STOQ sends 50 alerts, waits 2 hours, sends 50 more, and repeats until all 200 customers are notified (4 batches over ~6 hours). The batch size stays at 50 regardless of the 3 units restocked.

Known Limitations

Keep these constraints in mind when using batched delivery.

• Paid plan required. Batched delivery is not available on the free plan.
• Global setting. Batching applies to all products. You cannot enable batching for some products and disable it for others.
• Minimum batch size is 1. Even with a very low multiplier or restock quantity, STOQ always sends at least 1 notification per batch.
• Interval options are limited to 1 hour, 2 hours, or 3 hours. Custom intervals are not supported.
• Batching does not guarantee a purchase. Sending alerts in batches increases the chance that early customers can buy, but it does not hold or reserve inventory for them.
• If the product goes out of stock again before all batches are sent, the remaining customers on the waitlist may receive alerts for a product that is already sold out.

Troubleshooting

FAQs

Q: What is the default behavior if I do not enable batching?

A: By default, STOQ notifies all customers on the waitlist at once when a product is restocked. Every customer who signed up receives their alert immediately.

Q: Can I use different batching settings for different products?

A: No. Batching settings are global and apply to all back-in-stock alerts across your store. You cannot configure batching on a per-product basis.

Q: What happens if I change the batching mode while batches are being sent?

A: Changes take effect for future restocks. If a batching cycle is already in progress, the current cycle continues with the settings that were active when it started.

Q: Does the multiplier mode work if only 1 unit is restocked?

A: Yes. If the multiplier is 10 and 1 unit is restocked, the batch size is 10 × 1 = 10 notifications per batch. The minimum batch size is always at least 1, even if the calculation results in a number less than 1.

Q: Can I set a custom interval (e.g., 30 minutes or 4 hours)?

A: No. The interval between batches is limited to 1 hour, 2 hours, or 3 hours. Custom intervals are not currently supported.

Q: Does batching affect SMS alerts as well?

A: Yes. Batching applies to all notification types, including email and SMS alerts, if both are enabled for your store.

Q: Where can I see the batching status for an active restock?

A: In the Reports section of STOQ, you can view active intent triggers. When batching is enabled, a message reads: "Variant was recently restocked. Notifications are being sent in batches." This confirms that alerts are being delivered in groups.

Q: Is batching the same as Delivery Policy?

A: Yes. In STOQ, "Delivery Policy" refers to the settings that control how and when back-in-stock alerts are delivered — including batching. The batching options are part of the Delivery settings section.

Updated on: 11/04/2026