What do I do after I receive inventory for my preorders?

When customers place preorders, they are reserving products that are currently out of stock. Once your inventory arrives, the next step is to update your store and fulfill those preorder orders. STOQ does not automatically fulfill orders when inventory arrives. Instead, you should follow a simple workflow to ensure your customers receive their orders quickly and accurately. This guide explains what to do after your preorder inventory arrives.

Workflow After Receiving Inventory

After the inventory arrives, you should complete these steps in order:

1. Add or update inventory in Shopify.
2. Review your preorder orders.
3. Fulfill the orders.
4. Disable the preorder offer if needed.

Each step is explained in detail below.

Step 1: Update Inventory in Shopify

The first step is to add the newly received inventory to your Shopify store.

How to Update Inventory

1. Go to Shopify Admin.
2. Click Products.
3. Open the product that was sold on preorder.
4. Locate the Inventory section.
5. Enter the quantity of inventory you have received.
6. Click Save.

Once inventory is added, Shopify will recognize that the product is now available.

Step 2: Review Your Preorder Orders

Next, check all orders that were placed while the product was on preorder.

Finding Preorder Orders

1. Go to Shopify Admin.
2. Click Orders.
3. Filter orders using tags such as: preorder, STOQ , your custom preorder tags (if configured.

This helps you quickly identify orders that were placed before inventory arrived.

Step 3: Fulfill the Orders

After inventory is available, you can begin shipping orders to customers.

How to Fulfill Orders

1. Open an order in Shopify Orders.
2. Click Fulfill items.
3. Enter tracking information (optional).
4. Confirm the fulfillment.

Shopify will automatically notify the customer that their order has shipped.

Bulk Fulfillment

If you have many preorder orders:

• Use Shopify bulk fulfillment tools
• Or fulfill through your 3PL / shipping integration

This can save significant time when handling large preorder batches.

Step 4: Disable or Update the Preorder Offer

If inventory is now available for normal purchases, you may want to disable the preorder offer.

How to Disable a Preorder Offer

1. Open the STOQ app in Shopify.
2. Click Preorders.
3. Select the relevant Offer.
4. Click Pause or Disable the offer.

Once disabled, customers will see the normal Add to Cart experience instead of preorder messaging.

Optional: Keep Preorders Enabled

Some merchants continue accepting preorders even after receiving inventory.

You might do this if:

• inventory is expected to sell out quickly
• production runs are continuous
• you want to avoid stockouts entirely

In this case, you can simply increase the inventory or preorder limit.

Best Practices

Follow these recommendations to ensure a smooth preorder fulfillment process.

Fulfill Orders Quickly

Customers who preorder often wait weeks or months. Shipping quickly after inventory arrives builds trust and improves customer satisfaction.

Communicate With Customers

Consider sending an email update when inventory arrives, such as:

• "Your preorder is shipping soon"
• "Your item is now in stock"

This reassures customers that their order is being processed.

Fulfill in Order Sequence

Ship orders in the order they were placed whenever possible. This keeps the process fair and predictable.

Verify Inventory Counts

Before fulfilling orders, make sure your inventory quantity matches the number of preorders.

Common Scenarios

Inventory Received in Partial Shipments

Sometimes inventory arrives in multiple batches.

In this case:

• Fulfill the number of orders you can
• Leave the remaining orders unfulfilled until the next shipment arrives

Inventory Is Less Than Expected

If you received fewer units than expected:

• fulfill orders in order sequence
• contact affected customers
• provide an updated shipping timeline.

Troubleshooting

FAQs

Q : Does STOQ automatically fulfill orders when inventory arrives?

A : No. STOQ manages preorder messaging and order acceptance, but fulfillment is handled through Shopify or your shipping provider.

Q : Do I need to remove the preorder offer after inventory arrives?

A : Not necessarily. If you still expect future stock shortages or ongoing production, you can keep preorders enabled.

Q : Can I fulfill preorder orders in bulk?

A : Yes. Shopify allows bulk fulfillment through its admin panel or through fulfillment apps and 3PL integrations.

Q : Will customers be notified when their preorder ships?

A : Yes. Shopify automatically sends shipping confirmation emails when orders are fulfilled.

Updated on: 12/03/2026