--- title: "Preorder button is disabled or won't add to cart" description: "What to check when the Preorder button shows but is greyed out, or clicking it doesn't add the product or shows a sold-out error." url: https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-button-disabled-or-cart-error/ product: "Preorders" section: "Storefront & display" last_updated: 2026-10-07 --- # Preorder button is disabled or won't add to cart > What to check when the Preorder button shows but is greyed out, or clicking it doesn't add the product or shows a sold-out error. The Preorder button is on the product page, but it's greyed out and won't click, or it clicks and the product never lands in the cart, sometimes with a Shopify "Product is already sold out" message. Because the button is rendering, this is usually a setup or inventory-location issue rather than a display problem. Confirm the STOQ setup first, then check the Shopify shipping profile and locations. If the button isn't showing at all, or still says Add to cart, use [Fix Preorder button display problems](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/troubleshooting-preorder-button-display/) instead. ## Before you begin Open the product page on your live storefront, ideally in an incognito window, and note exactly what happens: - The Preorder button is **greyed out or disabled** and won't click. - The button clicks but **nothing is added to the cart**. - Shopify shows **"Product is already sold out"** after you click. All three usually trace to one of two things: the STOQ preorder setup for the affected variant, or a mismatch between the product's inventory locations and its Shopify shipping profile. Work through them in that order. ## 1. Confirm the STOQ preorder setup Rule these out first, on the **affected variant**. These are the same checks as the [button display guide](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/troubleshooting-preorder-button-display/), applied to a button that shows but doesn't work. - The variant is in the correct preorder offer, and the offer's status is **Enabled**. See [Add products to an offer](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/add-products-to-an-offer/). - The variant's inventory matches the offer's rule: for an out-of-stock preorder the inventory must be **0 or below**, for an in-stock preorder it must be **1 or above**. See [Preorder inventory settings](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-inventory-settings/). - Shopify's **Continue selling when out of stock** is on for the variant, so Shopify doesn't treat it as sold out. STOQ flags this in the **Status** column of the Products tab and can fix it for you. - The STOQ app embed is on. The button and its add-to-cart behavior both run through the embed. - The shopper's **market** is enabled for the offer. If the variant isn't covered by a preorder plan in the shopper's region, STOQ disables the button for them. See [Sell preorders in multiple markets](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-markets/). If every check passes and the button is still disabled or the product won't add, the cause is almost always on the Shopify side, in the product's shipping profile and locations. ## 2. Check the product's shipping profile A product can only be bought if it's stocked at a location that its shipping profile ships from. When those don't line up, Shopify refuses the add to cart, often as a sold-out error, even though the Preorder button itself is set up correctly. 1. **Open the shipping profile** 1. In your Shopify admin, click **Settings**. 2. Click **Shipping and delivery**. 3. Under **Shipping**, find the shipping profile that covers the affected product (the **General shipping rates** profile, or a custom one) and open it. 2. **Confirm the product is in the profile** In the profile, check that the affected product is listed. A product that sits in a different profile, or isn't in the one you expect, can't be bought the way you intend. 3. **Note the Ship from locations** In the same profile, look at the locations under **Ship from**. These are the locations Shopify fulfills this product from. Note them for the next step. ## 3. Match the product's locations to the profile 1. **Check where the variant is stocked** 1. In your Shopify admin, click **Products** and open the affected product. 2. In the **Inventory** section, check which locations the variant is stocked at. 2. **Line the locations up** The variant has to be stocked at a location the shipping profile ships from. For example, if the profile ships from **Custom Location** but the variant is only stocked at **Store**, **Shop**, and **App** locations, they don't match and Shopify blocks the purchase. 3. **Fix the mismatch** Either add the variant's stocked location to the profile's **Ship from** list, or stock the variant at a location the profile already ships from. Click **Save**, then retry the product page. ## Verify it worked Reopen the product page on your live storefront in an incognito window, click **Preorder**, and confirm the item is added to the cart and you can reach checkout without a sold-out error. ## FAQ ### Why does Shopify show "Product is already sold out" when I click Preorder? Usually the variant's inventory location doesn't match the location used in its shipping profile, so Shopify won't let it be bought. Check the variant's assigned locations and make sure one of them is in the profile's Ship from list. Also confirm **Continue selling when out of stock** is on for the variant. ### Why is the Preorder button greyed out or disabled? The most common cause is the shopper's market: if the variant isn't covered by a preorder plan in their region, STOQ disables the button for them. Confirm the offer's **Markets** include that market. Also check the variant is actually in an **Enabled** offer, since a disabled or scheduled offer won't let it be ordered. ### Where do I check the product's shipping profile? In your Shopify admin, go to **Settings** > **Shipping and delivery**, then open the shipping profile assigned to the affected product. ### Does fixing this change orders I've already received? No. These settings only control whether new visitors can add the product on preorder. Changing them doesn't alter or reprocess orders that were already placed. ### I lined up the locations and it still won't add Reach support by clicking the purple chat icon at the bottom right of the STOQ app and choosing **Talk to a human**. Include your shop URL, the product URL, the affected variant, the offer name, and a screenshot or short video of what happens when you click Preorder. ## Related guides - [Fix Preorder button display problems](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/troubleshooting-preorder-button-display/): When the button is missing, still says Add to cart, or is in the wrong place. - [Preorder inventory settings](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-inventory-settings/): Set when the button shows based on stock level. - [Sell preorders in multiple markets](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-markets/): Control which regions can preorder an offer.