---
title: "What changes when you switch a preorder setting"
description: "The side effects of switching a preorder offer's stock mode, product targeting, or purchase option, so you know what else changes before you save."
url: https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-setting-side-effects/
product: "Preorders"
section: "Build your offer / Inventory and limits"
last_updated: 2026-10-30
---

# What changes when you switch a preorder setting

> The side effects of switching a preorder offer's stock mode, product targeting, or purchase option, so you know what else changes before you save.

Some offer settings change more than the one thing you toggle. This page lists those knock-on effects so there are no surprises after you save. Each links to the full guide.

## At a glance

| If you change | What else changes |
|---|---|
| Stock mode to **in-stock** or **Always show 'Preorder'** | In-stock units start selling as preorders; inventory deduction resets to **At checkout** |
| Stock mode to **out-of-stock** | In-stock variants show **Add to cart**, not the Preorder button |
| Targeting to **All products** | The offer's discount, shipping text, and dates apply to every out-of-stock product store-wide |
| **Use without purchase option** (purchase option off) | Payment resets to full payment with no discount, and a Scheduled status becomes On hold |

## Switching the stock mode

The stock mode is the offer's **Inventory** setting, which decides when the Preorder button shows. See [Configure inventory settings](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-inventory-settings/).

- **To "Show 'Preorder' for in-stock products" or "Always show 'Preorder'"**: in-stock units now sell as preorders. With **Always**, every order for these products is a preorder whatever the stock level. Switching to either mode resets inventory deduction to **At checkout**, because both sell in-stock units, which Shopify deducts at checkout. Both modes are available only with the **Specific products** type.
- **To "Show 'Preorder' when product is out of stock"**: an in-stock variant shows the normal **Add to cart**, not the Preorder button. The button only appears once the variant's inventory is 0 or below and **Continue selling when out of stock** is on. This is the most common reason a variant "lost" its Preorder button after a stock-mode change.

## Switching the product targeting

Targeting is the offer's **Product type**: Specific products, Collection, Product tags, or All products. See [Add products to an offer](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/add-products-to-an-offer/).

- **To All products**: the offer now covers every out-of-stock product on your store, so its single discount, shipping text, and preorder dates apply store-wide. Collection and Product tags work the same way across their matched products. These targeting modes need a **paid plan** and only track out-of-stock variants.
- When you change targeting, STOQ asks what to do with **Continue selling** on the products being added or removed.
- Switching targeting **away from All products** clears any exclusions you had set.

## Turning off the Shopify purchase option

Selecting **Use without purchase option** (under **Customize** > **Advanced** > **Purchase option**) turns off the Shopify selling plan. A confirmation dialog warns you first, because two things reset:

- **Payment resets to full payment with no discount.** Deposits, partial payments, and the preorder discount all depend on the selling plan, so they're removed.
- **A Scheduled fulfillment status becomes On hold**, because Scheduled needs the purchase option. On hold then works through Shopify's fulfillment hold instead. See [Hold preorders without the purchase option](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/auto-hold-fulfillments-without-purchase-option/).

## Reaching a quantity limit

Not a setting you switch, but the same kind of automatic side effect: when a variant sells through its per-variant **Limit**, STOQ turns off **Continue selling when out of stock** for it, so it stops taking preorders. Raise or clear the limit and re-enable Continue selling to reopen it. See [Set preorder quantity limits](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/set-preorder-quantity-limits/).

## FAQ

### Why did my At fulfillment deduction switch back to At checkout?

You changed the stock mode to in-stock or Always. Both sell in-stock units, which Shopify always deducts at checkout, so At fulfillment isn't available for them. Switch back to the out-of-stock mode if you need At fulfillment.

### Why did my discount disappear after I changed a setting?

You most likely turned off the Shopify purchase option. The preorder discount, deposits, and partial payments all rely on the selling plan, so turning it off resets payment to full price. Turn the purchase option back on to restore them.

### Do these changes affect orders already placed?

No. Switching a setting only changes what happens for new orders. Orders already placed keep their original terms.

## Related guides

- [Configure inventory settings](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-inventory-settings/): The stock modes and inventory deduction timing in full.
- [Add products to an offer](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/add-products-to-an-offer/): Specific products, Collection, Product tags, and All products.
- [Hold preorders without the purchase option](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/auto-hold-fulfillments-without-purchase-option/): What changes when the selling plan is off, and how to hold fulfillments.
- [Set preorder quantity limits](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/set-preorder-quantity-limits/): How a reached limit turns off Continue selling automatically.