Separate orders for mixed carts
Use this guide if a mixed order (preorder items and in-stock items together) needs to become two separate orders, so the in-stock items ship right away without waiting on the preorder. By the end, the in-stock items stay in the original order and the preorder items move into a new order created after checkout.
Before you begin
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Paid plan | Available on Lite and above |
| Order-editing permission | STOQ asks for permission to edit orders when you enable it |
| Purchase option off | Required. This disables deposits, partial payments, and fulfillment order splitting |
| Mutually exclusive | Turning this on turns off Split fulfillments and Hold all fulfillments, if either is on |
What customers will see
When a customer orders preorder and in-stock items together:
- The in-stock items stay in the original order and can be fulfilled immediately.
- The preorder items move into a new order, grouped by their preorder offer, named after the original with a
-SPLITsuffix (for example,#1001-SPLIT), or a sequential number if you enabled it. - The new order shows your payment method label (for example, Prepaid). No charge happens on it; the customer already paid on the original order.
Set it up
Open the Shipping section
- In the left menu bar of the STOQ app, click Preorders.
- Click the Offers tab.
- Click the offer you'd like to edit. Its Overview tab opens, showing the Customize button, a live preview, and the offer's Products section.
- Click the Customize button to open the editor.
- In the sidebar, click Shipping, then scroll to Fulfillment options.
Enable Move preorder items to a separate order
Check Move preorder items to a separate order. STOQ asks for permission to edit orders, grant it to continue.
Confirm in the dialog
A confirmation explains that enabling this turns off the Shopify purchase option and disables partial payments, deposits, and fulfillment order splitting. Confirm to proceed.
Configure the new split order
Optionally set:
- Use sequential order number: give split orders a new number instead of the original name with a
-SPLITsuffix. - Hold fulfillments on split orders: automatically hold the new order's fulfillments until you're ready.
- Tag on new split orders: default
STOQ-split-order. - Split order payment method label: default
Prepaid. This is only a label; no money moves, because the customer already paid on the original order.
Configure the original order tags
Optionally set a Tag on original order (stays permanently to mark it was split) and a Tag while order is split (added temporarily during the split, then removed automatically).
Save
Click Save. The setting applies to orders placed afterward.
Check your setup
Place a test order with an in-stock item and a preorder item. Confirm the in-stock item stays in the original order and a new -SPLIT order is created for the preorder item, with your tags applied. Use a 100% discount code or Bogus Gateway to avoid a real charge.
Troubleshooting
Deposits or partial payments stopped working
Separate orders requires the Shopify purchase option to be off, which disables them. Turn off Separate orders, or use Split fulfillments instead if you need deposits.
Split fulfillments or Hold all fulfillments turned off on its own
These settings are mutually exclusive with Separate orders. Enabling Separate orders automatically turns the others off.
Enabling the setting doesn't seem to take effect
STOQ needs permission to edit orders to create the split order. Grant the permission when prompted, or re-enable the setting to trigger the prompt again.
Limitations
This is an experimental feature. Test it with a real order before relying on it in production.
FAQ
Does money move to the new order?
No. The customer pays on the original order. The new split order shows a payment method label (default Prepaid) but no charge is taken on it.
Can I still take a deposit?
No. Separate orders requires the Shopify purchase option to be off, which disables deposits and partial payments. If you need deposits, use Split fulfillments instead.
What is the new order named?
The original order name with a -SPLIT suffix (for example, #1001-SPLIT), or a sequential order number if you enable that option.
How is this different from Split fulfillments?
Split fulfillments keeps everything in one order (and keeps deposits). Separate orders creates a new order for the preorder items and disables deposits.
Does the customer see two orders?
A new split order is created for the preorder items, but the customer already paid on the original order, no extra charge is taken on the split order.
Does this affect orders placed before I enabled it?
No. Separate orders applies to orders placed after you turn it on.
Can I separate a preorder out of an order that's already been placed?
No. STOQ can't retroactively split an order that already exists. Separate orders (and Split fulfillments) only change how new orders are handled going forward. For an order that's already placed, ship the in-stock items now by fulfilling just those line items in Shopify, and fulfill the preorder item later.
