Shopify: How to Continue Selling When Out of Stock

By default, Shopify stops selling a tracked product once inventory hits zero. That protects you from overselling. But sometimes you want to keep taking orders: during a restock, for made-to-order items, or for a pre-order launch. That is what the "Continue selling when out of stock" setting is for.

How to turn it on

1. In Shopify admin, go to Products and open the product.
2. If the product has variants, open the variant you want to change.
3. In the inventory section, make sure Inventory tracked is turned on. The continue-selling option is not available without tracking.
4. Check Continue selling when out of stock.
5. Click Save.

Repeat for each variant that should keep selling. If you need to change many products at once, Shopify's bulk editor or a product CSV import can save time; test on a few products first.

What happens next

Once stock reaches zero, the product stays purchasable. Inventory goes negative as orders come in, so you can see how many units you owe. When new stock arrives, adding it brings the count back up and those backorders can be fulfilled.

When to use it

• Restocks with a confirmed date. You know a shipment lands in two weeks.
• Made-to-order or print-on-demand products. Inventory counts are not meaningful.
• Pre-orders for a launch. Combine with clear messaging, or use a pre-order app (see Shopify pre-order apps).
• Dropship items where your supplier holds stock, though dropshipping apps often manage inventory sync themselves.

When not to use it

• You have no idea when stock returns.
• The product is discontinued.
• Your supplier's lead times are unreliable.

In those cases a back-in-stock alert is a better choice. It captures demand without taking money for something you might never deliver.

Gotchas to know about

Multiple locations

If you have several locations, a product can still appear out of stock online when stock exists only at a location that does not fulfill online orders. Shopify's help center notes that you need stock at a location that fulfills online orders. Check Settings > Locations to confirm which locations fulfill online orders.

Dropshipping app locations

If an app location shows stock but the product still looks out of stock, the app location may be missing shipping rates. Shopify mentions this as a common cause.

POS behavior

The setting does not apply the same way to in-person sales. Shopify POS lets staff sell past zero but warns them first.

Theme labels

Many themes still show "Add to cart" even when the item is backordered. Customers will assume it ships right away. That leads to complaints.

Tell customers what to expect

Turning on the setting is the easy part. Communication is what keeps reviews positive.

• Add a line to the product page: "Back in stock soon. Orders ship the week of April 14."
• Consider a pre-order or backorder app that changes the button text and adds the date to the cart and confirmation email.
• Email backorder customers with an update before they have to ask.
• If dates slip, offer a refund option without making people chase it.

A simple workflow

1. Turn on the setting only for the variants with a confirmed restock.
2. Update product page messaging with an expected ship date.
3. Tag backorders, either manually or with an automation, so your team can find them.
4. When stock arrives, fulfill tagged orders first.
5. Turn the setting off again if you do not want to oversell the next time stock runs out.

Selling out of stock items is a useful tool. Used carelessly, it creates angry customers. Used with clear dates and updates, it keeps sales coming during the moments you most need them. For more on handling the support side, read ecommerce customer service.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I see the Continue selling when out of stock option?

The option only appears when inventory tracking is turned on for that product or variant.

Does the setting work in Shopify POS?

Not in the same way. Shopify notes it does not apply to POS orders; staff can sell past zero but POS shows a warning first.

My product shows out of stock even though another location has inventory. Why?

With multiple locations, stock has to be available at a location that fulfills online orders. Add inventory to that location or adjust which locations fulfill online orders.

Sources and further reading

• help.shopify.com/en/manual/inventory-and-locations/setup/selling-when-out-of-stock

Platform features, prices and policies change. Check the official help pages linked above before you act on a detail that matters to your store.