Shopify has a setting that lets customers keep buying a product after its stock reaches zero. Used on the right products it saves sales, and used on the wrong ones it creates orders you cannot ship. This guide covers what the setting does and when to use it.
What the setting does
By default, a tracked product stops selling when it is out of stock: once inventory reaches zero, customers cannot add it to their cart. Continue selling when out of stock removes that stop for the product or variant you set it on.
- Off (default): Customers cannot add a zero-stock item to their cart
- On: Customers can buy the item after inventory reaches zero
- Requires tracking: You can only choose it when inventory tracking is on for that product or variant
When Shopify suggests using it
Shopify's help center gives a short list of cases. In each one you know more stock is coming, or you never held stock in the first place.
- ✅ Products you can restock quickly
- ✅ Pre-orders for upcoming products
- ✅ Made-to-order items you produce after the order arrives
- ✅ Stock that is coming soon and you want to sell before it arrives
- ✅ Products where you sell first and order supplies later
When to leave it off
Shopify does not list cases to avoid, so this part is plain judgment. The setting takes orders with no limit, so the question is whether you can fill them.
- ❌ Products with a long or uncertain supplier lead time
- ❌ Discontinued or limited-run products you cannot get again
- ❌ Products where a late delivery leads to refunds or disputes
- ❌ Any product where you would not want to email the customer about a delay
If you turn it on, say so on the product page. A clear shipping estimate sets the right expectation before the order is placed.
How to turn it on
The setting lives in the Inventory section of the product, or of the variant if the product has variants.
- Open the product: Go to Products, click the product, and click the variant if there is one.
- Find the option: In the Inventory section, click Sell when out of stock.
- Select it: Choose Continue selling when out of stock.
- Save: Click Save.
It is set per variant. To change many at once, Shopify's bulk editor has a Continue selling when out of stock column.
Things to know before you rely on it
A few details in Shopify's help center change how the setting behaves in practice.
- Shopify POS: The option does not apply to POS orders. Staff can keep selling at zero and below, and POS warns them before they sell an item that is not available.
- Several locations: A product can show as out of stock online when the location that fulfills online orders is at zero, even if another location has stock.
- Fulfillment: Shopify recommends manual fulfillment if you sell pre-orders or sometimes run out of stock.
Shopify's own notes are on its selling when out of stock page.
Doing this at scale
Overselling is a workaround for running out. To run out less often, see how to calculate a reorder point. StockSense forecasts per-SKU demand from your order history, recommends a reorder point, quantity and date, and drafts purchase orders grouped by supplier. See StockSense.