Configure MSI backorders

This content is new and in-progress for MSI and includes content for "in development" and 1.0.0 Beta features. Information may change depending on development.

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Backorders allow your store to continue selling products after the quantity reaches zero, or is effectively out of stock. When a customer order is a backorder, the funds are authorized and captured immediately, the processing status of the order does not change, and the shipping remains on-hold until stock is available.

Depending on your store and sales, you may want to enable backorders globally for all products or only on specific products.

• Backorders settings and thresholds
• Configure backorders globally
• Configure backorders per product

Backorder settings and thresholds

We recommend configuring specific thresholds and settings to best support backorders.

Out of Stock thresholds

In Beta 1.0.0: When you enable backorders globally or for a product, the Out-of-Stock Threshold amount is ignored. The inventory quantity is considered unlimited or infinite. If you disable backorders, we recommend entering a positive amount.

In current development: When enabling backorders globally or per product, enter a negative amount (not positive or zero) for the Out-of-Stock Threshold. This value sets the maximum amount of products that can be backordered before the product is truly considered out of stock.

MSI adds this amount to the salable inventory. The value set at the product level overrides any value at the global level. For example, you may set the following amounts for a product:

• Quantity: 25
• Notify for Quantity Below: 5
• Out of Stock Threshold: -50

The Salable Quantity for this product is 70 (25 - 5 + 50). When customers purchase over 20 products, new orders enter as backorders. When the amount reaches 0, they have fully purchased all products and backorders, placing the product "out of stock."

Products in stock

Products must be set to In Stock status when enabling backorders. You can set this through the Product page. For Multi Source merchants, you must have at least one source marked as In Stock.

Configure backorders globally

To enable backorders globally for all inventory in your store:

1. On the Admin sidebar, tap Stores. Then under Settings, choose Configuration.

2. Select Default Config for the Store View.

3. Tap Catalog. Then choose Catalog and Inventory.

4. Under Product Stock Options, locate Backorders. Uncheck the Use Default checkbox and select an option from the drop-down menu:

   • No Backorders - Disables backorders for the entire store
   • Allow Qty Below 0 - Allows for orders when the product quantity falls below zero
   • Allow Qty Below 0 and Notify Customer - Allows for backorders and notifies the customer the order is a backorder

5. Under Product Stock Options, locate Out-of-Stock Threshold. Click off the Use Default checkbox to enter a specific amount:

   • If you have backorders disabled, enter a positive amount over 0. For example, enter 2 to send a notification when the quantity reaches 2 or below, requiring additional stock to continue sales.
   • 1.0.0 Beta: If you have backorders enabled, this value is ignored and quantity is considered infinite. You can set this to zero or a positive number.
   • In Development: If you have backorders enabled, enter a negative number under 0. For example, enter -50 to allow orders up to this amount. The value is added to the Salable Quantity.

6. Tap Save Config.

Configure backorders per product

You may want to enable backorders at the product level for the following:

• Globally disable backorders with specific products enabled for backorders
• Override global backorder thresholds for specific products

To enable backorders per product:

1. On the Admin sidebar, tap Catalog. Then, choose Products.

2. Select a product to edit. Scroll down the page to the Sources area.

3. Tap Advanced Inventory. A page of product specific configurations displays. Any setting listed as global displays the current global setting for the store.

4. Uncheck the Use Default checkbox and select an option from the drop-down menu:

   • No Backorders - Disables backorders for the entire store
   • Allow Qty Below 0 - Allows for orders when the product quantity falls below zero
   • Allow Qty Below 0 and Notify Customer - Allows for backorders and notifies the customer the order is a backorder

   Backorders Setting Enabled

5. Under Product Stock Options, locate Out-of-Stock Threshold. Click off the Use Default checkbox to enter a specific amount:

   • If you have backorders disabled, enter a positive amount over 0. For example, enter 2 to send a notification when the quantity reaches 2 or below, requiring additional stock to continue sales.
   • 1.0.0 Beta: If you have backorders enabled, this value is ignored and quantity is considered infinite. You can set this to zero or a positive number.
   • In Development: If you have backorders enabled, enter a negative number under 0. For example, enter -50 to allow orders up to this amount. The value is added to the Salable Quantity.

6. Tap Done then tap Save.