Preorder, Back In Stock ‑ Stoq Logo

Preorder, Back In Stock ‑ Stoq

A Data-Driven Review by GetEcomTools

This app provides an intuitive way to manage pre-orders and back-in-stock notifications, helping brands capture sales that might otherwise be lost and build a loyal customer waitlist.

Free / Paid from $10
Pre-order/Notify
Email & SMS Alerts
Custom Widgets

About Preorder, Back In Stock ‑ Stoq

Stoq provides a streamlined solution for managing product availability, turning stockouts into opportunities. Its core capabilities enable store owners to set up pre-orders and 'Notify Me' alerts with ease, helping to ca...

Rating

5/5

Reviews

1,741

Free Plan

Available

Updated

Aug 2025

Official Links:

The GetEcomTools Verdict: Our Data-Driven Analysis

Our Take:

"Stoq's exceptionally intuitive interface makes launching pre-order campaigns straightforward, but growing brands should be mindful of potential feature control limitations as they scale their operations."

Best for:

Brands in the launch or early growth phase looking for a simple, effective tool to validate demand and capture revenue from out-of-stock items, thereby building early customer loyalty.

Key Consideration

Complex, high-volume operations requiring deep, granular control over fulfillment logic and extensive data exports might find the app's streamlined approach a strategic mismatch.

Data-Driven Performance Snapshot

Overall Performance

Strong
Justification:

The platform's capabilities enable a remarkably straightforward user experience, from installation to daily operation. Its core design principles support rapid setup of pre-order and notification functions, allowing store owners to quickly implement revenue-capture strategies and enhance brand loyalty with minimal technical overhead, a conclusion supported by its high public rating of 5.0/5.0.

Justification:

Core design principles support a robust system for capturing customer demand through pre-orders and waitlists, empowering brands to validate products and secure future sales. While the primary functions are strong, strategic refinement could be achieved by enhancing data accessibility, as there are some limited feature controls around data exports that may impact advanced inventory planning.

Justification:

The tool's setup reveals a solid foundation for customizing widgets to match a store's branding, which helps create a seamless customer experience. However, a key consideration is the presence of limited feature controls for certain elements, such as widget placement, which may require manual intervention and hinder full self-service customization for merchants aiming for retail-ready storefronts.

Justification:

The system's design positions it to integrate well with standard Shopify themes and some third-party marketing tools like Klaviyo. A key consideration, however, involves specific integration gaps, particularly with B2B platforms and multi-language product name translations. Addressing these would unlock the app's full potential for brands scaling into more complex, international, or wholesale markets.

Pros & Cons: Key Findings From Our Analysis

Pros

Intuitive Design

The app's interface is consistently highlighted as being exceptionally easy to navigate and configure. As noted by some merchants, the setup process is straightforward, allowing store owners to deploy pre-order and back-in-stock functionalities in minutes, not hours. This accessibility is a significant strategic advantage, as it lowers the barrier to capturing otherwise lost revenue and empowers even non-technical founders to build a professional, loyalty-driving customer experience from day one.

Demand Insights

The platform provides more than just a notification system; it acts as a valuable tool for gauging product-market fit. By creating waitlists for out-of-stock or upcoming items, store owners can gather tangible data on customer interest, as a point raised by users. This capability is crucial for making informed decisions about production quantities and inventory investment, transforming the app into a strategic asset for crafting retail-ready product lines and minimizing financial risk.

Seamless Integration

The app is frequently praised for its smooth integration with the Shopify environment and popular marketing tools like Omnisend and Klaviyo. This technical harmony ensures that the pre-order and notification widgets feel like a native part of the storefront, rather than a disjointed add-on. For store owners, this means a more cohesive brand presentation and a frictionless path to enhancing customer communications, which is fundamental to building long-term brand equity and trust.

Cons

Limited Feature Controls

A point raised by users is a desire for more granular control over certain features without needing assistance. Examples include the inability to export pre-order data directly within the app or to self-adjust the 'Notify Me' button's location via the theme editor. This approach appears to prioritize simplicity, ensuring the app remains accessible for all users. However, for growing brands looking to fine-tune their operations, this can introduce minor workflow friction. Proactively plan your data export needs and leverage workarounds to ensure your analytics workflows remain scalable.

Pricing Model Friction

While the app offers a clear entry point, some merchants have raised concerns about the usage-based limits on lower-tier plans and the potential for unexpected plan changes. The current pricing model is well-suited for predictable, early-stage growth, but can create friction for businesses experiencing rapid or fluctuating demand. Brands anticipating high-volume periods should carefully model their costs to avoid surprises and ensure the plan they choose aligns with their scaling strategy. Regularly review your usage against your plan's limits to forecast potential upgrades and maintain cost-efficiency.


The Deep Dive: Full Analysis & Audited Data

Start

Free

Start

Usage & Quotas

10

/ month
Monthly Pre-orders

Upgrade plan for more

30

/ month
Monthly Emails

Upgrade plan for more

Unlimited

Waitlist Registrations

Key Features

  • Notify me, Preorder widget
  • Customize everything
  • Automatic restock alerts
  • 24*7 help

Lite

$10.00

/ monthly

Usage & Quotas

100

/ month
Monthly Pre-orders

1,000

/ month
Monthly Email/SMS Alerts

Upgrade plan for more

0

/ month
SMS Sending Cost

+ $0.03 / extra unit

Unlimited

Waitlist Registrations

Key Features

  • All features from 'Start'
  • Remove branding
  • Multi-language support
  • No transaction fee
  • Grow mailing list
  • Multi-location inventory

Standard

$29.00

/ monthly

Usage & Quotas

400

/ month
Monthly Pre-orders

3,000

/ month
Monthly Email/SMS Alerts

Upgrade plan for more

0

/ month
SMS Sending Cost

+ $0.03 / extra unit

Unlimited

Waitlist Registrations

Key Features

  • All features from 'Lite'
  • Branded SMS link
  • Batch delivery
  • API integration

Pro

$69.00

/ monthly

Usage & Quotas

1,000

/ month
Monthly Pre-orders

Unlimited

Monthly Email/SMS Alerts

0

/ month
SMS Sending Cost

+ $0.03 / extra unit

Unlimited

Waitlist Registrations

Key Features

  • All features from 'Standard'
  • No transaction fee
  • Live chat support

1.What is the Stoq app primarily used for?

The Stoq app enables you to capture sales from out-of-stock products by offering pre-orders and 'Notify Me' back-in-stock alerts. It provides a full suite of tools to manage customer waitlists and secure revenue, detailed in the list of features.

2.Is the Stoq app easy to set up for a new store owner?

Yes, Stoq is designed to be exceptionally user-friendly, with many merchants getting set up in minutes. The app's 5.0/5.0 rating from over 1,700 reviews reflects its straightforward configuration, which is a core part of its high score for ease of use.

3.How does Stoq help improve the customer experience?

Stoq enhances the customer experience by providing a seamless way for shoppers to engage with your products, even when they're sold out. Its widgets integrate smoothly into your store, creating a cohesive brand feel that is a key part of its seamless integration.

4.Is there a free plan available for Stoq?

Yes, Stoq offers a completely free plan perfect for new ventures, which includes core 'Notify Me' and Pre-order widgets, unlimited registrations, and 30 email alerts per month. This plan is designed to help you start capturing demand without any upfront cost, and you can see how it compares to paid tiers in the full pricing analysis.

5.What is the main benefit of upgrading to a paid Stoq plan?

Upgrading to a paid plan unlocks higher volume limits for pre-orders and email/SMS alerts, which is essential for growing stores. It also adds advanced capabilities like multi-language support, multi-location inventory, and the ability to remove app branding. The complete breakdown is available in the pricing analysis.

6.Does Stoq work with Klaviyo?

Yes, Stoq integrates directly with Klaviyo to sync your mailing lists. This connection allows you to build powerful, automated marketing flows based on customer interest in your out-of-stock products. This is one of the key audited features.

7.Can I use Stoq with Omnisend?

Yes, Stoq integrates well with Omnisend, allowing you to incorporate pre-order and restock notification data into your marketing stack. This compatibility helps create a cohesive tech stack and is part of its commitment to seamless integration.

8.How can I use Stoq to manage customer expectations for pre-orders?

You can effectively manage customer expectations by adding a custom disclaimer to your checkout page for pre-order items. This is achieved by editing your Shopify theme's language files to clearly communicate wait times. This and other strategies are covered in the merchant playbooks.

9.How can Stoq help me capture otherwise lost sales in 2025?

Stoq directly converts stockouts into sales opportunities by letting customers either pre-order immediately or sign up for a restock alert. This strategy captures high-intent customers who would otherwise leave your site, turning potential lost revenue into confirmed sales and valuable demand insights.

10.What is the best way to use Stoq to gauge demand for a new product?

The best way to gauge demand is to use the 'Notify Me' feature on a 'Coming Soon' product page before it launches. This builds a waitlist of interested customers, giving you real data on product-market fit. This is a core strength of the app, providing powerful demand insights to guide your inventory decisions.

11.How much technical help do I need to customize Stoq's widgets?

You need zero technical help for most customizations, as the app provides an intuitive interface to match widgets to your brand's colors and style. While the 24/7 support team is available for advanced requests, the app's powerful configuration & customization tools are designed for self-service.

12.How does Stoq handle customer data and GDPR compliance?

Stoq is built with data privacy as a priority and is fully GDPR compliant, including providing true double opt-in for email sign-ups. The app only accesses necessary customer information to manage waitlists and send notifications, ensuring your data handling is secure and transparent. This commitment is a core part of its seamless integration with the Shopify platform.

13.What are the best strategies for using partial payments for pre-orders in 2025?

The best strategy is to use partial payments or deposits to lower the barrier to commitment for high-ticket items, securing a sale without requiring full payment upfront. This feature builds your order book and cash flow early, and is one of the many options in the audited features.

14.How can my small store use Stoq's automated restock notifications effectively?

For a small store, the key is the 'set it and forget it' automation; once enabled, the app automatically notifies your waitlist the moment you update inventory. This ensures you never miss a chance to recover a sale. For best results, follow the tips in the merchant playbooks to avoid sending alerts prematurely during testing.

15.Can Stoq help me create a 'coming soon' page that builds hype?

Absolutely. You can use Stoq's 'Notify Me' widget on a 'Coming Soon' product page to create an exclusive waitlist, which is a powerful way to build hype and anticipation before a launch. This strategy transforms marketing buzz into tangible demand insights.

16.Are there any specific tips for using Stoq for B2B pre-orders?

Yes, Stoq supports B2B pre-orders, allowing you to manage wholesale and commercial orders effectively. For optimal performance, it's best to test compatibility with specific B2B platforms like SparkLayer to ensure a smooth workflow. You can find more advanced setup tips in the merchant playbooks.

17.What makes Stoq a good choice for managing out-of-stock items compared to alternatives?

Stoq's key advantage is its unified system that offers both pre-order and 'Notify Me' options simultaneously, which many alternatives lack. This flexibility, combined with its exceptionally intuitive design, allows you to cater to different customer preferences without needing multiple apps.

18.How does the app's inventory and demand management help my business grow?

The app transforms customer waitlists into actionable business intelligence, helping you predict demand and make smarter inventory purchases. This data-driven approach minimizes risk and maximizes profit as you scale. This is a core component of its strong rating for inventory & demand management.

19.Can I send restock alerts via both email and SMS?

Yes, Stoq fully supports sending automated back-in-stock alerts through both email and SMS channels. This multi-channel approach increases your reach and ensures customers receive notifications on their preferred platform. You can find more details in the list of features.

20.What is the best way to handle checkout disclaimers for pre-orders with Stoq in 2025?

The best practice for pre-order transparency is to add a custom disclaimer directly on your checkout page. You can do this by editing your Shopify theme's language settings to clearly state the expected wait time. This and other best practices are outlined in the merchant playbooks.

John Doe

John Doe

E-commerce Specialist

Independent Review
The analysis on this page is the subjective opinion of our review team. Information is provided for guidance and may change over time. We encourage you to perform your own due diligence.