Increase in Abandoned Checkouts Due to Out-of-Stock Items in Carts – Requesting Guidance

Shopify Discussion
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Hi Team,

Has anyone else noticed an increase in abandoned checkouts due to customers being able to add out-of-stock products to their carts? We’re not sure how this is happening and would appreciate any insights or guidance.

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Hello @indra Yes, this is a fairly common issue in Shopify stores—customers sometimes manage to add out-of-stock products to their cart due to several possible causes. Here’s how it can happen and what to check or do:

Possible Causes & Fixes

  1. Oversold Inventory Due to App Sync Lag
    If you’re using inventory or dropshipping apps (like Oberlo, Printful, etc.), they might not update stock levels in real-time.

Fix:

. Double-check that inventory syncing is enabled and timely.

. Reach out to app support to ensure API sync intervals are optimal.

  1. Buy Button / External Sales Channels
    Sometimes Shopify Buy Buttons (embedded on external sites) don’t reflect live inventory.

Fix:

. Make sure “Continue selling when out of stock” is disabled for all products.

. Remove or update any outdated Buy Buttons.

  1. Theme Customization or App Conflicts
    A customized theme or an app may bypass Shopify’s stock validation.

Fix:

. Review your theme’s product/variant selection logic to ensure it disables or hides the “Add to Cart” button for out-of-stock variants.

. Test in incognito mode or on a fresh theme to compare.

  1. Pre-orders or Backorders Accidentally Enabled
    If “Continue selling when out of stock” is on for any products, customers can still purchase them even if stock is zero.

Fix:

. Go to Products > Edit each product/variant and uncheck this option.

. Use bulk editor if you have many SKUs.

  1. Inventory Managed by Multiple Locations
    If you have multiple locations set up (like store and warehouse), the cart might pull from a location with no inventory.

Fix:

. Go to Settings > Locations and check inventory settings per location.

. Make sure all locations reflect accurate stock and fulfillment priorities.

Preventative Tools
. Shopify Flow (for Plus stores): Automate alerts when stock hits 0.

. Shopify Scripts / Custom Cart Validation: Prevent checkout if cart contains OOS items.

. Inventory Management Apps: Try apps like Stocky, Skubana, or Sellbrite for better inventory accuracy.

Thank you :blush: