Random checkouts get "/stock-problems" suffix added to the url and then the customer cannot checkout

Shopify Plus
1

We have 3 plus stores and all 3 of them are facing this issue when randomly a few sessions get this suffix '/stock-problems" added to the url when initiating checkout and then the user cannot complete the transaction.

Moreover, we are unable to voluntarily replicate this issue. Additionally, one the issue triggers, no matter what is done in the session (remove/adding/switching products), the user cannot checkout at all.

P.S. we have tried the normal shopify support, but could not exactly reach a conclusion. Also, we tried to build the theme from scratch, still the issue is reoccurring.

Any one has any idea, please let me know.

2

Hey @Milktub ,

This “/stock-problems” suffix typically appears when Shopify’s inventory system detects potential issues with the items in the cart. Based on your description, here are some likely causes and solutions:

Possible Causes1. Inventory Tracking Issues: Products might be showing as available when they’re actually out of stock in Shopify’s backend.

  1. Race Conditions: If multiple customers are trying to purchase the same low-stock items simultaneously.
  2. Inventory Policy Conflicts: Conflicting settings between “continue selling when out of stock” and actual inventory tracking.
  3. App Conflicts: Third-party inventory or checkout apps might be interfering with Shopify’s native inventory handling.

Troubleshooting Steps1. Check Inventory Settings:

  • Verify that inventory is being tracked correctly for all products
  • Ensure “Continue selling when out of stock” is set appropriately for your business needs
  1. Examine Web Logs:
    • Use browser dev tools to monitor network requests when the issue occurs
    • Look for any error responses in the network tab that might provide more details
  2. Review Third-Party Apps:
    • Temporarily disable inventory management or checkout-related apps
    • Test if the issue persists with apps disabled
  3. Theme Modifications:
    • Since you mentioned rebuilding the theme without success, check if any custom checkout modifications exist
    • Look for any JavaScript that might be modifying the checkout URL
  4. Implement URL Monitoring:
    • Add a simple JavaScript snippet to your theme that logs when the URL changes to include “/stock-problems”
    • This could help identify the exact moment and conditions when the issue occurs

Since you mentioned this happens across multiple stores and is difficult to replicate voluntarily, I suspect this might be related to either:

  • A timing issue with inventory updates
  • Or a specific combination of product variants/quantities that triggers Shopify’s stock protection system

Would you be able to share any common characteristics among the affected orders? For example, do they tend to involve the same products, similar cart values, or occur during peak traffic times?

Thanks,
Shubham | Untechnickle