---
title: "What the preorder rules do: Always, Sold out and Specific inventory level"
description: "Each preorder variant has one rule that decides when its preorder button shows. Saving a rule also turns Continue selling when out of stock on or off."
url: https://docs.ezpreorder.com/preorders/preorder-rules
plan: Free
last_verified: 2026-11-11
---

# What the preorder rules do: Always, Sold out and Specific inventory level

In EZ Preorder & Back In Stock, every variant on your Preorder List has one preorder rule that decides when the preorder button replaces your theme's add to cart button. **Always** shows it whatever the stock. **Sold out** shows it when the variant's inventory is 0 or less. **Specific inventory level** shows it while inventory is above 0, so you can sell a set number of preorders and then stop. Saving a rule also changes Shopify's **Continue selling when out of stock** setting: on for **Always** and **Sold out**, off for **Specific inventory level**.

**Available on:** All plans (Free, Core, Growth, Professional and Scale).  
**Where to find it:** EZ PreOrder → **Preorders** → **Edit** on a product → **Pre-order rules** → **Condition to allow Pre-Order**.

## The three preorder rules

| Rule | Preorder button shows when | Continue selling when out of stock | Inventory change when you save | Badge on the Preorder List |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Always** | Always, whatever the stock | Turned on | None | **Always** |
| **Sold out** | The variant's inventory is 0 or less | Turned on | None | **Sold out** |
| **Specific inventory level** | The variant's inventory is above 0 | Turned off | Sets the quantity at each location to the numbers you enter | **Greater than 0** |

New products start on **Specific inventory level**. Whenever a variant does not match its rule, shoppers see your theme's normal button, which reads "Add to cart" or "Sold out" depending on stock and your theme.

## How to change a variant's preorder rule

1. In EZ PreOrder, open **Preorders**.
2. Click **Edit** on the product, or click the product row to expand it and click **Edit** on a variant.
3. In the **Variants** card on the left, select the variant you want to change.
4. Under **Pre-order rules**, in **Condition to allow Pre-Order**, choose **Always**, **Sold out** or **Specific inventory level**.
5. For **Specific inventory level**, enter the number of units in each **Location** field. The fields start at the current available quantity.
6. Optional: tick **Apply settings for all variants** to use this rule on every variant of the product that is on your list.
7. Click **Save** in the bar at the top of the page. A "Preorder(s) updated" message confirms the save.


## How the Always rule works

The **Always** rule shows the preorder button on the variant at all times, whether it has stock or not. Use it for products that are not released yet, or products you only make to order.

- Saving **Always** turns on **Continue selling when out of stock** for the variant, so Shopify accepts orders at any stock level.
- Every order of the variant is a preorder: EZ Preorder tags it `preorder` and counts it toward your plan's preorder limit, even if you had stock on hand.
- The preorder runs until you change the rule, disable the product, remove it, or a schedule ends it.

## How the Sold out rule works

The **Sold out** rule shows the preorder button only once the variant's inventory is 0 or less. While the variant has stock, shoppers see your theme's normal add to cart button and orders are regular orders. Use it to keep selling a product through a stockout.

- Saving **Sold out** turns on **Continue selling when out of stock**, so Shopify accepts orders when stock is 0 and inventory goes below 0.
- A variant counts as sold out at exactly 0, not only below it.
- When you receive stock and inventory rises above 0, the normal button returns and new orders are regular orders. Units already sold as preorders stay owed: if inventory is -12 and you receive 20, 8 become available.
- An order is a preorder when the variant's stock before that order was 0 or less.

## How the Specific inventory level rule works

The **Specific inventory level** rule shows the preorder button while the variant's inventory is above 0. You set the number of units you want to sell as preorders as the variant's inventory, and when it reaches 0 the variant sells out. Use it to cap a preorder campaign at a fixed quantity.

- Saving **Specific inventory level** turns off **Continue selling when out of stock**, so Shopify stops selling at 0 and your theme shows its sold out state.
- The **Location** fields set the available quantity at each of the variant's locations in Shopify. EZ Preorder records the change as an inventory correction. Leave a field unchanged to keep that location's quantity.
- Every unit in stock counts as a preorder unit. Orders placed while stock is above 0 are tagged `preorder`, including stock you receive later, until you change the rule.
- This is the default rule for products you add to the list. Right after you add a product, any variant with stock shows the preorder button.

## What changes on the Shopify product

EZ Preorder writes Shopify's **Continue selling when out of stock** setting (inventory policy) only at these moments:

| What you do in EZ Preorder | Continue selling when out of stock | Inventory quantity |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Add a product or variant to the Preorder List | Turned off for the added variants | Unchanged |
| Save **Always** or **Sold out** on the **Edit** page | Turned on | Unchanged |
| Save **Specific inventory level** on the **Edit** page | Turned off | Set to the **Location** numbers |
| Click **Enable** or **Disable** | Unchanged | Unchanged |
| Remove a product or variant from the list | Unchanged | Unchanged |
| Click **Apply** in **Bulk Settings** | Set on every variant on the list, to match the rule in the dialog | Changed only for **Specific inventory level** |
| A scheduled preorder ends with **Mark as sold out when the pre-order ends** ticked (Growth plan and above) | Turned off | Set to 0 |

Because disabling and removing leave the setting as it is, a variant that was on **Always** or **Sold out** can still be bought at zero stock with your theme's normal button. See [A product still sells after the preorder ends](https://docs.ezpreorder.com/theme-setup-and-troubleshooting/product-still-sells-after-preorder-ends). For **Bulk Settings**, see [Bulk edit preorder settings](https://docs.ezpreorder.com/preorders/bulk-edit-preorder-settings). For schedules, see [Schedule preorder start and end dates](https://docs.ezpreorder.com/preorders/schedule-preorder-start-and-end-dates).

## Apply settings for all variants

The **Apply settings for all variants** checkbox on the **Edit** page saves the rule, the custom note for the selected language, and the market settings to every variant of the product that is on your list. With **Specific inventory level**, every variant gets the same quantity at each location as the numbers you entered. The checkbox is unticked each time you open the page, and the **Variants** card is hidden while it is ticked.

## Limitations

- Rules are per variant. Schedules are per product.
- The product page reads inventory when it loads. Use **Sold out** and **Specific inventory level** on variants with **Track quantity** turned on, so the count is accurate.
- If you change **Continue selling when out of stock** directly in Shopify, EZ Preorder does not change it back until you save the rule again. The rule still decides when the button shows, but Shopify decides whether checkout accepts the order.
- Saving the **Edit** page turns the product's preorder status to enabled, unless the save sets a schedule that starts on a later date. To keep a product disabled, click **Disable** after saving.
- Only the first 100 variants of a product can be added to the list.

## Troubleshooting

**An in-stock product shows the preorder button.** The variant uses **Specific inventory level** (the default for new products) or **Always**. Change it to **Sold out** to show the button only after the product sells out.

**The Sold out rule shows no button at 0 stock.** Check that the product's status is **Enable** and that the app embed is on. Then see [The preorder button is not showing](https://docs.ezpreorder.com/theme-setup-and-troubleshooting/preorder-button-not-showing).

**The preorder button shows but shoppers cannot add the item to the cart.** **Continue selling when out of stock** was turned off in Shopify after you saved the rule. Save the rule again in EZ Preorder. See [I cannot add a preorder product to the cart](https://docs.ezpreorder.com/theme-setup-and-troubleshooting/cannot-add-preorder-product-to-cart).

**Inventory changed after you saved.** **Specific inventory level** sets each location to the number in its **Location** field, and **Apply settings for all variants** copies those numbers to every variant. Correct the quantities in Shopify or save again with the right numbers.

**A disabled product turned itself back on.** Saving the **Edit** page enables the product. Click **Disable** after saving.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which preorder rule is the default?

**Specific inventory level**. Every variant you add with **Select products**, **Bulk Add** or **Bulk Add Collections** starts on it, with **Continue selling when out of stock** turned off.

### Does the Sold out rule start at 0 or below 0?

At 0. The preorder button appears when the variant's inventory is 0 or less.

### How do I limit how many preorders I take?

Use **Specific inventory level** and enter the number of preorder units as the variant's quantity. The variant sells out when that number reaches 0.

### Can variants of the same product have different rules?

Yes. Select each variant in the **Variants** card on the **Edit** page, choose its rule and save. Leave **Apply settings for all variants** unticked.

### Does changing a rule affect orders already placed?

No. Existing orders keep their `preorder` tag and their items. The new rule applies to orders placed after you save.

### Can I take preorders without turning on Continue selling when out of stock?

Yes. **Specific inventory level** keeps it off and sells only the quantity you set.

## Related articles

- [How to manage your Preorder List](https://docs.ezpreorder.com/preorders/manage-your-preorder-list): add, edit, sync and disable products.
- [How preorders work](https://docs.ezpreorder.com/getting-started/how-preorders-work): the full journey from button to fulfilled order.
- [Bulk edit preorder settings](https://docs.ezpreorder.com/preorders/bulk-edit-preorder-settings): set one rule on every product at once.
- [Schedule preorder start and end dates](https://docs.ezpreorder.com/preorders/schedule-preorder-start-and-end-dates): turn preorders on and off automatically.
- [A product still sells after the preorder ends](https://docs.ezpreorder.com/theme-setup-and-troubleshooting/product-still-sells-after-preorder-ends): stop overselling.
- [I cannot add a preorder product to the cart](https://docs.ezpreorder.com/theme-setup-and-troubleshooting/cannot-add-preorder-product-to-cart): when the button shows but checkout refuses.