Instant alerts (Pro)
On Pro, StockDigest emails you within about 5 minutes when a product that sells runs out, or will run out before a restock could arrive.
On the Pro plan, StockDigest emails you within about 5 minutes when a product that sells runs out, or will run out before a restock could arrive, instead of waiting for the next morning’s digest. Instant alerts are on by default for Pro stores.
When an alert is sent
When stock changes in Shopify, for example after a sale or an adjustment, StockDigest waits about 5 minutes to collect any other changes for your store, then checks the products that changed. It uses the same forecast as the digest, with stock summed across all locations.
By default, a product alerts when it sold in the last 28 days and is now out of stock or will run out before restock (its days left are at or below its lead time). Products that haven’t sold in 28 days don’t alert on this setting, but they still appear in the daily digest when they’re out of stock or low.
Alerts are only checked when stock changes. If a product becomes urgent for another reason, such as a longer lead time in Settings, it shows up in the next digest.
Choosing which products alert
Every product starts on Automatic. To change one, go to Settings, select Add products under Product overrides, pick the product, choose an option under Instant alert, then select Save.
| Option | Alerts when the product |
|---|---|
| Automatic | Sold in the last 28 days and is out of stock or will run out before restock. |
| Watchlist (alert when low) | Is out of stock, will run out before restock, or is low, even if it hasn’t sold recently. |
| Never alert | Never alerts. It still appears in the daily digest when flagged. |
The watchlist holds up to 25 products, and Product overrides shows how many you’ve used. When it’s full, the app asks you to remove one before adding another.
One alert per product
Each product alerts once, then stays quiet until it’s no longer flagged: not out of stock, not running out before restock and not low. A partial restock that leaves it low doesn’t count. StockDigest checks this when the product’s stock changes and again with each daily digest, so a restocked product can alert again even if a stock update was missed.
At most 5 alert emails a day
A store gets at most 5 alert emails in any 24 hours, and one email can cover several products. Past the limit, products that would have alerted are left for the next morning’s digest. They don’t send a late alert, and they can alert again once they’re no longer flagged.
Who gets them
Everyone on your digest list with a confirmed address, shown as “Getting digests” under Daily email in Settings. There’s no separate alert list. The subject names the product and what happened, for example “Stock alert at Juniper & Pine: Stoneware Mug · Ash will run out before restock”.
Before sending, StockDigest checks your plan with Shopify. If the store is no longer on Pro, nothing is sent.
Alerts per location
Pro stores with 2 or more locations also get alerts when a product is running short at one location, with a suggested transfer such as “Move 6 from Warehouse”, or “Reorder”. The same Automatic, Watchlist and Never alert choices apply. See Stock per location.
Turning alerts off
- All alerts: in Settings, under Instant alerts, turn off “Email me as soon as a product needs restocking”. The daily digest carries on.
- One product: set its Instant alert option to Never alert.
- One location: untick it under Locations in Settings. This also removes it from the digest’s by-location list.
- One person: use the Unsubscribe link in any StockDigest email, which stops all StockDigest emails to that address for your store, or select Remove next to the address under Daily email in Settings.
More about this feature: Instant alerts. How products are flagged: How forecasts work and Lead time and cover days.