Automate Apptile Pre-order Tagging When Inventory Hits Zero

Missing sales opportunities on popular items when stock runs out can significantly impact revenue. Manually activating pre-order statuses for specific product variants is time-consuming, prone to human error, and often results in delays that frustrate eager customers.

This Shopify Flow ensures you never miss a pre-order opportunity. It triggers the moment a `Product variant inventory quantity changed`, then intelligently checks if a `specific Apptile selling plan is active` and if the `inventory quantity is zero or less`. If conditions are met, it automatically `updates a product variant metafield` to enable pre-order status via Apptile, and crucially, `unsets this metafield` when stock is replenished.

• You sell high-demand products that frequently go out of stock but have a pre-order selling plan configured with Apptile.
• You want to maintain sales and capture demand even when physical inventory isn't immediately available.
• You need to automate the intricate process of toggling pre-order status based on inventory levels and specific selling plans.

1. 1

   Start with the 'Product variant inventory quantity changed' trigger.

2. 2

   Add a 'Condition' block. Within it, create two conditions joined by an 'AND': 'Selling plan groups merchant code is equal to apptile-pre-order' AND 'Product variant inventory quantity is less than or equal to 0'.

3. 3

   In the TRUE branch (both conditions met), add an 'Update product variant metafield' action. Set the metafield `apptilepreorder.apptile-pre-order` to `true` (or the specific value Apptile requires to enable pre-order).

4. 4

   In the FALSE branch (inventory is restored but the selling plan is still active), add another 'Update product variant metafield' action. Set `apptilepreorder.apptile-pre-order` to `false` (or delete the metafield) to disable the pre-order status.

How does Apptile know a product is for pre-order with this Flow?

Apptile reads the `apptilepreorder.apptile-pre-order` metafield on the product variant. When this Flow sets the metafield to 'true', Apptile's system recognizes it and displays the pre-order option.

What happens if I restock inventory for a product that was pre-order?

When the inventory quantity changes and is no longer less than or equal to 0, the Flow follows the FALSE branch and updates the same metafield to 'false' (or removes it), automatically disabling the Apptile pre-order status.

Can I use this Flow for products not managed by Apptile selling plans?

No, this specific Flow is designed to work with Apptile. The core condition 'Selling plan groups merchant code is equal to apptile-pre-order' specifically targets products using Apptile's pre-order setup.

Why use a metafield instead of a regular product tag for pre-order status?

Metafields offer more granular, structured data directly tied to specific elements like product variants, providing a cleaner and more app-specific integration for solutions like Apptile, without cluttering your general product tags.

• Shopify Flow

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