Substitutions Help
Keep sold-out variants selling and ship the backup you approved.
Getting started
Get startedSubstitutions keeps a sold-out variant selling and ships a backup you approved, so the order goes out instead of being lost. This page covers installing the app and what happens the first time you open it.Smart recommendationsThe app scans your catalog for variants that are sold out and have sold well, and suggests a backup for each one. You approve every suggestion; nothing turns on by itself.Create a ruleA rule (a "substitution") says: when this variant sells out, ship this backup instead.
How it works
How substitutions workNormally, Shopify stops selling a variant when it runs out. While a rule is on and at least one backup is in stock, the app turns on Continue selling when out of stock for that variant, so customers can still buy it.Substitutes and priorityEach rule has a list of backups, called substitutes, in priority order.Quantity substitutionsShip several units of a smaller size when the larger size sells out. For example, two 2.5 lb bags for one 5 lb bag, or two 250 ml bottles for one 500 ml bottle.Bundle substitutionsUse a separate list of backups when the sold-out variant is sold inside a bundle.Forced rules: substitute on every orderA forced rule swaps every order for a variant, whether it's in stock or not. Use it to sell through older stock first, or to move customers from one SKU to another.Dashboard and rule statusesThe top of the dashboard shows:Activity historySee every order a rule has swapped.