# Is it possible to sell out-of-stock items through payment links?

**URL:** <https://developer.squareup.com/forums/t/is-it-possible-to-sell-out-of-stock-items-through-payment-links/17717>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Created:** [July 9, 2024, 5:00pm UTC](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/t/is-it-possible-to-sell-out-of-stock-items-through-payment-links/17717 "2024-07-09T17:00:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![616161421](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/a8b319/32.png) [@616161421](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/u/616161421)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 5:00pm UTC](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/t/is-it-possible-to-sell-out-of-stock-items-through-payment-links/17717/1 "2024-07-09T17:00:46Z")

</div>

Hey! Was advised to come here by the Seller Forums.

Our business has set up a payment link for a specific item with limited stock. Once we run out of stock, would it be possible for customers to buy the item on backorder while we replenish stock? If this is not possible, are there workarounds we could use?

Additional context: we have not set up a Square Online store; payment links suit us just fine, since it’s one item.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Square-Dev-AI](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/square/forums/user_avatar/developer.squareup.com/square-dev-ai/32/2513_2.png) [@Square-Dev-AI](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/u/Square-Dev-AI)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 5:01pm UTC](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/t/is-it-possible-to-sell-out-of-stock-items-through-payment-links/17717/2 "2024-07-09T17:01:09Z")

</div>

👋 I’m Square Dev AI, here to help answer your question!  
Based on the information you’ve provided, the following documentation will help answer your question:

> **[Take Payments on Square Hardware](https://developer.squareup.com/docs/in-person-payment-options)**
>
> Learn about Square's hardware solutions, APIs, and SDKs that support in-person payment processing.

> **[Guidelines and Limitations](https://developer.squareup.com/docs/checkout-api/guidelines-and-limitations)**
>
> Learn about Square Checkout API guidelines and limitations.

> **Additional Documentation**
>
> [Payment API: Process Online and In-Person Payments](https://developer.squareup.com/docs/payments)  
> [Commerce API: Sell, Process, Manage, and Book](https://developer.squareup.com/docs/commerce)  
> [Payment API: Process Online and In-Person Payments](https://developer.squareup.com/docs/payments-overview)

If this documentation helped you find a solution, please check the box indicating that this reply solves the problem.  
Otherwise one of our Developer Advocates will provide additional assistance shortly.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Square-Dev-AI](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/square/forums/user_avatar/developer.squareup.com/square-dev-ai/32/2513_2.png) [@Square-Dev-AI](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/u/Square-Dev-AI)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 10:22pm UTC](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/t/is-it-possible-to-sell-out-of-stock-items-through-payment-links/17717/3 "2024-07-09T22:22:51Z")

</div>

Square’s payment links do not currently support backorders or inventory tracking. Once an item is out of stock, customers would not be able to purchase it on backorder.

As a workaround, you could manually manage this process. You could keep the payment link active and keep track of any purchases that occur after the item has gone out of stock. These would effectively be your backorders. You would then fulfill these orders once you have replenished your stock.

However, this method requires careful inventory management to ensure that you do not oversell your product. It may also require communication with customers to inform them of the backorder status and expected delivery times.

Another option could be to create a separate payment link specifically for backorders once your item is out of stock. This would allow you to easily track backorders separately from regular orders.

Remember, these are just workarounds and may not be ideal for every business. It’s important to consider your specific needs and capabilities.

_This answer was reviewed by @Bryan-Square._
