Normally the shop does not let customers order more items than are in stock. But you often want to let a wholesale customer order a larger quantity that you then supply. This feature allows it only for logged-in customers in the groups you choose. Everyone else sees the shop as before.
Before you start
- a wholesale customer group (Customers › Customer Groups) that these customers belong to,
- products whose stock settings have Use Config Settings ticked for Backorders (the default).
Switching it on
Stores › Configuration › Magelan › Backorder Customer Settings
In the General Settings section, set Enable Module to Yes.
In Allowed Customer Groups, select the groups that may place backorders (hold Ctrl to select several).
- Enable Module - Yes.
- Allowed Customer Groups - groups that may order more than is in stock.
Click Save Config.
Leave the general stock settings under Stores › Configuration › Catalog › Inventory as they are. The feature overrides them for the allowed groups by itself; for all other customers they still apply.
What the customer sees
A customer from an allowed group can add a larger quantity to the cart than is in stock. In the cart, next to the product, they see the notice: We don't have as many quantity as you requested, but we'll back order the remaining (…). They can place the order. A customer from another group, or a guest, gets the usual message that the requested quantity is not available.
How to handle such an order
The order arrives in the admin like any other. The product stock goes negative, which tells you how many items you need to get in. Once they arrive, correct the stock as described in stock and pre-orders, and ship the order following the usual order workflow.
Common problems
A wholesale customer still cannot order more than is in stock
Check that the customer really is in the selected group (Customers › All Customers, Group column) and that they were logged in. Then check on the product that No Backorders has not been chosen by hand for Backorders; Use Config Settings should be ticked.
Ordinary customers can place backorders too
Backorders are probably switched on in the general stock settings or on the product. Switch them off there; the feature allows them only for the selected groups.