Stocky Is Sunsetting: What Shopify Merchants Need to Know (+ Alternatives)

By the QuikStock Team · Updated February 2026

Shopify is killing Stocky on August 31, 2026. If you rely on it for purchase orders, forecasting, or inventory planning, you have about six months to figure out your next move.

The good news? You have options. The bad news? Shopify's built-in replacement doesn't do everything Stocky did, and most "Stocky alternative" articles are just sales pitches.

This guide cuts through the noise. We'll cover exactly what's happening, what features you're losing, and three realistic paths forward, including a DIY option that costs nothing.

The Stocky Shutdown Timeline

Here's what's already happened and what's coming (per Shopify's official announcement):

If you're reading this after February 2026, you can't even install Stocky anymore. Existing users can keep using the stripped-down version until August, but that's it.

Critical warning: Your supplier list and historical purchase order data won't migrate automatically. Shopify has confirmed this. If you don't export your data before shutdown, it's gone.

Why Is Shopify Killing Stocky?

Shopify is consolidating. Rather than maintaining Stocky as a separate app, they're moving basic inventory features directly into Shopify Admin.

The theory makes sense: one platform, fewer apps, simpler experience.

The reality is messier. Shopify Admin currently handles:

• Basic inventory tracking
• Simple purchase order creation
• Stock transfers between locations
• POS sync

What it doesn't handle:

• Demand forecasting (the "how much should I order?" calculation)
• Min/max reorder triggers (automatic low-stock alerts)
• Supplier management (your vendor database)
• Seasonal adjustments (accounting for sales spikes)

If you only used Stocky for purchase orders and basic tracking, Shopify Admin might be enough. If you relied on forecasting to decide what to order and when, you need a different solution. (For a deep dive on forecasting methods, see our complete guide to Shopify inventory forecasting.)

What You're Actually Losing

Let's be specific about what disappears on August 31:

1. Forecasting Logic

Stocky could analyze your sales history and suggest reorder quantities. "Based on the last 90 days, you'll run out of SKU-1234 in 3 weeks. Order 150 units now."

Shopify Admin has no equivalent. It shows you current stock levels. That's it. You're back to guessing or building your own spreadsheet.

2. Min/Max Triggers

Stocky let you set thresholds: "When SKU-5678 drops below 50 units, flag it for reorder."

Shopify Admin shows low-stock warnings, but there's no automated trigger system. You have to manually check inventory reports and decide what needs ordering.

3. Your Supplier Database

All those vendor contacts, lead times, and ordering preferences you entered into Stocky? They don't transfer to Shopify Admin. You'll need to recreate this manually or export it before shutdown.

4. Historical Purchase Orders

Your PO history stays in Stocky until it dies. After August 31, that audit trail disappears. If you need it for accounting, tax purposes, or just reference, export it now.

Your Three Migration Paths

After talking to merchants and reviewing the options, there are really three paths forward. Each makes sense for different situations.

Path 1: Stick with Shopify Admin (The "Good Enough" Option)

Best for: Single-location stores, low SKU counts, simple ordering patterns.

What you get:

• Purchase order creation and receiving
• Inventory tracking by location
• Basic transfer functionality
• Free (included with Shopify)

What you don't get:

• Forecasting
• Automated reorder alerts
• Supplier management
• Seasonal planning

Honest assessment: This works if you have a handful of products, predictable sales, and you're comfortable making ordering decisions manually. Many small stores operated this way before Stocky existed.

But if you have 100+ SKUs, seasonal spikes, or multiple suppliers with different lead times, you'll either spend hours on manual planning or experience more stockouts.

Migration steps:

1. Export your supplier list from Stocky (CSV)
2. Export your PO history from Stocky (for records)
3. Familiarize yourself with Shopify Admin's inventory tools
4. Accept that forecasting is now your job

Path 2: Build Your Own System (The DIY Option)

Best for: Technically comfortable merchants, tight budgets, specific needs that apps don't address.

What you get:

• Full control over logic
• No monthly fees
• Customized exactly to your business

What you don't get:

• Support when things break
• Automatic Shopify sync (usually)
• Easy setup

Some merchants in Reddit threads are building Google Sheets forecasting systems connected to Shopify via Make or Zapier. It's not elegant, but it works.

The basic approach:

1. Export sales data regularly from Shopify (or use the API)
2. Build a forecasting spreadsheet with formulas for:
   • Average daily sales per SKU
   • Lead time per supplier
   • Safety stock buffer
   • Reorder point calculation
3. Connect via automation to pull data into your sheet automatically

Here's a simplified reorder point formula to get you started:

Reorder Point = (Average Daily Sales × Lead Time Days) + Safety Stock

If you sell 10 units/day and your supplier takes 14 days to deliver, with 50 units of safety stock:

Reorder Point = (10 × 14) + 50 = 190 units

When inventory hits 190, place your order.

Honest assessment: This works well if you enjoy building systems and have predictable, straightforward inventory needs. It falls apart when you have hundreds of SKUs, seasonal variations, or need to optimize cash flow (not just prevent stockouts).

The math: Poor inventory management costs businesses up to 11% of annual revenue through inefficiency, emergency shipping, and missed sales. The real cost of DIY isn't just your time maintaining the system. It's the mistakes you'll make along the way.

Path 3: Switch to a Dedicated Inventory App (The "Pay for the Problem to Go Away" Option)

Best for: Growing brands, complex inventory needs, merchants who'd rather spend money than time.

What you get:

• Automated forecasting
• Supplier management
• Purchase order automation
• Integration with your existing stack

What you don't get:

• Free
• Simplicity (more features = more complexity)

This is where it gets complicated because there are dozens of apps claiming to be Stocky alternatives. Most of them are fine. A few are genuinely good. Here's what actually matters when evaluating them.

What to Look For in a Stocky Replacement

1. Forecasting accuracy

Some apps just show "you'll run out in X days" based on simple averages. That's not forecasting. It's basic math anyone can do in a spreadsheet.

Real forecasting accounts for:

• Seasonal patterns (your December isn't like your February)
• Trend direction (growing vs. declining SKUs)
• Lead time variability (suppliers aren't always on time)

2. Shopify integration depth

How well does it sync? Does it pull real-time inventory levels or batch update once a day? Can it push purchase orders back to Shopify?

3. Pricing sanity

Some apps charge $300-500/month. For a small store, that's insane. For a $5M/year brand with complex operations, it might be worth it.

Most growing Shopify stores (say, $500K-$2M revenue) should look in the $50-150/month range. Below that, you're usually getting basic features. Above that, you're paying for enterprise complexity you probably don't need.

4. Support quality

Stocky's support was notoriously slow. That's half the reason merchants are happy to leave. Ask about response times, onboarding help, and whether you get a real human or just documentation.

The Major Players

I'm not going to rank these because "best" depends entirely on your situation. But here's who you'll encounter when shopping:

Fabrikatör: Strong on forecasting, heavy on features. Good for brands with complex operations. Pricier than some alternatives.

Prediko: AI-focused forecasting for DTC brands. Flashy dashboards. Mid-range pricing.

Sumtracker: Solid for bundle tracking and multi-channel inventory. Less forecasting-focused.

Inventory Planner: The original. Been around forever, comprehensive features. Can feel dated.

SKUSavvy: More warehouse management than forecasting. Better fit if you have physical warehouse operations.

QuikStock: Full disclosure, this is us. We're building specifically for Shopify merchants who want accurate forecasting without enterprise complexity. If that's your situation, we'd love for you to check us out. But honestly, any of these tools will be better than losing Stocky and having nothing.

Migration Steps for Third-Party Apps

1. Export everything from Stocky now (suppliers, PO history, settings)
2. Trial 2-3 apps before committing (most offer free trials)
3. Test with real data. Import your actual inventory and see if forecasts make sense.
4. Check the integration. Does it sync properly with your Shopify setup?
5. Plan for overlap. Run both systems in parallel for a few weeks before going live.

The Migration Checklist (Do This Now)

Don't wait until August. Rushing inventory migrations causes stockouts. Give yourself 2-3 months of overlap to catch issues before they cost you sales.

Regardless of which path you choose, do these things before August 31:

Phase 1: Data Preservation (Do This Week)

• Export your supplier list from Stocky (Suppliers → Export)
• Export purchase order history (Purchases → Export all)
• Export stock adjustment logs (for accounting audit trail)
• Screenshot any custom settings you'll want to recreate

Phase 2: Evaluate Your Needs (Next 2 Weeks)

• Count your active SKUs
• List your suppliers and their lead times
• Identify your seasonal patterns (when do sales spike?)
• Estimate how much time you currently spend on inventory planning
• Decide your budget for a replacement solution

Phase 3: Choose Your Path (Month 1-2)

• If Path 1 (Shopify Admin): Familiarize yourself with native tools
• If Path 2 (DIY): Build and test your spreadsheet system
• If Path 3 (App): Trial 2-3 options, pick one, start migrating data

Phase 4: Go Live (Month 3-4)

• Fully transition to your new system
• Run parallel with Stocky for 2-4 weeks to verify accuracy
• Turn off Stocky once you're confident

Phase 5: Before Shutdown (By August 31)

• Confirm all data is exported and stored
• Verify new system is working independently
• Say goodbye to Stocky

The Bottom Line

Stocky's death isn't a disaster. It's an inconvenience with a six-month warning. You have time to do this right.

If your inventory needs are simple, Shopify Admin will probably work fine. If you relied on Stocky's forecasting, you need to either build that capability yourself or pay for an app that does it.

The worst move is waiting until August and scrambling. Start your export this week, evaluate your options this month, and migrate over the next few months. By the time Stocky shuts down, you won't even miss it.

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Need accurate forecasting without the complexity? QuikStock helps Shopify merchants predict demand and reorder at the right time. Join the waitlist →