Stocky is Retiring: Here's How to Prepare
Your Shopify x Stocky Sunset Plan
If you've been running your purchase orders through Stocky, you've probably already heard the news: Shopify is retiring the app. That's not necessarily bad news; it's just a transition that requires a plan. Whether you migrate to Shopify's native tools, bring in a third-party app, or some combination of both, the goal of this post is simple: give you the facts so you can make the call that's right for your business.
When Is This Actually Happening?
Mark the date: August 31, 2026. After that, Stocky access ends. Shopify has said you'll retain read-only access for at least 90 days afterward so you can export your data, but "at least 90 days" is not the same as "forever," and read-only access won't help you if a PO status changes or you need to act on open orders.
If you haven't already moved your future POs to another platform, it's worth exporting anything still outstanding before the cutoff, just in case. You can pull this from Stocky directly:
Reports → Purchase Orders → Purchase Order Items → Item Status filter: Not received → PO Archived filter: No → scroll to the bottom and select “Filter”
While Stocky isn’t going away until the end of August, we recommend making a plan now. This gives you time to research, pressure test a new system, and avoid scrambling at the last minute.
So, What Are the Options?
There isn't one right answer here. It depends on how you buy and how much reporting detail you need. We recommend you do your own research and make the decision that is right for you and your business.
Third-party apps like FAVES or Sumtracker are worth a look. FAVES focuses on PO management and assortment planning; Sumtracker is closer to a full inventory management platform, most similar to Stocky. Both have an additional cost associated, but you might find it is worth paying an additional fee.
Shopify's native PO tools are also an option. They're functional today, though reporting is fairly basic and depth of detail may not match what you're used to. Shopify has indicated a more robust PO system is in the works, but timing hasn't been announced. There is no additional cost here.
Neither path is objectively better. It comes down to what your business actually needs from a PO tool.
What Happens to My Open POs in Stocky?
If you decide Shopify's native PO entry is the way to go, there's a free option worth knowing about: Retail ORBIT (by Management One) offers a migration path through their Shopify app that moves your open POs over without manual re-entry — and it's FREE whether or not you're already a Management One planning client.
The timing matters here too: PO data migration is scheduled for early August, so if this is a route you want to explore, it's worth getting on the calendar sooner rather than later. The process is straightforward:
Install the free Retail ORBIT app from the Shopify App Store
Fill out the PO Authorization Form
Management One will follow up to schedule your migration (or you can reach them directly: shopify@management-one.com)
Why Bother Tracking Purchase Orders So Closely?
It's a fair question, and the answer comes down to planning accuracy. Your open-to-buy plan depends on knowing exactly how much inventory is already committed but not yet received. Without that visibility, it's easy to accidentally over-order or under-order, throwing off your buying budget and cash flow.
There's also a reconciliation piece: tracking POs gives you a way to catch discrepancies between what you agreed to pay or receive and what actually showed up and creates an audit trail if a vendor dispute comes up down the line.
A Few Practical Tips for Shopify's Inventory & PO Tools
However you decide to move forward, a few things are worth knowing as you get familiar with Shopify's system:
Start with Shopify's own Stocky Migration Guide: it's the primary source and worth reading in full.
Quick Count is Shopify's replacement for Stocktakes: it handles physical inventory counts. You can activate it under Point of Sale → Settings → POS apps. Shopify has a walkthrough here.
Products need to exist in Shopify before you can add them to a PO. If you're starting from a PO list, you can download a sample CSV (Products → Import → Download Sample CSV), fill in the relevant details, and import it.
Reordering in-stock products is quicker than it sounds — just scan the barcode of an existing product to add it to your PO.
Products in "archived" status won't show up in PO search and can't be added — switch them to draft first.
Once a PO is linked to a transfer, make edits through Products → Transfers, not the original PO. Transfer edits sync back to the PO, but not the other way around.
The Bottom Line
Stocky's sunset is a set of decisions, and the right combination depends on your business's size, buying style, and reporting needs. This post (and the resources linked throughout) should give you a solid starting point, but it's worth reading through Shopify's own migration guide directly and pressure-testing any path, native, third-party, or migration service, against how your team actually works before committing. The tools will keep evolving; the responsibility for choosing the right fit stays with you.