> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.supercycle.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Overselling items

> Allow orders beyond the items available in Supercycle, so cycles can exist without an allocated item

A cycle is allocated an available item for its dates. When no item is available, the storefront refuses the line and the customer can't check out.

**Allow overselling** on a variant lets customers keep buying past the stock you have. Use it for made-to-order stock, pre-orders, or variants where you'd rather sell first and buy inventory to match than turn customers away.

The cycle is still created. It shows **No item** until you allocate one, and Supercycle counts the shortfall on the variant so you know how much stock to add.

***

## Allow overselling on a variant

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the product">
    On <Icon icon="shopify" iconType="solid" /> **[Products](https://admin.shopify.com/apps/supercycle/products)**, open the [product](/documentation/manage/products/products) you want to oversell.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the variant">
    In the **Inventory** card, select the variant.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Turn on Allow overselling">
    Above the **Items** table, turn on **Allow overselling**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

With overselling on:

* The variant stays bookable on the storefront for any dates, even with no available items.
* Cart quantity is no longer capped by the number of items.
* Cycles sold past your stock show **No item assigned** with a neutral tone. They aren't flagged as a problem, because you chose to sell this way.

Turn it off and the storefront goes back to refusing dates with no available item. Cycles already sold without an item keep waiting until you assign one.

***

## Overselling FAQs

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I oversell some variants of a product but not others?">
    Yes. **Allow overselling** is set per variant, so one variant can sell past its stock while the rest stay capped by the items they have.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does overselling change the quantity a customer can add to cart?">
    Yes. Cart quantity is normally capped by the number of items on the variant. With overselling on, that cap is lifted and the customer can add any quantity for their dates.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens to cycles already sold when I turn overselling off?">
    They keep waiting until you allocate an item. Turning it off only changes what the storefront does next, which is to go back to refusing dates with no available item. See [Inventory troubleshooting](/documentation/manage/inventory/inventory-troubleshooting) for how to clear them.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>