> ## 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.

# Cart timer

> Automatically remove Supercycle items from customers carts to reduce chance of overbooking.

The cart timer limits how long a Supercycle item can sit in a customer's cart. After the time runs out, Supercycle items are removed from the cart. This helps reduce the chance of two customers reaching checkout at the same time when only one unit is available. Non-Supercycle items are left untouched.

Use the cart timer if you've seen cycles fail to reserve correctly because of abandoned carts, or if you want to reduce the chance of two customers booking overlapping cycles.

<Info>
  The cart timer is off by default. Existing stores see no change in behaviour until you turn it on.
</Info>

## How it works

* The timer starts when a customer adds a Supercycle item to their cart.
* It only counts Supercycle cycle line items. Regular Shopify products are ignored.
* When the time runs out, Supercycle items are removed from the cart and the cart UI (drawer, count bubble, cart page) refreshes in place — no page reload.
* The timer resets each time the cart's cycle items change.

## Enable the cart timer

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Supercycle">
    From your Shopify admin, go to apps then [Supercycle.](https://admin.shopify.com/apps/supercycle/)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Go to Channels">
    Go to **Settings** then **Channels** then **Online store**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Turn on Limit time in cart">
    Toggle **Limit time in cart** on. The field defaults to **20 minutes** — the recommended value.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the timeout">
    Enter the number of minutes you want Supercycle items to stay in a customer's cart before being removed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

To turn the timer off, toggle **Limit time in cart** off and save. The value resets to `0`, which disables the behaviour.

## Action after time expires

Once the timer is enabled, you can choose what happens when it runs out using the **Action after time expired** setting.

| Option                                           | What it does                                                                                                                                |
| ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Remove Supercycle items and hide the message** | Removes Supercycle items from the cart and hides the `sc-cart-timer` element if you're using it.                                            |
| **Remove Supercycle items and redirect**         | Removes Supercycle items from the cart and redirects the customer to a URL of your choice. Enter the destination URL in the field provided. |

## Show a countdown to customers (optional)

You can show customers how long they have left before their cart expires by dropping a custom element into your theme.

Add the following snippet anywhere in your theme where you want the countdown to appear (for example, the header, cart drawer, or cart page):

```html theme={null}
<div class="sc-cart-timer">
  Reserved for <x-cart-timer></x-cart-timer>
</div>
```

The `<x-cart-timer>` element shows the remaining time as `MM:SS` and updates every second.

The surrounding `.sc-cart-timer` wrapper is automatically hidden when there are no Supercycle items in the cart or the timer is not running, so customers only see it when it matters. You can style the wrapper with your own CSS to match your theme.

<Tip>
  Wrap the timer in your own copy so it reads naturally — for example, "Reserved for 14:32" or "Your items expire in 14:32".
</Tip>

## Picking a timeout

A shorter timeout reduces the window where two customers could reach checkout at the same time, but gives customers less time to complete their purchase. A longer timeout is friendlier to customers but increases that overlap risk. The default of **20 minutes** is a good starting point for most stores.