Find this setting
Open Upsells, open More actions, select Upsell settings, then open Restrictions.
Reverse Unpaid Order Edits
When a customer adds products to their order but doesn't complete payment before the editing deadline, you're left with an edited order and an outstanding balance. Reverse Unpaid Order Edits solves this by automatically rolling back the unpaid changes, returning the order to its last fully paid state.
Changes the customer already paid for stay on the order. Only the additions that are still unpaid are removed.
Automatic reversal is enabled by default. Turn it off only when another reviewed process owns unpaid edits.
Enable automatic reversals
Use Enable automatic reversal of unpaid order edits in the Unpaid edit handling card. When enabled, edits are automatically reversed if payment is not completed before the editing deadline.
How it works
Here's what happens when a reversal triggers:
- A customer edits their order and adds products, creating an outstanding balance.
- The customer doesn't complete payment before the editing deadline.
- Order Editing automatically reverses the unpaid changes once the deadline passes.
- The order returns to its last fully paid state. Items the customer added and paid for earlier stay on the order. Review the order timeline and final balance to confirm what changed.
- If the unpaid addition moved the order over a free shipping threshold and replaced a paid shipping method, the original paid shipping method is restored when the addition is removed.
- An editing hold can release when its conditions are resolved. Other payment, support or fulfillment holds may remain.
- If you have payment capture enabled, Order Editing can also attempt to capture any authorized payments after the reversal.
Example: A customer adds a $40 accessory to their order and pays for it. Later they add a $30 item but close the browser without paying. The editing deadline passes. Order Editing removes only the unpaid $30 item, keeps the paid $40 accessory, and clears the $30 outstanding balance.
When an unpaid addition unlocked free shipping
Suppose a customer's order ships with a paid standard shipping method. They add an item that takes the order over your free shipping threshold, so free express shipping replaces the paid method, and then they don't pay. When the unpaid item is removed, Order Editing also restores the paid shipping method the customer originally chose, so the order isn't left with free shipping it no longer qualifies for.
When reversals are skipped
Automatic reversals don't apply in every situation. Order Editing skips reversals for the following order types:
- Orders with pending transactions, where a payment is still being processed
- Orders with active returns, where a return is in progress
- Orders using payment terms (such as net-30 or net-60), where payment isn't expected immediately
- Orders placed through manual payment gateways, where payment is handled outside Shopify
- Staff changes that cannot be safely separated from eligible customer edits
- Draft orders, which are excluded from automatic reversals entirely
These exclusions exist to prevent reversals from interfering with orders that have legitimate reasons for an outstanding balance. If an order falls into one of these categories, you'll need to handle the unpaid edit manually.
What customers see on orders with a pending payment
When a customer opens an order that still has an unpaid edit, Order Editing shows a Complete your order edit message with options to pay the outstanding balance or undo the unpaid changes.
This message is not shown on orders that Shopify shows as Payment pending. A pending balance can be the original payment that hasn't settled yet, such as a deferred or slower payment method, rather than an unpaid edit, so customers aren't asked to pay or undo changes for it.
Controlling reversal timing
Reversal timing is based on the editing deadline configured in your settings. When the deadline expires and payment hasn't been made, the reversal triggers automatically.
You can adjust the editing deadline to match your business needs. A shorter deadline means faster reversals but less time for customers to pay. A longer deadline gives customers more time but delays the rollback of unpaid edits.
For more granular control, you can use Shopify Flow to schedule custom expiration times for individual orders, overriding the global editing deadline on a per-order basis. See Shopify Flow and Order Editing for setup details and the available Flow types.
When Shopify Flow closes editing
Closing editing and reversing unpaid additions are different actions. If a custom Flow owns the closing sequence, check that it includes Reverse Unpaid Edits where your reviewed workflow requires it. Closing editing alone is not evidence that extra items were removed.
Inspect the Flow run, reversal result, current items, outstanding balance and remaining holds before releasing an order. Staff-added items and pending payments can be excluded from automatic reversal.
FAQ
Does the customer get notified when their edits are reversed?
If you have Order Editing Notifications enabled, the customer receives an email when their pending changes are reversed. We recommend enabling notifications so customers aren't left expecting items that are no longer on the order.
Will a reversal remove items the customer already paid for?
No. The reversal returns the order to its last fully paid state. If the customer paid for one addition and left a later addition unpaid, only the unpaid addition is removed.
What if the customer partially paid?
Do not assume a partially paid order can be restored automatically. Check its payment history and any reversal skip reason. Contact Support before changing money or fulfillment if the intended final balance is unclear.
Will reversals affect my inventory counts?
Yes, when an edit is reversed, inventory for the added products is released back to stock. This keeps your inventory counts accurate and prevents overselling caused by unpaid order modifications.
Can I control when reversals happen?
Yes, the reversal timing is based on the editing deadline configured in your settings. You can adjust this deadline to match your business needs. You can also use Shopify Flow to schedule custom expiration times for individual orders. See Shopify Flow and Order Editing for details.
