Choose based on how customers buy
In the product wizard’s Availability & Shop step, the field How customers buy this product offers Weekly Schedule and Specific Dates/Drops. Choose the strategy that matches the promise you make to customers, not just the way you bake today.
Use Weekly Schedule when
- Customers can order every week or on a predictable repeating schedule.
- You offer standing pickup or delivery days rather than a finite event.
- The product should remain eligible as new calendar dates roll forward.
- Global product or variant inventory is the right stock model.
Use Specific Dates/Drops when
- You are selling at a market, holiday preorder, launch, or limited release.
- The product is available only on selected dates.
- You need a per-drop product list or occurrence-specific inventory limit.
- You want to share one direct customer link for a drop with several eligible dates and locations.
Decision examples
A weekly Saturday bread pickup belongs in Weekly Schedule. A Mother’s Day cupcake preorder belongs in Specific Dates/Drops. A recurring monthly cake club can use a recurring drop when each occurrence needs its own product set or cap; use Weekly Schedule when the recurring cadence is simply a standing availability rule.
Common problems
- Weekly product is missing on a date: verify that its pickup or delivery location has an enabled regular schedule and that the product assignment was saved.
- Weekly product in a Specific Date/Drop will not check out: The Allow weekly products in date/drop orders when notice is met option does not replace Weekly Schedule requirements. At the drop location, an enabled regular pickup or delivery schedule and a saved assignment for that weekly product are still required. Enabling the schedule also creates recurring availability at that location. If pickup there must happen only on selected dates, use a separate Specific Dates/Drops product. There is currently no single-product setting that avoids both a second product record and recurring availability at that location.
- Drop product is visible but has no choices: attach it in the drop’s Products section.
- Both systems were configured: avoid creating overlapping customer promises; decide which calendar surface should own the product.
Schedules for linked quantity menus
When a menu uses Use existing products, each linked product keeps its fulfillment requirements. Configure dates on those physical products when required, and confirm that the selected menu date is also valid for every selected item.
One release with several pickup options
Use one Specific Dates/Drop edition when a single menu and stock pool should serve several pickup days or locations. Add a block for each date/time and choose the locations offered in that block. For example, a holiday preorder can offer Thursday and Saturday pickup while sharing one limit of 50 boxes.
Choose separate drops when the days need separate product lists or independently managed stock. A recurring drop repeats editions of the shared schedule; it does not turn every pickup block into a separate inventory pool.
Next steps
Plan availability
Plan: The two scheduling strategies are available for physical products on Free. Location count, delivery, and other features follow the production entitlement matrix.
Keywords
weekly schedule or specific dates, weekly vs drop, planner strategy, market, launch, preorder, recurring availability, pickup schedule