Tired of orders that mix items your team cannot send together?
Shopify mixed cart rules that stop bad orders before checkout
Catch mixed carts that can't go out as one order: Bird checks every item against your rules and blocks checkout with a message you write.
In the cart
The following items are not available for this location
· Frozen Gelato Tub
Checkout
Another cart
These items have conflicting schedules and cannot be ordered together
· Wedding cake tasting box
· Same-day flower bunch
Your own wording, in every language you sell in.
What changes when mixed carts are checked in the cart?
Catch impossible orders before payment
Bird checks every item against your pickup, delivery, and shipping rules, then blocks methods that do not fit.
Show clear reasons, not checkout surprises
Customers see exactly which items conflict, so they can fix the cart while they are still shopping.
Keep one order on one workable schedule
Bird does not split the order, so your team fulfills one method and one schedule that actually works.
What is cart conflict detection in Bird?
In Bird Pickup & Delivery, the Shopify app by BirdChime, the cart widget checks every item in the cart against your product rules. If one item can't use the chosen pickup, delivery or shipping method, that method is unavailable for the whole order. The cart lists the items and blocks checkout until your customer changes something.
| Method rules | Product tags, included or excluded, per method and location |
|---|---|
| Wording | Every message editable, in each language |
| Price | From $19.99 a month, billed through Shopify, with a 14-day free trial. Compare plans |
| Used by | 7,000+ Shopify stores in 60+ countries |
Everything you can set
What does Bird check in the cart?
Bird checks the whole cart as one order with one method and one schedule.
What does Bird check in the cart?
Bird checks the whole cart as one order with one method and one schedule.
| You can | What happens | For example |
|---|---|---|
| Apply one method that fits every item | Product Availability decides which items can use pickup, local delivery, or shipping based on product tags. | Example: One product is pickup only, another shipping only. No single method fits both, so checkout is blocked and the cart explains why. |
| Offer only dates that work for the whole cart | When items have different date rules, Bird only offers dates that satisfy every item together. | Example: A cake needs 2 days and flowers need same day, so today disappears and the first shared date is two days out. |
| Keep one method and one schedule per order | Bird does not split one cart into multiple schedules, so your team processes one clean order path. | Example: If half the cart needs Friday and half needs Saturday, the customer places two separate orders. |
How do product tags decide what fits?
Include or exclude tagged products for each method, at each location.
How do product tags decide what fits?
Include or exclude tagged products for each method, at each location.
| You can | What happens | For example |
|---|---|---|
| Use include mode for allowed products only | Only items carrying your chosen tag can use that method. One untagged item blocks the method for the cart. | Example: Delivery includes tag local-delivery. A cart item without that tag removes delivery from options. |
| Use exclude mode to block specific items | Any item with your excluded tag makes that method unavailable for the whole order. | Example: Tag frozen-items is excluded from shipping. Add one frozen item and shipping is blocked. |
| Match tags exactly | Tag spelling and capital letters must match exactly, or the rule will not apply as expected. | Example: Rule uses Delivery, but product tag is delivery, so the product is treated as untagged. |
| Set rules per store | With multiple locations, each location can run its own pickup and delivery product rules. | Example: Downtown allows chilled desserts for pickup, while Airport location excludes them. |
What do customers see?
Your customers see a message in the cart that names the items, and checkout waits until the cart fits.
What do customers see?
Your customers see a message in the cart that names the items, and checkout waits until the cart fits.
| You can | What happens | For example |
|---|---|---|
| Show unavailable items clearly | Customers see an unavailable-items message that lists the exact products causing the block. | Example: The cart names Frozen Gelato Tub under the unavailable-items message for local delivery. |
| Explain schedule conflicts in plain words | Customers see a schedule-conflict message with item names when products cannot share one date plan. | Example: The message lists Party Cake and Salad Box when their date rules cannot overlap. |
Can I change the messages?
Yes. Write them so your customers know exactly what to do next.
Can I change the messages?
Yes. Write them so your customers know exactly what to do next.
| You can | What happens | For example |
|---|---|---|
| Customize wording by method and language | Edit separate pickup, delivery, and shipping errors in Text and languages for each language you sell in. | Example: English says Try pickup instead, while French shows your equivalent message. |
| Write two messages for mixed carts | Set one message for cart eligibility and another for schedule conflicts, so the fix is obvious. | Example: Tell your customer to place separate orders for these items. |
| Keep custom storefront checks aligned | A custom storefront can enforce the same guardrails. For developers: canCheckout() returns cart_ineligible or schedule_conflict. | Example: Your custom cart blocks checkout and shows the same conflict message as the standard widget. |
Items not available, or conflicting schedules?
| Capability | Items not available | Conflicting schedules |
|---|---|---|
| Cause | Items not availableAn item's tags don't fit the chosen method or location | Conflicting schedulesItems whose date rules don't fit together |
| Set by | Items not availableProduct Availability | Conflicting schedulesProduct overrides |
How do I set rules for mixed carts?
Tag your products in Shopify, then set Product Availability in each location's pickup and delivery settings, and in Shipping. Rewrite the cart messages in Text and languages. The guides walk through each case.
FAQ
What else do merchants ask about mixed carts?
How do I stop delivery when the cart has a pickup-only item?
Tag the item, for example pickup-only, and set Local Delivery's Product Availability to exclude that tag. If any cart item has it, delivery is unavailable and your customer picks a method that works, like pickup.
Why do I see "Products in the cart are not available"?
An item in the cart doesn't meet the Product Availability rule for that method, so the method is blocked for the whole order. Check the include or exclude tag, and that the tag's spelling and case match.
Can one order have different dates for different products?
No. Bird doesn't split orders: each order has one method and one schedule. Items that need different dates go in separate orders.
What happens when products have different preparation times?
The calendar uses the longest preparation time in the cart and only offers dates that work for every item.
Does Product Availability hide the pickup or delivery tab?
No. The tabs still show; the cart shows a message if your customer picks a method that doesn't fit. To hide the whole widget for some products, use Widget Visibility.
Can I write my own message for blocked carts?
Yes. Edit the pickup, delivery and shipping availability errors, plus the cart eligibility and schedule conflict messages, in Text and languages, for each language your customers use.
How much do mixed cart rules cost?
Paid plans start at $19.99 a month, billed through Shopify, with a 14-day free trial and 10% off annual billing. The pricing page shows what each plan includes.
Terms on this page
- Product Availability
- Rules that decide which products can use each method, by tag.
- Mixed cart
- A cart with items whose methods or schedules don't fit together.
- Include mode
- Only tagged products can use the method.
- Exclude mode
- Tagged products can't use the method.
Related features
Industry guides: bakeries, florists and grocery stores.
Comparing apps? Bird vs Zapiet, Pickeasy, Stellar and Flare, or the best Shopify pickup and delivery apps.
Every order one you can actually fulfil.
Try Bird free for 14 days. Tag a pickup-only product, add it to a cart with something else and see the message before you pay.