In this episode of the Liquid Weekly Podcast, hosts Karl Meisterheim and Taylor Page are joined by Sandesh Kulai, founder of STOQ by Artos Software. Sandesh shares his journey from building early Shopify apps to working at Shopify, then returning to app development full-time with Artos Software. The conversation dives into the real complexity behind preorders, back-in-stock alerts, selling plans, deferred payments, storefront integrations, and supporting apps across a wide range of Shopify themes. Sandesh also gives a behind-the-scenes look at Engine Room, Artos Software’s internal AI-powered operations dashboard, and shares practical advice for app developers on treating the business itself like a product. STAY CONNECTED Subscribe to Liquid Weekly for more expert insights:https://liquidweekly.com/ EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Sandesh’s Shopify Origin StoryBuilt for Shopify RecognitionFrom Back-in-Stock to PreordersSelling Plans Beyond SubscriptionsWhy Preorders Are More Than a Button ChangeStorefront and Theme Support24/7 Human SupportEngine Room and AI OperationsBuilding the Business Like a ProductFIND SANDESH ONLINE & RESOURCES LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandeshkini/Twitter/X: https://x.com/heysandy801STOQ: https://www.stoqapp.com/STOQ on the Shopify App Store: https://apps.shopify.com/back-in-stock-restock-alertsTIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Cold Open: Fighting Operational Slowdowns with Engine Room00:52 - Introduction & Sandesh’s Birthday03:02 - Built for Shopify Recognition at Editions.dev07:50 - Rails, React, and the STOQ Tech Stack08:52 - Sandesh’s Origin Story: Apps, Shopify, and Product Management12:10 - From Restock Rocket to STOQ13:36 - Why Preorders Are More Complicated Than a Button Change15:16 - Selling Plans, Purchase Options, and Deferred Payments18:38 - Deposits, Partial Payments, and Charging Customers Later20:45 - Using Preorders and Waitlists for Better Inventory Decisions21:36 - Conversion Analytics for Preorder Campaigns24:32 - Listening to Merchant Feedback and Expanding Product Direction28:12 - Supporting Storefronts, Themes, App Embeds, and Selectors30:50 - Building 24/7 Human Support33:01 - Scaling Support from Founders to a Team39:58 - Engine Room: Artos Software’s Internal AI Dashboard41:12 - Tracking Merchant Sentiment, Reviews, Web Vitals, and Escalations44:15 - Using AI to Keep the Team Focused on What Matters46:02 - Co-Founder Dynamics and Long-Term Partnership52:47 - Advice for App Developers: Treat the Business Like a Product54:13 - Shopify Dev Changelog Highlights01:01:49 - Picks of the WeekDEV CHANGELOG More admin intents now support Settings: https://shopify.dev/changelog/more-admin-intents-now-support-settings[action required] Ship and pickup in one order now available in feature preview: https://shopify.dev/changelog/ship-and-pickup-in-one-order-feature-preview[action required] App deployment in CI/CD is now available for all apps: https://shopify.dev/changelog/app-deployment-in-cicd-is-now-available-for-all-appsPublish and unpublish product variants independently from product: https://shopify.dev/changelog/publish-and-unpublish-product-variants-independently-from-product[action required] Bots and agents should identify themselves via Web Bot Auth: https://shopify.dev/changelog/bots-and-agents-should-identify-themselves-via-web-bot-authTarget discounts to specific markets: https://shopify.dev/changelog/target-discounts-to-specific-marketsShopify App Pricing: charge for usage, recurring subscriptions, or both: https://shopify.dev/changelog/shopify-app-pricing-charge-for-usage-recurring-subscriptions-or-both PICKS OF THE WEEK Karl: A retro Radio Shack 1680 chess computer from 1996.Sandesh: Setting up a Mac Mini to experiment with Hermes and personal AI agent workflows.Taylor: The SDA Toronto guide built with Trudy MacNabb for people heading to Shopify.dev, including events, restaurants, work spots, and local recommendations.