When customers want to buy something from your online store, it might be frustrating if the item is out of stock. They may leave without making a purchase. But what if you could let shoppers know when that product will be available again? Keeping customers informed can help you keep their interest and improve their shopping experience.
In this blog post, we will discuss how to enhance the BigCommerce out-of-stock notification feature in your store. By making a few simple changes, you can provide better updates to customers and increase the chances of making a sale when items are back in stock.
Tips for Dealing with Out-of-Stock Items Without Hurting Sales
Sometimes, items run out and cannot be sold for a short time. But there are things you can do to fix this problem for your website. Let’s look at five great tips for when products on your site are no longer available.
Tell customers if the product is gone forever or just for now
There are two kinds of out-of-stock products: ones that cannot be sold right now, and ones that have been permanently discontinued. You should let customers know which category the product falls into. This way, they’ll understand if the product will come back or not.
If a product is just temporarily out of stock, instead of removing the page, you can allow customers to add it to their wish list. Then you can let them know once it’s available again. Keeping the product page up helps your website’s search rankings, which can lead to more sales in the future.
Suggest a different but similar product
When a product is out of stock, you can suggest other similar products to customers based on what they usually like and buy. Since you know what kinds of things your customers want, showing them relevant product options will help you make more sales.
It’s usually not a good idea to just redirect customers from the out-of-stock page back to your homepage. That might cause them to leave your website altogether, and it makes it harder for them to find and purchase something else. The better approach is to guide customers to keep browsing and exploring other products you offer.
Update customers on when the product will be available again
If a product is temporarily out of stock, take that opportunity to get customers’ email addresses. Instead of redirecting them elsewhere on your website, ask them to provide their email so you can notify them when the product is available again.
Collecting customer emails for out-of-stock items allows you to grow your email list and make future sales. By sending emails to promote when that product returns, you can bring those interested customers back to your site to purchase it.
Without email updates, over half of potential sales from out-of-stock products may be lost as customers buy elsewhere instead. Email marketing gives those interested buyers a way to easily return to your site once you have the product back in stock.
Make out-of-stock items harder to be visible
Besides sending BigCommerce out of stock notification, one strategy for handling out-of-stock products is to move those listings to the bottom of search results or product pages. By reducing their visibility, fewer customers will click on the unavailable items. This “out of sight, out of mind” approach helps maintain your website’s search rankings while pushing customers toward products you have in stock.
Manually adjusting product visibility every day based on inventory levels can be difficult. Using specialized software, like Back Order, that automatically updates your inventory helps you stay ahead of stock issues. The software alerts you right away when something is out of stock, giving you a chance to adjust that product’s visibility before customers get frustrated.
Allow a pre-order strategy for your store
You can allow customers to pre-order products that will be back in stock soon. This pre-order strategy captures customer interest and encourages them to return to your website when the item is available again.
Providing a pre-order option keeps customers engaged with your site as they wait for the product to come back. You can give them a “Notify Me” button, so they get updates on when it will be in stock. Clear communication about availability helps build customer loyalty.
Letting customers pre-order out-of-stock items creates excitement and commitment to purchasing once you have them back. They’ve already decided they want that product from your store.
Improve BigCommerce Out of Stock Notification with Back Order by GritGlobal
About the App
The BackOrder App allows you to keep selling even when your products go out of stock. Instead of losing those sales, customers can backorder items until you restock. Just choose which products to enable backorders for, and the app does the rest automatically when inventory hits zero.
You can apply backorders to full products or just specific variants like sizes and colors. Customize the messaging customers see. Set thresholds for maximum backorder quantities and provide estimates on when items will be back in stock.
BackOrder of GritGlobal can work seamlessly with your existing inventory management system, reflecting any updates in real time. Our support team is available 7 days a week to assist you with any questions about using the BackOrder App effectively.
App Features
- BackOrder Keeps You Selling When You’re Out of Stock
The BackOrder app allows customers to order products that are currently out of stock. Instead of missing out on those sales entirely, you can take backorders and deliver the items once you have them back in stock.
- Easy Setup
Just install the app, choose which products to enable backorders for, and BackOrder takes care of the rest automatically when inventory is depleted.
- Keep Customers Informed
Customize the notifications and messaging to let shoppers know an item is backordered and when it’s expected back in stock. You can also design the BigCommerce out of stock notifications to match your branding.
- Plan Ahead
Set limits on how many backorders to accept and provide estimated restock dates to customers. This helps you manage incoming inventory levels.
- Clear Inventory Overview
Get real-time reports on your backorder data so you can easily track and export details on out-of-stock products, order quantities, and more.
To Conclude,
Don’t let out-of-stock products cause you to lose sales and customers. With BackOrder – the only dedicated backorder app for BigCommerce – you can keep selling even when an item is out of stock.
Provide a seamless shopping experience by allowing backorders, setting customer BigCommerce out of stock notifications, and giving accurate restock estimates. Contact the BackOrder team to learn more about implementing backorders for your BigCommerce store!
