Backorders have been in existence as long as logistics and supply lines. However, with the increasing competition in the eCommerce industry, maintaining stocks to avoid any backorder issues has become an integral aspect of meeting customer expectations.
A backorder is an order, which is waiting to be filled. According to recent statistics, more than 35% of eCommerce companies experience backorders. Previously, it was hard to track backorder. However, today with automation software like BigCommerce, eCommerce store owners can automate their backorders to know what action to trigger when their inventory is running dry.
Ways to Optimize BigCommerce Backorder Experience
These are not the days you want to keep customers waiting for an order. Your competitors are also fighting for that customers. Therefore, to avoid frequent backorder issues, it is imperative to optimize your backorder customer experience. Here is how you can optimize your backorder.
Clear CTA & availability on the product page
The first step to optimizing your backorder experience is to get an accurate inventory of your inventory. Here, you need to employ the best integration tools to your eCommerce platform that will provide real-time alerts to avoid any backorder issue
Showing Estimated Time of Arrival on product page
When you have a backorder situation, you should show the estimated arrival time on the product to give customers an idea of when they will receive the product once it is available. For instance, if you have only one item remaining, you can indicate that more orders will be available for shipment on the page and state. When doing this, encourage your customer to order to assure that they will receive their product on the specified date.
Notify on cart page/checkout page
Furthermore, besides showing the estimated arrival time on the product page, you need to notify the customer on the cart or checkout page. At times, some customers are quick to order products without reading the description and information on them. Notifying them will help your brand in the long term.
Show information on invoice/packing slip
Another important way to optimize your backorder experience is to show information on invoices or packing slips. When customers receive these invoices, they can keep track of when their product will arrive.
Keep customer updated on order status You need to keep your customers update on the product and its status. Keeping them informed or updated on the current status of their product will help strengthen your customer relationship and build trust in your brand. With this, they can comfortably order from your store again when you have a backorder situation.
A comprehensive solution to Optimize BigCommerce Backorder
GritGlobal’s BigCommerce BackOrder app will allow you to:
- Switch products to backorder instantly
- Customize your messages on buttons, cart warning, and packing slips
- Planning restock with thresholds
If creating a flawless backorder experience requires too many tweaks and workarounds for you, be sure to give our app a try. We’ll get you started in minutes!
Conclusion
A backorder is an order to assure your customers to fulfill their orders despite not having them in your inventory. It usually involves a promise that a particular order will be fulfilled and delivered on specific data. For instance, you sell various products, and you receive an order for a specific shoe from four different customers.
Further reading: Best practices for managing backordered items
