When a product is out of stock on your online store, you want to let customers know right away. The standard “Out of Stock” message on BigCommerce may seem basic. But customizing this message can actually help improve your store’s customer experience. A well-written out of stock notice provides clear information to shoppers. It can also encourage them to stay on your site or come back later when the item is available again. In this post, we’ll explain why taking a few minutes to edit your BigCommerce out of stock message is worth the effort for your BigCommerce store.
How BigCommerce out of Stock Messages Affect the Shopping Experience
Make customers buy from competitors
When products are out of stock on your online store, it can really frustrate customers. If shoppers see lots of “out of stock” messages when browsing your site, they may just give up and go look at a different store instead. They could end up buying from one of your competitors because your store didn’t have what they wanted available.
Reduce customer satisfaction
Finding items out of stock also makes customers unhappy with your store. If they get excited about a product but then can’t actually buy it, they’ll feel let down. This bad experience may make them leave a negative review about your store or decide not to shop with you again in the future.
Create distrust
Out of stock products can make customers distrustful of your store. They may wonder if you’ll ever restock those items or if you purposely had little stock to get people to buy other things instead. This uncertainty makes shoppers likely to just shop elsewhere next time.
Discourage new leads
It also discourages new customers from sticking around. If someone new finds your store from an ad or social media post but then sees a bunch of out of stock messages, they may never come back. You missed your chance to turn them into a loyal customer.
Damage your brand
Frequent out of stocks can even damage your brand’s reputation. Customers may feel tricked if they see promotions for items that aren’t actually available. They could start thinking your store is dishonest or just cares about making sales rather than serving customers well.
Why You Should Customize Your BigCommerce Out of Stock Message?
Customizing your BigCommerce out of stock message is crucial for enhancing the customer experience and boosting sales. By personalizing the message, you provide relevant information, such as restock dates or alternative product suggestions, keeping customers informed and engaged. This increases their trust in your brand and maintains their interest, potentially converting lost sales into revenue. Additionally, customization allows you to infuse your brand’s personality, making your store stand out from competitors.
Furthermore, a tailored out of stock message can help you collect valuable data on customer preferences and demands. By tracking which products generate significant interest or frequently go out of stock, you gain insights to inform inventory management and future marketing strategies.
The BigCommerce BackOrder from Grit Global is designed to assist you in customizing your BigCommerce out of stock message and your storefront with stock alert labels. With this app, you can easily notify customers when a product is out of stock and allow them to make purchases even when the item is unavailable. By enabling customers to place orders for zero-stock products, you create an opportunity to generate additional revenue.
How to Handle Out of Stock Products to Turn Them into Opportunities
Suggest customers to similar products
You can still try to make a sale when a product is out of stock. On the out of stock page, add a section that says something like “Check out these similar products.” Then show pictures and links to other items the customer might want to buy instead. This turns the out of stock page into an opportunity to sell something else.
Many website platforms have plugins or widgets that make it easy to display recommended product suggestions on out of stock pages.
Give shoppers a specific time to come back
If a product will only be out of stock for a short time, in your BigCommerce out of stock message, let customers know when you expect to have it available again. For example, you could say something like “This item will be back in stock on June 15th.”
Giving a specific restock date creates some excitement and makes customers feel like they won’t be waiting forever. It reassures them that the item is coming back soon, so they’ll be more likely to check your store again instead of going somewhere else.
Send restock notifications
Make it easy for customers to get notified when an out of stock item comes back. Have a place on the product page where they can enter their email or phone number. Then you can let them know as soon as it’s available again.
While they’re waiting, give those customers a coupon code to use on something else in your store. That encourages them to keep shopping with you instead of a competitor.
When the product finally restocks, send out those restock notifications right away. Use a catchy subject line like “It’s back in stock!” or “Your wait is over!” to get people excited to place their order.
Promote the product again
Promote the product once more by spending more on ads. This will get people more excited about the product and help you make up for lost sales. Your current customers will know that the product is available again, and you’ll also attract new customers. Keep an eye on Google Analytics and Google Search Console to see which pages are popular and where you can improve with advertising.
Create a search bar
Include a search bar to help visitors find things they’re interested in. By adding a search bar, shoppers can look for specific items within your website. This makes it convenient for them to explore and increases the likelihood of them making a purchase before leaving your site.
Offer pre-orders
Take advantage of pre-orders to gauge the popularity of your product. Instead of simply notifying customers that an item is out of stock, offer them the option to pre-order it. This strategy can build anticipation for a new and popular item or generate excitement for the return of your most sought-after products.
In Conclusion
Customizing your BigCommerce out of stock message is a vital strategy to enhance the customer experience and increase sales. By personalizing the message, you can provide relevant information, maintain customer interest, and convert potential lost sales into revenue. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to optimize your out of stock messaging— contact BackOrder today and take advantage of their app and other BigCommerce integrations to elevate your BigCommerce store!
