Best Practices For Out Of Stock Email Notification
Retailers tend to lose potential sales because customers can’t buy products that are temporarily out of stock. Implementing an effective out of stock email notification system can help you retain those customers and boost sales when items are restocked. This post will guide you through setting up these notifications for your eCommerce store and share best practices to maximize their effectiveness. What is Out Of Stock Email Notification? When a product is “out of stock,” it means that the item is currently unavailable for purchase because the inventory has been depleted. This situation can occur due to high demand, supply chain issues, or delays in restocking. An out of stock email notification is a message sent to customers who have shown interest in the unavailable product. This email typically informs them that the item is out of stock and may offer alternatives or provide an option to be notified when the product is back in stock. These notifications help maintain customer interest and engagement, and they can encourage purchases once the item becomes available again. How to Set Up Out-of-Stock Email Notifications Below are the top strategies on how to set up out of stock email notifications that you should consider to create the best customer experience: Employ a Service that Automatically Sends Out Emails Customize your email alert schedule to align with your business needs. Automating these notifications with a powerful BigCommerce Automation app like Atom8, allows you to focus on core revenue-generating activities. Consider sending follow-up messages to customers who haven’t engaged with your emails after a set period. For larger customer bases, implement a system that monitors engagement patterns and alerts you to prolonged inactivity, enabling timely interventions to maintain customer interest. Clear Subject Line To differentiate yourself from competitors, personalize your out of stock email notification subject lines to give them character. You can achieve this by analyzing customer data, including purchase history and location, to determine what resonates most effectively with your audience. Create unique and compelling subject lines for your out of stock email notifications to boost their open rates. Consider incorporating a touch of humor to forge a stronger connection with your customers. Include Relevant or Hot Selling Products With BigCommerce back-in-stock notifications, feature complementary products that pair well with the restocked item. Including multiple product suggestions can increase average order value and simplify the shopping experience for customers, eliminating the need for extensive browsing. This strategy not only informs customers about restocked items but also encourages additional purchases by presenting a curated selection of relevant products. Deliver a Sense of Urgency Leverage the power of FOMO (fear of missing out) by creating a sense of urgency in your messaging. Incorporate compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) that prompt immediate action, such as: These urgency-driven phrases encourage customers to make a purchase quickly, reducing the risk of the item selling out before they can act. Add Clear Calls-to-Action When a customer opens your back-in-stock email, what’s your main message? Include clear links to products, services, or contact info to keep them engaged. Make purchasing easy directly from the email by adding prominent “Buy Now” or “Shop Now” buttons. Link these CTAs directly to the product pages, simplifying the buying process for your customers. Notify Customers When the Product is Back in Stock Notify customers promptly when products are restocked, especially those who’ve subscribed to out of stock email notifications. After sending the initial notification, follow up with a reminder email to encourage purchases. This two-step approach helps capture attention and motivate buying decisions among interested customers. Keep Your Tone Consistent We apologize to your customers for the disappointment and inconvenience caused by the product shortage. This will show how responsible you are toward them and help build a trusting relationship with them. Remember that even if you use the same language in every out of stock email notification, your audience will expect certain things based on how you speak to them. Your tone should always reflect the business at hand, maintaining consistency and reinforcing your brand’s identity to effectively resonate with your audience. Best Practices to Send Out-of-Stock Email Notifications In this section, we’ll explore best practices for out-of-stock email notifications. These tips will help you maintain customer satisfaction while maximizing the potential of your restock notifications. Acknowledge and Apologize for the Inconvenience While “the customer is always right” may not always apply, it’s crucial to recognize when you’ve fallen short of providing the best customer experience. A brief, sincere apology goes a long way. In your out of stock email notification, take responsibility for the situation and aim to delight your customers despite the setback. Briefly explain that you’re actively working to resolve the issue and ensure it doesn’t happen again. Be Transparent Without Making Excuses Honestly, explain the reason for the stock issue, whether it’s a processing error, manufacturer discontinuation, or an order mix-up. Customers value truthfulness as long as it’s not presented as an excuse. People tend to favor brands that take responsibility for their mistakes rather than those that make excuses. Offer Alternative or Similar Products Recommend similar items that might satisfy the customer’s needs. This strategy serves two purposes: it helps prevent lost sales and maintains customer satisfaction. By offering alternatives, you provide solutions and demonstrate your commitment to meeting your customers’ requirements, even when their first choice is unavailable. Clarify the Refund Process Be transparent about how refunds work when items are out of stock. Clearly explain the refund procedure, and any available options for the customer’s money, and provide a specific timeframe for when they can expect to receive their funds. This clarity prevents confusion and frustration, ensuring customers aren’t left wondering about the status of their payment after learning an item is unavailable. Include Clear Customer Service Details Don’t overlook the importance of providing comprehensive customer service information. Clearly state all available contact methods, including phone numbers, email addresses, and relevant social media handles. Also, specify your hours of operation. This allows customers to reach out through
BigCommerce Email Notification Best Practices
In 2024, email marketing continues to show its strength, with an impressive return on investment (ROI) of up to $36 for every $1 spent. This makes email one of the most cost-effective marketing channels available to businesses today. Email notifications are a key part of any eCommerce business, especially for those using BigCommerce. They play a significant role in keeping your customers informed, which helps build trust and loyalty. When done well, these messages can also streamline your operations, making everything run more smoothly and increasing your sales. In this guide, we’ll explore the best practices for setting up and using them in BigCommerce to help you get the most out of your store. Understanding BigCommerce Email Notifications BigCommerce offers a range of email notifications that are essential for keeping both customers and staff informed about important events. These notifications are important because, according to recent data, the average email open rate across industries has increased to 34.46%, making email a highly effective communication channel for businesses. This statistic highlights the importance of using these messages to ensure your messages are actually being seen by your audience. Types of Email Notifications in BigCommerce BigCommerce provides several types of email notifications to help you manage your store and keep your customers updated. Here’s an overview of the main types: Each of these email notifications serves a different purpose, but all are designed to keep your customers informed and engaged. Using them effectively can help boost your store’s performance. Importance of Timely Notifications Sending timely and relevant email notifications is essential for keeping your customers happy. When customers receive updates quickly, it reassures them that their order is being handled properly, which builds trust in your store. Here’s why timely notifications matter: For example, if a customer is waiting for an item to be restocked, a quick email notification as soon as it’s available can lead to an immediate sale. On the other hand, if customers are left waiting without updates, they might look elsewhere. Keeping your notifications timely and relevant is key to maintaining a smooth customer experience and ensuring that your store continues to grow. Best Practices for Setting Up BigCommerce Email Notifications Setting up your email notifications correctly in BigCommerce is essential for keeping your customers informed and engaged. This section will cover the best ways to customize your email templates, set up order and shipping notifications, and use back-in-stock notifications effectively. Customizing Email Templates Customizing your email templates is important to ensure that your messages reflect your brand’s style and voice. Here are some tips on how to do this effectively: Atom8 – BigCommerce Automation from GritGlobal makes it easy to customize your email templates. It allows you to incorporate dynamic content that matches your brand’s voice, which can help enhance customer engagement. By taking the time to customize your emails, you can ensure that they stand out in your customer’s inbox and encourage them to take action. Setting Up Order and Shipping Notifications Order and shipping notifications are vital for keeping customers informed throughout their purchase journey. Setting these up correctly can improve customer satisfaction and reduce the number of support requests. Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up these notifications: With Atom8 – BigCommerce Automation, these email notifications can be automated, reducing the need for manual work. This ensures that customers are kept informed at every stage of their purchase journey, which can lead to higher customer satisfaction and fewer inquiries to your support team. Utilizing Back-In-Stock Notifications Back-in-stock notifications are a great way to inform customers when an item they wanted is available again. Here’s how to make the most of these notifications: Atom8 can automate these back-in-stock email notifications, making it simple to keep your customers informed about product availability. By using back-in-stock notifications effectively, you can improve your conversion rates and keep your customers happy. Advanced Email Notification Strategies Using advanced email notification strategies can take your BigCommerce store to the next level. These strategies not only improve communication with your customers but also streamline your internal operations, making everything run more smoothly. Leveraging Automation Tools BigCommerce Automation tools like Atom8 are great for handling advanced email notifications. These tools allow you to automate tasks that would otherwise take up a lot of time and effort. Here’s how you can use them: Using BigCommerce Automation tools like Atom8 for your email notifications not only saves time but also increases efficiency. By automating these key tasks, you can focus on other important areas of your business, knowing that your notifications are being handled smoothly. Enhancing Internal Communication Internal email notifications are essential for keeping your team informed and on the same page. With tools like Atom8, you can automate these notifications to ensure that your team is always aware of what’s happening in your store. Here’s how internal notifications can help: By automating internal email notifications, you can improve communication within your team, leading to better coordination and faster response times. This not only helps your team work more efficiently but also enhances the overall customer experience. Providing Post-Purchase Support After a customer makes a purchase, it’s important to continue providing support to ensure their satisfaction. Email notifications are a great way to do this, and with Atom8, you can automate these notifications to make the process even smoother. Here are some ways to provide post-purchase support through email notifications: Providing post-purchase support through email notifications helps build customer loyalty and ensures that they have a positive experience with your brand. Automating these notifications with tools like Atom8 makes it easier to stay connected with your customers and keep them coming back. Measuring the Success of Your Email Notifications To make sure your email notifications are effective, it’s important to measure their success. By tracking key metrics and performing tests, you can see what’s working and make improvements where needed. Key Metrics to Track There are several key metrics you should monitor to understand how well your email notifications are performing. Here’s an
