Picture yourself as an online customer, filled with anticipation as you find the perfect item – only to be disappointed by its out–of–stock status.

This can happen often in an online store, as sudden surges in demand or supply chain issues can lead to stockouts. Out-of-stock items can have a negative impact on customers’ shopping experience and hurt sales significantly if not managed properly.

Why Out-of-Stock Items Are Problematic

Running out of stock can be a major issue for any online store. Not only does it mean an immediate lost sale, but it also increases the risk of customers abandoning your store altogether.

Customer satisfaction takes a serious hit when shoppers can’t find what they need. If an item is unavailable, frustration sets in, leading them to competitors. Inadequate inventory management can damage your store’s reputation and reduce customer retention—people won’t return if they constantly face stock shortages.

Out-of-stock items can also disrupt order fulfillment. If a product sells but isn’t actually available when the order is placed, it results in shipping delays and unhappy customers. This directly impacts brand loyalty and long-term e-commerce success.

Prioritizing inventory optimization and real-time stock tracking is crucial to avoid these pitfalls and keep your customers happy!

Navigating Out–of–Stock Items: Proven Strategies for Your Online Store

Fortunately, there are several strategies you can use to prevent or minimize the negative impact of out-of-stock items on your online store.

1. Specify Whether Your Items Are Permanently or Temporarily Unavailable

It's essential to make it clear whether an out–of–stock item is only temporarily unavailable or permanently gone. If it's a seasonal product or something with limited availability, let your customers know so they can decide if they should wait for its return or look for an alternative.

To keep shoppers engaged and invested, create a waitlist for out-of-stock items. Offer notifications when they become available again so users don't hit a dead end.

Aside from that, keeping the out-of-stock products on your page will benefit your SEO and visibility on search engine results pages (SERPS). This is because the page will still be indexed and can help your store show up in relevant searches even if the product is not available.

2. Create a Waitlist

Creating a waitlist for out-of-stock items is another great way to keep customers engaged with your store. This allows them to sign up for notifications when the item becomes available again, so they know when it's time to make the purchase.

You can also use this as an opportunity to collect email addresses and build relationships with potential customers by sending them special offers or discounts on their favorite products.

3. Use Pre-Orders

Pre–orders can be a great way to manage out–of–stock items. They give customers the opportunity to purchase their desired item before it's available, ensuring they'll get it as soon as restocking occurs.

Pre–ordering also helps you anticipate future demand and prevents stockouts by allowing customers to reserve the product in advance.

Make the most of Shopify apps like Shopify Pre-Order Manager by Amai Digital to easily set up and manage pre-orders in your store. This simple yet powerful tool lets you automate stock availability dates and customize pre-order pages to align with your store’s branding.

You can also add a “Coming Soon” button to product pages, allowing customers to sign up for restock notifications. This keeps them engaged and ready to purchase as soon as the item is available again.

4. Utilize The Data

Tracking customer behavior and sales trends gives you early insights into products at risk of running out. By monitoring demand patterns, you can adjust your inventory strategy in real time, ensuring a smoother shopping experience and minimizing lost sales.

You will know what they wanted to get, and based on that data, you can make informed decisions on what to sell on your print-on-demand store. By doing this, you are making the "problem" a part of your solution and helping you to increase sales.

5. Provide Alternatives

Don’t leave your customers without options. If you own a print–on–demand store, why not offer different designs and colors of the same product? Or if it's custom-made, suggest similar items that are currently in stock.

This way, you can keep customers engaged and make sure they don't leave your store feeling frustrated or disappointed.

6. Invite Them to Join Your Newsletter

Another way to keep your customers engaged and loyal is to offer them the option to sign up for your store's newsletter. To make it interesting, create content related to the items you sell instead of simply sending out promotional offers or sales every once in a while.

Reward your customers for signing up for your store's newsletter with exclusive offers and discounts. This is the perfect way to keep them informed about new products and restocks, so they'll be the first in line when their favorite item is back on shelves!

7. Add Product Personalization

Adding personalized and unique products to your store allows you to work on-demand, giving you more flexibility in production time and order fulfillment. Customers are often willing to wait (and pay a higher price) if the product offers added value, such as custom designs, made-to-order items, or exclusive customization options.

You can do this easily by incorporating in your store a product customizer like Customily, which will allow you to set the necessary bases in your products, and let your customers create their own designs and see a live preview.

The best part? You can try it for 9 days completely FREE on Shopify here, or if you have another e-commerce platform you can ask for a free demo here!

Conclusion

Out-of-stock items can have a negative impact on your online store’s sales if not managed properly. Fortunately, there are several strategies you can use to minimize this impact and prevent customers from leaving your store feeling frustrated or disappointed.

You should make sure customers know whether the out-of-stock item is temporary or permanent, create a waitlist for notifications when it returns, offer pre-orders to prevent stockouts, use data to better manage out-of-stock items, suggest alternatives when the item is unavailable and sign customers up for your store’s newsletter.

With the right approach and tools in place, you can ensure that out-of-stock items won’t be a problem for your store 😉