When a product goes out of stock, customers do not hang around and wait; they search for alternatives, only to never return.
Stockouts are not just lost sales opportunities today but also a loss of future potential revenue. Moreover, it frustrates customers, hurts conversions, and leaves revenue on the table.
Back-in-stock alerts provide an effective solution by notifying interested customers when a sold-out product is available again. By re-engaging potential buyers at the right time, these alerts help recover lost sales and improve overall conversion rates.
By using inventory notifications, Shopify store owners can, firstly, enhance customer experience by reducing frustration and, secondly, gain valuable insights on product demand, which helps make informed inventory decisions.
In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about back-in-stock alerts, from how they work and their key benefits to step-by-step setup instructions for your Shopify store.
Stockouts are out-of-stock events when certain products or product lines are no longer available in inventory because they are all sold out. eCommerce businesses often experience such events, including the ones who sell via Shopify.
The immediate impact of such an event on businesses is a loss in sales. It further extends to tampered conversion rates and overall revenue. Studies show that poor inventory management can cost businesses up to 11% of annual revenue due to stockouts and overstocking.
Additionally, stockouts can harm customer experience and brand reputation. According to a study by IHL Group, customers who experience stockouts are 40% more likely to shop with a competitor in the future, which implies that stock outs also diminish customer loyalty.
Now, a lot of incidents lead to stockouts, supply chain disruptions borne out of delays from suppliers or logistical issues, sudden spikes in demand driven by trends or seasonal factors, and inventory mismanagement that includes inaccurate demand forecasting or inefficient stock tracking.
But most of them are preventable. Shopify store owners with a better understanding of inventory management and customer experience strategies under their hood can better prevent the complexities of stockouts.
Back-in-stock alerts are automated inventory notifications that nudge customers about the availability of an out-of-stock product. Companies that take proactive measures to keep shoppers engaged and prevent losing sales to competitors resort to these alerts.
Customers can opt in to be notified about the availability of out-of-stock products via email, SMS, push notifications, or messaging apps. Once the product is restocked, they receive an instant update, prompting them to return and purchase.
Beyond sales recovery, back-in-stock alerts improve customer engagement, retention, shopping experience, and conversions.
Here are a few reasons why back-in-stock alerts or restock notifications are important for Shopify stores:
1. Recover lost sales and reduce churn - Keep customers engaged by offering restock notifications, reducing the chances of losing sales to competitors.
2. Capture high-intent shoppers - Customers who sign up for alerts are already interested and more likely to complete the purchase once the product is back in stock.
3. Boost conversions with minimal effort - Automated alerts reach customers at the right moment, driving conversions without relying on costly tactics like discounts or ads.
4. Gain valuable inventory insights - Track sign-ups to measure real-time demand, helping you make data-driven decisions and avoid future stockouts.
5. Grow your marketing list - Use sign-ups to expand your email and sms subscriber lists, creating personalized messages that drive repeat sales.
If you want to try this effortless yet impactful strategy, here are the types of alerts you can deploy:
Email notifications are traditional yet highly effective because they have enough room for product details, personalization, and visually appealing content like images, making them a highly appealing method to capture interest and drive conversions.
SMS notifications, on the other hand, are short, clear, and concise, which is why they receive higher open rates and immediate conversions. Here’s how an effective back-in-stock SMS notification and winning through brevity looks like:
For a more engaging medium, there are push notifications, which provide instant alerts via mobile or desktop devices. They are creative, timely, prompt immediate action, and highly effective in driving sales.
Contrarily, if you want to make the alerts more personal and direct, chat-based platforms like Messenger or WhatsApp are the way to go. These platforms facilitate real-time conversations, enhancing customer engagement.
Here’s how the seamless back-in-stock automated alerts are operated:
If you want to deploy back-in-stock alerts, you must integrate a stock alert app like STOQ into your inventory management tool. Every time a product goes out of stock, the system will automatically display an opt-in option for customers to request a notification once it’s available again.
Shoppers can sign up for restock alerts through various opt-in methods, such as pop-ups, inline buttons, or dedicated signup forms on product pages.
Once inventory is replenished, the system instantly triggers a notification via email, SMS, push notification, or messaging apps. With a single click, shoppers are taken directly to checkout, maximizing conversions.
Businesses can tailor their back-in-stock alerts with personalized messages, product recommendations, or even exclusive discounts. Customization helps create a more engaging experience, making customers feel valued and increasing the likelihood of purchase.
To measure effectiveness, businesses can track key performance metrics such as open rates, click-through rates (CTR), and conversions. These insights help optimize messaging, timing, and notification channels to maximize engagement and sales.
Want to maximize the impact of your customer notification system? Here are the best practices to follow:
Place signup forms directly on product pages - or anywhere else shoppers browse, like the home, collection, or search pages - making it effortless to opt in. Use inline buttons, pop-ups, or embedded forms for a seamless experience. Plus, where GDPR compliance is required, STOQ supports double opt-in to keep your store compliant while capturing high-intent customers.
Use placeholders such as the customer’s name and product name to make it a personal message, and add urgency-driven messaging in alerts to tap into their FOMO emotion to drive an immediate action.
Notify customers immediately after a restock to maximize conversions. Follow up with a reminder after a set period if they haven’t made a purchase, ensuring they don’t forget about the product.
Send notifications to the channel where your customers are most active. You can also go for a combination of channels, like SMS and push notifications or SMS and email, to maximize reach, visibility, and conversion.
But remember not to bombard customers with notifications everywhere, which would irritate them.
Phrases like “Limited stock available - act fast!” or “Only a few left in your size!” create urgency and drive quicker purchases. You can also add countdown timers during flash sales to amplify the urgency and reduce hesitation even further.
Encourage sign-ups by offering discounts, free shipping, or loyalty points. A small reward, such as “ Sign up for restock alerts. Get 10% off” can boost conversions and strengthen customer loyalty.
Shopify doesn’t offer natively built-in restock alerts.
As a Shopify store owner, you can integrate Shopify stock alerts via third-party apps to enable automated notifications that help reach customers across multiple channels.
To set up back-in-stock notifications, you can use an app like STOQ. With STOQ, you can create waitlists for out-of-stock products, enable pre-orders with deposits or partial payments, and unlock new revenue opportunities effortlessly.
When choosing a back-in-stock alert app, look for key features such as multi-channel notifications (email, SMS, push), automation, customization, and analytics. Insights into customer demand and notification performance help optimize inventory and marketing efforts.
1. Install STOQ – Visit the STOQ App Listing on the Shopify App Store and add it to your store to start automating back-in-stock notifications.
2. Configure settings – Customize signup forms, notification messages, and preferred alert channels (email, SMS, push).
3. Enable automation – Connect the app to your inventory system so alerts are triggered as soon as stock is replenished.
4. Test alerts – Run a test by opting in for an alert and verifying that notifications are sent correctly when inventory updates.
5. Monitor performance – Use analytics tools within the app to track open rates, click-through rates, and conversions, adjusting strategies as needed.
Here’s what to measure when you want to understand how effective your back-in-stock notifications are in driving engagement and sales or otherwise:
The number of people signing up for restock notifications reflects the demand for out-of-stock products. A high signup rate suggests strong interest and a larger pool of potential buyers when inventory is replenished.
Tracking how many recipients open and click on back-in-stock notifications helps measure message effectiveness. Higher rates suggest compelling messaging and strong engagement, while lower rates indicate room for optimization.
This metric shows the percentage of customers who purchase after receiving a back-in-stock alert. A strong conversion rate confirms your notifications are successfully re-engaging and converting shoppers.
Businesses willing to understand lost opportunities from stockouts, and if they were able to recover it, can track revenue generated from restock alerts. It also highlights the direct impact of these notifications on overall profitability.
Here’s how you can get the most out of back-in-stock notifications:
Not all shoppers have the same buying habits, so segmenting them smartly based on criteria like purchase history can improve engagement and conversions.
For instance, you can send an alert saying, "Your favorite sneakers are finally back! Grab them before they sell out again!" to a repeat sneaker shopper, while a first-time visitor will receive, "The sneakers you were eyeing are restocked! Make your first purchase right away."
Testing different formats and messaging can help identify what works best for you and your audience. For instance, you can A/B test email alerts with SMS notifications to see which channel drives faster responses.
Similarly, test CTAs like "Shop Now" versus "Reserve Yours Today" to understand what’s more compelling to your users.
Connecting back-in-stock alerts with CRM and automation tools allows businesses to nurture leads beyond the notification.
For example, customers who don’t purchase after receiving an alert can be added to an email drip campaign featuring related products, limited-time discounts, or social proof to encourage a sale.
Including product recommendations in back-in-stock alerts can boost average order value. For instance, "This is back in stock! Pair it with [related product] for the perfect combo." This strategy helps capture additional sales and enhances the shopping experience.
The number of signups for stock alerts serves as a valuable indicator of demand. Use your waitlist data to find your showstopper products with high demand and plan your inventory.
Here are some of the don’ts in restock alerts:
1. Delayed alerts - Not sending alerts promptly reduces their effectiveness because customers lose interest.
2. No personalization - Generic alerts don’t engage customers as effectively as personalized ones.
3. Single channel alerts - Relying solely on one channel limits reach. A multi-channel approach that includes push notifications and WhatsApp ensures higher visibility and engagement.
4. Ignoring data and analytics - Businesses not tracking important metrics miss opportunities to optimize their alerts and inventory.
5. Vague Call to Action (CTA) - Unclear or weak CTAs reduce conversions. Strong messages like ‘Get yours now’ encourage immediate action.
Back-in-stock notifications are evolving rapidly, and at STOQ, we’re working to keep you ahead of the curve. Here’s what’s next:
Why wait for a restock when you can secure sales upfront? Soon, STOQ will offer the option to convert waitlisted customers into preorders, ensuring you capture revenue early.
Artificial intelligence will improve inventory forecasting, enabling businesses to restock proactively and send alerts before customers even request them. This means fewer stockouts and happier customers.
We’re making it even easier for customers to opt in for alerts anywhere on your store - whether they’re on the home page, collection pages, search results, or product pages. Plus, we’re enhancing popup customization with new block styles, color options, and more.
Customers will soon be able to track their waitlist status and discover recently restocked products, giving them more control and boosting engagement. To go even further, we’re working on personalized upsell and cross-sell recommendations to increase average order value.
Future alerts will use browsing history, past purchases, and engagement patterns to deliver highly relevant and timely notifications, helping you convert interest into sales.
We’re expanding integrations with top marketing platforms, enabling you to segment customers more effectively and trigger personalized back-in-stock campaigns across email, SMS, and more.
As messaging apps grow in popularity, more brands will adopt WhatsApp and chat-based notifications, allowing real-time conversations and instant purchases directly within messaging apps.
Stores will prioritize VIP customers by offering early access to restocked products, creating a sense of exclusivity and strengthening customer loyalty.
Back-in-stock alerts are a powerful tool for recovering lost sales, improving engagement, and keeping customers loyal.
Shopify merchants who implement them can drive more conversions while enhancing the shopping experience.
How do Shopify back-in-stock alerts work?
Back-in-stock alerts are configured to alert customers via email, SMS, or push notifications when a sold-out product is available again. The process can be automated through Shopify apps.
What are the benefits of back-in-stock alerts for eCommerce stores?
They offer insights for better inventory management, keep customers hooked by reducing bounce rates, recover lost sales, and improve customer experience.
Which Shopify apps are best for back-in-stock notifications?
The leading apps that can automate alerts by integrating with Shopify’s inventory system include Back In Stock ‑ STOQ, Appikon Back in Stock, Preorder, and Notify Me.
Can I set up back-in-stock alerts on Shopify without an app?
Yes, you can manually collect customer emails and notify them when a product is restocked, but the process is tedious and inefficient. Customers have to contact support to register their interest, and sending alerts manually is time-consuming and prone to errors. Using an automated app like STOQ saves time, reduces friction, and ensures customers are notified instantly - without any extra effort.
How can back-in-stock notifications improve inventory planning?
Tracking customer sign ups for alerts helps merchants forecast demand, optimize restocking, and avoid future product shortages.
.png)