Out Of Stock - TribeTalk EP 33

You might be experiencing a lack of some products right now but there are best practices that you can use to leverage the actual scarcity. 

Take advantage of any impending sellout (if appropriate) by adding badges to items such as a star with a “bestseller” tag. 

Another great idea to highlight the urgency would be to add an “Only X left!” countdown. This helps your customers know just how much stock you have left and if they want it they should act soon.

Make your customers feel special! Send out a special invite or notification to your email list saying something like “You’re the first to know - these are almost gone!” 

Don’t let being out of stock stop you from selling! For items that are out of stock, we recommend implementing an app that can still take orders while you’re out of stock. Here are two of our favorites: 

• Pre-order Now by Website On-demand
• Pre-order Manager 2.0 by Amai

These apps will help you capitalize on the buyer’s initial intent and lock them into the product so that your efforts aren’t wasted. 

🔎 Tired of searching for the best Shopify apps? We've compiled a list of our favorites for you. →

Alternatively, try using “Get on the waitlist!” messaging for out of stock products. You can try a “Limited Time Only” offer during the out of stock time such as “10% off if you order before we restock.” The LTO could also be a Gift With Purchase or Free Shipping.

To cold audiences at your top of funnel you could try promoting something like  “We’re preparing for a restock of bestselling X item - preorder now before it sells out again!” This integrates social proof along with urgency.

It can also be helpful to incorporate language near your add to cart buttons, or in product descriptions, as well as in your receipt emails, letting customers know an ETA. 

You want to ensure people understand that they won’t get their item right away, so they don’t flood your reviews or ads with negative comments. Facebook shuts folks down for a barrage of negative reviews/comments, especially newer advertisers.

You can check your status of customer feedback from your Facebook page here. 

We hope that these tips will help you capitalize on some of the out of stock issues you might be experiencing and leverage them for your advantage.

What are some other tricks you have been implementing at this time? Comment below.