The Importance of Back in Stock Alerts to Boost Customer Loyalty and Retention

A customer has finally found the perfect pair of shoes to compliment a new outfit from your online store. However, when they click ‘add to cart’, it says that their shoe size is out of stock. This leads to the customer feeling disappointed, frustrated with your store, and angry that they have to search all over again. 

What if we could turn this disappointing experience into an opportunity to build stronger customer relationships and drive repeat business? Welcome back-in-stock alerts – a powerful tool that can transform disappointed shoppers into retained customers. With the right app, like Back in Stock, you can easily build loyalty by keeping your customer informed and engaged.

Understanding the Importance of Back-in-Stock Alerts

The concept of back-in-stock alerts may seem straightforward, but it can truly impact your bottom line. These seemingly simple automated notifications play an important role in capturing lost sales, and increasing customer loyalty.

In a recent study by AlixPartners 2024 Consumer Sentiment Index, two-thirds of consumers will leave an eCommerce site when an item they were planning to purchase is out-of-stock. This shows that retailers need to optimize their inventory management to prevent income losses.

Benefits of Back-in-Stock Emails

Sending back-in-stock automated alerts to your potential customer’s email, is an outreach of commitment to customer loyalty. You’re showing them that you value their interest, and are dedicated to fulfilling their needs. This approach builds trust and encourages them to become return customers. 

Another study by Barilliance shows that back-in-stock emails had the highest click through rate (CTR) of over 65%, performing better than post-purchase rates. In essence, back-in-stock alerts are a powerful tool for turning potential frustration into a positive customer experience, ultimately driving sales and fostering long-term customer loyalty. 

Why Customer Loyalty Matters 

Acquiring new customers is essential to maintaining a successful eCommerce store. However, retaining existing customers is even more crucial. And studies back that up! The success rate of selling to a customer you already have is 60-70%, while the success rate of selling to a new customer is 5-20%. And why is this so? 

Loyal customers are more likely to:

• Make repeat purchases – they already trust your brand, had a positive experience and are more inclined to buy again.
• Spend more per transaction – loyal customers often have a higher lifetime value (LTV), which increases your revenue. 
• Become brand advocates –  happy customers are your best marketers as they spread word-of-mouth marketing, bring in new business through referrals, and positive online reviews.

A study by Sender shows that 36% of customers return to a brand if they have had a positive experience, even if cheaper alternatives exist. Cultivating loyalty is essential for sustainable growth and profitability.

The Role of Back-in-Stock Alerts for Customer Loyalty and Retention

Back-in-stock alerts are automated notifications that inform customers when a previously out-of-stock product becomes available again. The role of these messages play a large part of a customer’s experience of your store in these ways:

• It shows you care – by notifying customers about the product they wanted being back-in-stock, you show them you value their interest.
• Building trust – customers appreciate knowing they won’t miss out on their favorite items.
• Creating a sense of exclusivity – these alerts, if worded correctly, can make your customers feel like they have private access to your restock.

By using back-in-stock alerts, you can help build trust and foster a sense of reliability, and boost customer loyalty and retention.

Enhance the Shopping Experience

A seamless and enjoyable shopping experience is crucial for fostering customer satisfaction and loyalty. Back-in-stock notifications play a vital role in this by removing a major pain point: the disappointment of encountering out-of-stock items. 

By offering this simple service, you reduce friction in the customer journey, making their interaction with your brand more positive and memorable. Happy customers are loyal customers, and a positive shopping experience is a significant step towards building long-term relationships.

Create a Personalized Connection

Generic notifications can be effective, but personalized alerts take customer engagement to the next level. Personalization, in the context of back-in-stock alerts, goes beyond simply including the customer’s name. Addressing customers by name and referencing their specific interests shows that you recognize them as individuals, not just another transaction. Solidifying this strategy, 89% of business leaders believe personalization will be valuable to their business success. This personal touch makes them feel valued and appreciated, fostering a sense of loyalty and encouraging repeat business.

Furthermore, personalized communication strengthens emotional connections with your brand. When customers receive tailored alerts that resonate with their preferences, they feel seen and understood. This fosters a sense of connection and belonging, making customers feel like they have a relationship with your brand, not just a transactional exchange. 

Ultimately, these personalized touches translate into tangible results. Tailored alerts are more likely to resonate with customers, leading to higher click-through rates and more sales.

The Founder and CEO of Scalable, Ryan Deiss said “The money is in the list, but the fortune is in the follow-up. The right emails turn subscribers into lifelong customers.”

This level of personalization fosters an emotional connection with your brand, transforming a transactional interaction into a more engaging and human experience.

Increase Retention with Minimal Effort

Managing back-in-stock alerts manually can quickly become a logistical nightmare, consuming valuable time and resources. Let’s say you have to track customer requests, monitor inventory levels, and send out individual emails every time a product is restocked. It’s a very tedious task on its own. Luckily, with Shopify apps like Back in Stock that automate the entire process, you can focus on more important aspects of your store. This user-friendly app seamlessly integrates with your existing Shopify setup, making it easy to add this to your store without any technical headaches.

“The app has all the useful information for us to know the customers’ demands, drive sales, and it looks great with the theme. The support is really responsive and helpful! Great service!”- Miniso USA

Beyond its ease of integration, Back in Stock offers a range of customizable options to tailor the experience to your brand. You can personalize the design and messaging of your alerts to match your brand identity and customer preferences, ensuring a consistent and engaging experience.

Furthermore, the app provides valuable insights into the performance of your back-in-stock strategy. You can track alert sign-ups, conversion rates, and other key metrics to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns and optimize your approach for maximum impact.

Don’t Let Out-of-Stock Items Cost Your Customers

Back-in-stock alerts are a simple yet effective way to transform potentially negative experiences into opportunities to build lasting customer relationships. By demonstrating that you value your customers’ interest, providing a seamless shopping experience, and offering personalized communication, you can cultivate loyalty that drives repeat business and fuels sustainable growth.

Don’t let out-of-stock items cost you valuable customers. Use the Back in Stock app to keep your customers informed, satisfied, and coming back for more.

Ready to boost customer loyalty and retention? Install the Back in Stock app today and start turning restocks into rewards!