Shopify Back in Stock Alerts: Turn Out-of-Stock Items into New Revenue

All Shopify merchants know that once a product is popular or trending, demand will surge and then (as quickly as it appeared) it’s gone. And so will all your stock. You will be left with items out-of-stock, and potential sales slipping through your fingers. But what if those out-of-stock items weren’t lost causes? What if they were, in fact, hidden revenue opportunities that you can unlock?

Back-in-stock alerts are a powerful tool that you can use to transform your out-of-stock challenges into a source of revenue, customer retention, loyalty and potentially new sales. In this article, we will explore how to use back-in-stock notifications to salvage sales and grow new revenue.

Why Out-of-Stock Items Don’t Have to Mean Lost Sales

It’s easy to believe that out-of-stock items mean that you have lost a customer. However, many customers are willing to wait for a product to return to stock – especially if they have the opportunity to be notified when it’s back! Think of it as building excitement: the longer the wait, the sweeter the reward.

Additionally, by offering back-in-stock alerts it presents an opportunity for the following:

Customer Interest Stays Alive

By using an application like Back in Stock to offer alerts to your customer, you show them their value to your store. It portrays a care in trends, a customer’s worth and that you as a store are dependable. This, in turn, grows a loyalty to your brand and encourages these customers to return to the store. A survey conducted by Statista asked U.S. consumers how long they were willing to wait for purchased items. The majority of respondents, 31.5%, stated that they were willing to wait up to seven days, while 25.4% of the persons questioned were also fine with waiting seven days or longer.

Creating Anticipation for Restocked Products

A “coming soon” notification builds excitement and anticipation. This is like an exclusive pre-order, just for the customers that showed earlier interest. Also, it reminds customers why they wanted to buy the product in the first place. Building anticipation can be through other social media platforms and replies to product reviews on the product page. One simple way to create anticipation for your restocked item is to create a countdown timer and share it through social media. Another option is to provide the customer a discount code for shipping, to keep them coming back to your website.

Robert Padron, Chief People and Experience Officer of Arises’ advice to merchants;

“Showcase customer excitement and demand for the restocked product. Post testimonials, user reviews, or requests you’ve received for the product’s return.”

Leveraging Scarcity to Drive Demand

Back-in-stock notifications tap into the powerful psychology of scarcity and fear of missing out (FOMO). When a customer receives an alert regarding their wanted item being in-stock, they are driven to act decisively and quickly. A study conducted by Wisernotify shows that FOMO can bring 60% more sales. 
Catalin Stoiovici, the Head of Development from NTT Data recently said;

“A bit of FOMO isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It keeps us sharp, curious, and always searching for better solutions.”

This sense of urgency will convert into faster sales and a stronger relationship with the customer.

The Role of Back-in-Stock Alerts in Driving New Revenue

When you have a customer browsing your online store, they find one of your products that is exactly what they are looking for, only for them to discover it’s out of stock. This is where back-in-stock automated email alerts come in. 

A global study conducted by Statista showed that 70% of market-leaders had some success in applying automation to marketing goals, whereas almost 30% had very successful outcomes. Additionally, two-thirds of respondents reported plans to increase budgets on marketing automation for 2025.

By offering customers the option to be notified once items are restocked through automated alerts, you can remind the customer of their initial interest and prompt them to complete the purchase without any fuss. Purchases can be completed quickly, and easily.

Back-in-stock alerts shouldn’t feel pushy; they provide valuable information to interested customers, making them a subtle yet effective marketing tool. The role of back-in-stock alerts aren’t only for recovering potentially lost sales. It also drives new revenue streams through the following ways.

Recover Missed Sales

Out-of-stock situations are inevitable in eCommerce. But instead of losing those potential sales, back-in-stock alerts offer a lifeline. They allow you to re-engage customers who have already expressed interest in a product, transforming a potential loss into a recovered sale. By providing timely back-in-stock notifications, you empower customers to take action and fulfill their desire for the product. Give customers a second chance to purchase the product they were initially interested in. This will directly translate to recovered revenue.

Boost Conversion Rates

Back-in-stock alerts capitalize on a customer’s existing interest in a product. When they receive the notification, they are ready to purchase, leading to higher conversion rates compared to general campaigns. A study by Barilliance shows that back-in-stock emails have an impressive average open rate of over 65% and a click-through rate of over 24%.

Back-in-stock alerts demonstrate that you understand your customers’ needs and are proactive in fulfilling them, leading to increased trust and higher conversion rates.

Build a Valuable Customer List

Every customer who signs up for a back-in-stock alert is a potential customer. This lead will allow you to segment each of your audience and tailor marketing campaigns for better, more defined, results. The alerts that you send to your customers can then be personalized, based on their gender, location, or even the type of product they want to buy. 

A study by Segment 2024 State of Personalization showed that 89% of leaders believe personalization is crucial to business success.

By requiring customers to provide their contact information to receive notifications, you gain access to a highly engaged audience interested in your products.

Upselling and Cross-Selling

Back-in-stock alerts present an ideal opportunity for upselling and cross-selling. When notifying customers about the availability of their desired product, you can also suggest complementary items or premium versions, increasing the average order value (AOV). 

According to a study by Barilliance, personalized product recommendations can account for up to 31% of eCommerce revenues. By understanding your customers’ needs and preferences, you can effectively upsell and cross-sell relevant products in your back-in-stock alerts, providing added value and increasing revenue. 

Another way to leverage back-in-stock alerts to boost upsells and cross-sells is to turn demand for products you aren’t planning to restock into revenue for new products or premium items. Redirect demand by recommending similar or higher-value products- using back-in-stock requests as a data-driven sales strategy.

Implementing Back-in-Stock Alerts

To effectively implement back-in-stock email and SMS alerts, you need a reliable and user-friendly tool. That’s where the Back in Stock app comes in. The following are a list of reasons why you should choose Back in Stock.

Why Choose Back in Stock?

• Effortless Setup & Customization: Designed for ease of use, Back in Stock integrates seamlessly with Shopify and can be easily customized to align with your brand’s theme and aesthetics. Plus our top-rated support team is ready to help with migrations and set up!
• Recover Lost Sales, Instantly: Turn stockouts into revenue opportunities by automatically alerting high-intent customers the moment products are restocked. Track conversions with detailed reporting on notifications sent, opened, and converted.
• Turn Demand into Upsells & Cross-Sells: If a popular item won’t be restocked, redirect demand by recommending similar or higher-value products- using back-in-stock requests as a data-driven sales strategy.
• Boost Customer Retention & Loyalty: Keep customers engaged and returning by delivering proactive communication that builds trust and enhances the shopping experience.

Optimize Inventory with Insights:  Understand customer demand with powerful analytics to optimize stock levels, increase profitability, and ensure you’re always selling what shoppers want most.

Amazing app I’ve used for years. It’s a breeze to install and customize. I love the detailed reporting it gives on notifications sent, notifications converted and notifications that haven’t converted. Great if you are a smaller store or if your email platform doesn’t offer a back in stock trigger .- The Frye Company

Best Practices for Using Back-in-Stock Alerts to Maximize Revenue

To make the most of your back-in-stock alerts, be proactive and send them out the moment items are restocked. This keeps customers excited and prevents them from looking elsewhere. Make sure your message is personalized by using their name, mentioning the specific product, and writing in a way that reflects your brand.

Add a sense of urgency to your alerts by using phrases like “limited quantities available” or “don’t miss out!” to encourage immediate purchases. Keep an eye on how your notifications are performing by tracking open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. This helps you see what’s working and where you can improve your strategy for even better results.Out-of-stock items don’t have to be the end of the story.
With the Back in Stock app, you can re-engage customers, recover missed sales, and create new revenue streams. Install Back in Stock today to start seeing incremental revenue growth!