Out of stock email templates that save the sale
A product sold out after customers already ordered it, or shoppers keep asking when it will be back. Handled well, an out of stock moment can build a waitlist instead of losing sales. This prompt has your todo.is agent write the three emails you need: one for orders you cannot fill yet, a waitlist confirmation, and a back-in-stock alert, with alternatives from your own catalog.
The prompt
- Write out of stock email templates for my online store [STORE NAME AND WEBSITE]. The product is [PRODUCT NAME], and it is expected back [RESTOCK DATE OR "UNKNOWN"]. Read my website and pick 2 similar products in stock as alternatives, with links. Write: 1) an email to customers who already ordered it, offering [OPTIONS FOR ORDERED CUSTOMERS]; 2) a waitlist sign-up confirmation; 3) a back-in-stock alert with a reason to buy now that is honest, such as limited quantity. Use merge fields like {first_name}. Each under 110 words, with 2 subject lines. Brand voice: [BRAND VOICE]. Deliver as a Word document.
What to change
- [STORE NAME AND WEBSITE]: E.g. "Lumi Candles, lumicandles.example".
- [PRODUCT NAME]: E.g. "Fig & Cedar candle, 300 g".
- [RESTOCK DATE OR "UNKNOWN"]: E.g. "around 10 December" or "unknown".
- [OPTIONS FOR ORDERED CUSTOMERS]: E.g. "wait with free shipping, swap to an alternative, or a full refund".
- [BRAND VOICE]: E.g. "cosy and friendly".
Example result
- 1) For customers who already ordered
- Subject: About your Fig & Cedar candle / A quick update on order {order_number}
- Hi {first_name},
- We are sorry: the Fig & Cedar candle in your order sold out faster than we expected, and we could not ship it. The next batch is being poured now and should be ready around 10 December.
- What would you like to do?
- • Wait for the new batch, and we will ship it free
- • Swap to Amber & Oak or Winter Pine, both in stock and similar in scent
- • Refund the full amount today
- Just reply with your choice.
- Warmly,
- Lumi Candles
- 2) Waitlist confirmation
- Subject: You are on the list for Fig & Cedar
- Hi {first_name}, you are on the waitlist. We will email you once, the moment it is back, and before we announce it anywhere else. Can't wait? Our customers who love Fig & Cedar also like Amber & Oak. (link)
- 3) Back in stock
- Subject: Fig & Cedar is back / Your waitlist candle is here
- Hi {first_name}, the Fig & Cedar candle is back in stock. This batch is about half the size of the last one, so if you want one for the holidays, now is a good time. [Get mine]
- Out of stock best practices
- • Email the ordered customers first, before they ask
- • Offer real alternatives that are actually in stock right now
- • Keep the waitlist promise. One email when it is back, not daily reminders
- • Only say "limited" if it is true. False urgency damages trust
- • Track waitlist size; it tells you how much to reorder
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and add your store, the product and the restock date.
- Paste it into todo.is. Your agent checks your catalog for alternatives.
- You get three templates in a Word file, ready for your store or email platform.
- Set the back-in-stock alert in your store. Ask your agent for a recurring check: "every morning, check my product page and tell me on WhatsApp when it shows in stock".
Tips for a better result
- Hide or mark sold-out products clearly on your store so fewer customers order them by mistake.
- Show a waitlist button on the product page instead of only "sold out".
- Pick alternatives by what the customer wanted (scent, size, price), not just the same category.
- If a supplier's restock date slips, send an update before the date you promised.
out of stock email: FAQ
- How do I tell a customer an item is out of stock? Email them quickly, apologize, give an expected restock date if you have one, and offer to wait, swap to an alternative or get a refund.
- Should I let customers order out of stock items? Only as a clearly labeled pre-order or backorder with an expected date. Otherwise customers feel misled.
- How do back in stock emails work? Shoppers join a waitlist on the product page, and your store emails them once when stock returns. Most store platforms or apps support this.
- Can todo.is watch when a product is back in stock? Yes. A recurring to-do can check a product page on a schedule and message you on WhatsApp, Telegram or email when it changes.
JavaScript is required to use the todo.is app.