How the Back in Stock feature works — end to end
Overview
The Back in Stock feature helps you recover lost sales by letting customers subscribe to sold-out products and receive an email as soon as those items are available again. Instead of leaving and forgetting the product, shoppers can raise their hand and return at exactly the right moment to buy.
This page explains the full customer journey from the moment someone lands on a sold-out product to the moment your restock email is delivered.
Back in Stock notifications are sent automatically after inventory is updated and the product or variant becomes available again.
The Back in Stock flow, end to end
When a product or a specific variant is out of stock, your store shows a Notify Me button instead of the usual purchase option. Depending on your setup, this can appear on:
Product pages
Collection pages
Specific sold-out variants, such as a size or color
This gives shoppers a clear next step instead of losing them when an item is unavailable.
After clicking Notify Me, the customer sees a popup form where they enter their email address.
If the product has variants, they also subscribe to the exact option they care about, such as:
Size M
Blue
128 GB
Once they submit the form, their request is saved for that specific product or variant.
After submitting the form, the customer sees a confirmation message in the popup. At the same time, the app sends a verification email to the address they entered.
To activate the subscription, the customer must click the verification link in that email.
After verification, they receive a follow-up confirmation email letting them know they are successfully signed up for restock alerts.
If the customer does not verify their email address, their request remains inactive and they will not receive a Back in Stock notification.
When you update inventory in Shopify and the item becomes available again, the app detects the change automatically.
This works when stock rises above zero for the product or for the specific variant the customer subscribed to.
As soon as the app detects that the item is available again, it sends a Back in Stock email to all verified subscribers for that product or variant.
The email includes a direct link back to the product page so customers can return and complete their purchase quickly.
You do not need to send these emails manually.
Why this flow works so well
Back in Stock performs well because it reaches customers at the moment they are most likely to buy: when the item they wanted is available again.
It captures high-intent shoppers: these customers already tried to buy.
It reduces missed revenue: instead of losing traffic on sold-out pages, you collect future demand.
It is automatic: once set up, subscriptions, verification, and notifications run on their own.
It can be variant-specific: customers are notified about the exact option they want, not just the product in general.
Variant-level subscriptions usually lead to better customer experience because shoppers are notified only when their exact size, color, or option is back in stock.
What the customer experiences
From the shopper’s point of view, the journey is simple:
They find a product they want, but it is sold out.
They click Notify Me.
They enter their email and confirm their interest.
They verify their email address.
They receive an email when the item is available again.
They click back to the product page and complete the purchase.
This makes the buying journey feel smooth instead of frustrating, even when inventory is temporarily unavailable.
What you need to do
In most cases, your role is minimal after setup. The main task is keeping inventory accurate in Shopify.
Make sure the product or variant inventory is tracked correctly.
Restock inventory in Shopify when the item becomes available.
Let the app handle subscription tracking and email notifications automatically.
If inventory is not updated correctly in Shopify, Back in Stock emails cannot be triggered at the right time.
Important behavior to understand
Notifications are sent only to verified subscribers
Email verification helps ensure the list contains real, interested customers. This improves deliverability and helps prevent notifications from being sent to invalid addresses.
Notifications can be product- or variant-based
If a shopper subscribes to a specific variant, they are notified when that exact variant is available again, not just any version of the product.
Inventory changes trigger the workflow
The restock email is tied to inventory availability. When stock changes from unavailable to available, the app sends the notification automatically.
Common questions
Yes. The customer must click the verification link sent to their inbox before their subscription becomes active.
Yes. Once inventory is updated and the item becomes available, the app sends Back in Stock emails automatically to verified subscribers.
Yes. If your store uses variants, customers can subscribe to the specific option they want, and notifications are sent when that exact option is back in stock.
The subscription stays inactive, and that customer will not receive a Back in Stock notification.
No. After setup, the process is automatic.
Best practices
Keep your Shopify inventory up to date so notifications go out at the right time.
Use clear button text like Notify Me so shoppers immediately understand what to do.
Make sure your email templates match your brand and include a strong call to action.
Encourage variant selection when relevant so customers subscribe to the exact item they want.
If a product regularly sells out, Back in Stock can also help you measure demand by showing which products and variants shoppers care about most.
Summary
The Back in Stock workflow is designed to turn sold-out traffic into future sales:
A customer visits a sold-out product.
They subscribe using the Notify Me form.
They verify their email address.
You restock the product or variant in Shopify.
The app automatically sends a Back in Stock email.
The customer returns and completes their purchase.
In short, it is a simple automated flow that helps you recover revenue, improve the shopper experience, and make sold-out products work harder for your store.
Need help?
If you are not sure which file to edit, or you would rather have us handle the installation, contact our support team:
Email: [email protected]
Live chat: available from the app admin
Free onboarding 1:1 call