Out of stock message examples (website, email and social)

Short answer: a good out-of-stock message tells the shopper plainly that the item is unavailable, gives them a way to find out when it's back (an email signup, a similar item, or a restock date if you have one), and doesn't just say "sold out" with nothing else to do. Below are ready messages for product pages, emails, DMs and chat, plus how to set "notify me" up in Shopify.

Facts last checked on October 19, 2026, against the sources linked below.

What a good out-of-stock message does

Every out-of-stock message, wherever it shows up, should do at least one of these:

• Say clearly that the item is unavailable, so the shopper isn't guessing.
• Give a way to be told when it's back (email signup, restock date, or "check back soon").
• Point to a similar item in stock, if you have one.
• Match your usual tone, not a generic system message.

Product page messages

Back-in-stock email examples

DM and chat reply examples

For a direct message or live chat reply when someone asks if an item is in stock:

Social media caption examples

Short, neutral fallback messages

For anywhere you just need something quick and honest:

How to set this up in Shopify

Shopify's inventory settings control what a shopper sees when a product runs out. In your Shopify admin, open the product, go to its Inventory section, and turn on Inventory tracked. Once that's on, you can choose Continue selling when out of stock, which keeps the "buy" button live for backorders, or leave it off so the product shows as sold out and can't be added to cart. Shopify Help Center

Shopify doesn't build a customer-facing "notify me when back in stock" signup into every theme by default. Many Shopify themes include one, and if yours doesn't, there are apps on the Shopify App Store (several have a free plan) that add an email signup button to sold-out products and send the back-in-stock email automatically.

Where to use these

• Product pages: the first thing a shopper sees when they land on a sold-out item.
• Collection pages: a short "sold out" badge is enough; save the longer message for the product page itself.
• Email: sent only to people who asked to be notified, not your whole list.
• Chat and DMs: written to sound like a person replying, not a copy-pasted policy.

Once your restock dates and "sold out" wording are written on your site, a chatbot like Chatbait can answer "when is this back?" in your own words, any hour, instead of a shopper waiting for a reply. It reads what your pages say, so keep restock dates there up to date.

If you're also writing the policies these messages point back to, see our return policy template and shipping policy template for the rest of the order journey.

Frequently asked questions

What should I say when a product is sold out for good?

Say so plainly ("discontinued" or "won't be restocked") rather than leaving a vague "sold out" that makes a shopper wait for something that isn't coming. Point them to a similar item if you have one.

Should I let customers order out-of-stock items as backorders?

Only if you're confident in your restock date and you tell the customer when to expect it. Shopify's "Continue selling when out of stock" setting lets you do this, but an unclear backorder frustrates shoppers more than a plain "sold out."

How do I set up back-in-stock email notifications on Shopify?

Shopify doesn't include a customer-facing notify-me signup in every theme by default. Check if your theme has one, or add it with an app from the Shopify App Store, many of which have a free plan for a small number of signups.

Should out-of-stock products stay visible on my site?

Usually yes. Keeping the product page up, marked sold out, lets you collect notify-me signups and keeps the product discoverable in search, rather than it just disappearing.

How do I word a DM reply when someone asks if an item will restock?

Be honest about whether you know a date. If you do, give it. If you don't, say you're not sure yet but you'll let them know, and offer to add them to a notify list instead of leaving them to check back themselves.