A back in stock email goes to shoppers who asked to hear when a sold-out product returns. Put a notify-me form on the product page, send one short message the moment stock is back with a direct link to the item, and stop emailing that person about it once they have been told.
| Stage | What happens | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Sold out | The Add to cart button becomes a notify-me form asking for an email | Say plainly what they are signing up for |
| Signed up | Store the email with the product and variant (size, colour) | A size M request should not fire for size L |
| Restocked | Send the email as soon as stock is above zero | Send in batches if demand is far above stock |
| Sent | Remove the request so they get one message | Only add them to your newsletter if they also agreed to that |
Updated
These messages work because the shopper already chose the product. Your job is speed and clarity: name the exact item, show it, give one button that opens the product page, and keep the rules about consent and unsubscribing. Fill in the builder to get a plain HTML email you can paste into your email platform.
Fill in your details. The email is built in your browser, and nothing is sent or stored.
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<body style="margin:0;padding:0;background:#f4f4f4;">
<table role="presentation" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:#f4f4f4;">
<tr><td align="center" style="padding:24px 12px;">
<table role="presentation" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="max-width:560px;background:#ffffff;border-radius:8px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#222222;">
<tr><td style="padding:28px 28px 8px;font-size:14px;color:#666666;">Harbour Bakery</td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding:0 28px;font-size:24px;font-weight:bold;line-height:1.3;">It's back: Sourdough Starter Kit</td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding:12px 28px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.5;">You asked us to tell you when this was available again. It is in stock now at $24.00.</td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding:12px 28px 28px;">
<a href="https://example.com/products/starter-kit" style="display:inline-block;background:#1f6f5c;color:#ffffff;text-decoration:none;font-size:16px;font-weight:bold;padding:12px 24px;border-radius:6px;">Shop it now</a>
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding:16px 28px;font-size:12px;line-height:1.5;color:#888888;border-top:1px solid #eeeeee;">
You are getting this one-time email because you asked to be notified about this product.<br>
Harbour Bakery, 12 Quay Street, Halifax, NS B3J 1A1, Canada<br>
<a href="{{unsubscribe_url}}" style="color:#888888;">Unsubscribe</a>
</td></tr>
</table>
</td></tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>Replace {{unsubscribe_url}} with your email platform's unsubscribe merge tag.
Each subject names the product. The preview text is the grey line many inboxes show after the subject.
| Situation | Subject | Preview text |
|---|---|---|
| Single product | Back in stock: Sourdough Starter Kit | You asked us to let you know. It's ready to order. |
| Specific variant | Your size is back: Linen Shirt, M | Size M is in stock again today. |
| Few units | Restocked (in small numbers): Copper Kettle | We received a short delivery this week. |
| Pre-order opens | Pre-order now: Winter Blend Coffee | Ships on the date shown on the product page. |
Show this in place of the Add to cart button when the selected variant is sold out. Point the action at whatever saves the request.
The newsletter box is separate and unticked, so asking about one product never signs anyone up for more.
<form action="/notify" method="post">
<p><strong>Sold out in size M.</strong> Get one email when it's back.</p>
<input type="hidden" name="variant" value="linen-shirt-m">
<label>Email <input type="email" name="email" required></label>
<label><input type="checkbox" name="newsletter"> Also send me the newsletter</label>
<button type="submit">Notify me</button>
</form>Ask for an email address and nothing else. Show the selected size or colour next to the form so shoppers know which variant they are waiting for, and confirm on screen once they have signed up.
Most store platforms offer this through an app or built-in setting. If yours does not, the form only needs to save the email, the product and the variant somewhere you can read when stock returns.
One product, one image, one button. Repeat the variant they asked for, show the price, and keep the copy to two or three short sentences. The footer carries your address and the unsubscribe link.
Treat it as marketing and include one. The FTC's CAN-SPAM guide treats email whose primary purpose is promoting a product as commercial, and commercial email needs a working opt-out and a valid physical postal address. This is general information, not legal advice.
Only if they agreed to it. Someone who asked about one product asked about that product. Offer a separate, unticked newsletter box on the form, and under GDPR tell people the purpose of each use of their email.
As soon as the item can actually be bought. A message that arrives after the stock sold out again annoys the very people who were keenest. If you have far more requests than units, send to the earliest sign-ups first.
The product and the news, in plain words. Examples: "Back in stock: Harbour Sourdough Starter Kit" or "Your size is back: Linen Shirt, M". Avoid misleading urgency; CAN-SPAM forbids deceptive subject lines.
Use your product data's availability value. Google Merchant Center accepts in_stock, out_of_stock, preorder and backorder, and asks for an availability date on preorder and backorder items. On the page itself, schema.org offers values such as InStock and OutOfStock.
Related: Abandoned cart email examples, HTML email templates, Ecommerce email marketing guide, Shopify pricing, Spam word checker.
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