No matter how smoothly you run your supply chain management process, as an eCommerce website operator you will probably encounter out-of-stock products. Whether it’s because you underestimate the popularity of an item, a product has a limited run, or a promotion increases the rate at which people buy, out-of-stock problems are an inevitability, but not a roadblock. Read on for an overview of managing customer relationships in the event of out-of-stock products. Displaying Out of Stock Products Built into many CMS systems, there are options regarding when and how to display out-of-stock items. If you’re planning on restocking the item, then it is most likely best to continue displaying the product with an approximate date of when you will be restocking it. If you’re not planning on restocking it, however, there are important steps to take to make sure that removing the product will not affect your SEO strategy. Consider the prospective links you will lose from blogs and websites if you simply delete a product page. Rather than doing this, use a 301 redirect to a permanent page, which will not affect the “juice” you are receiving from other links. Automating an Out of Stock Email Consider the prospective links you will lose from blogs and websites if you simply delete a product page. Rather than doing this, use a 301 redirect to a permanent page, which will not affect the “juice” you are receiving from other links. Customer relationship management is perhaps the most important thing to consider if you find yourself with an out-of-stock item. In most cases, you should try to avoid at all costs the possibility of your customer accidentally ordering an out-of-stock item by clearly marking it on your website. However, in some cases, an out-of-stock email may be necessary. Explain the situation, when you can expect to get the item back in stock and refer your customer to similar items or solutions. Out-of-stock items can be frustrating for a customer, so do what you can to put the customer at ease. Out of Stock Product Management in Texas As eCommerce experts, Clarity understands how to manage marketing, SEO, customer relationships, product catalogs, and more. This means making sure neither you nor your customers ever have a disappointing experience due to an out-of-stock item. contact Clarity today to learn more about our eCommerce solutions. To learn more about product management, please browse the following articles: Punchput Catalog Systems Designing an SEO-Friendly Product Page What to Build into Your eCommerce Storefront Find out more about Clarity VenturesSee our Enterprise Web Portfolio