What to Do When a Product Is Out of Stock: A Guide to Backorders
Learn how to enable backorders in WooCommerce so you don't lose sales even when your inventory runs out.
When a popular product goes out of stock, WooCommerce’s default response is to disable purchases and display the message “Out of Stock.” However, if you know the product will be available again in a few days, you can use the Backorders. This way, the customer can purchase and pay for the product as usual right now, knowing that it will be shipped as soon as you receive the new stock.
Enable Inventory Management
For backorders to work, you must first tell WooCommerce to track the stock of that specific product:
- Go to Products and open the product you want.
- Scroll through the box Product Data and click the tab Inventory.
- Make sure the checkbox is selected Inventory management? (Manage stock?).
[ Screenshot: The “Inventory” tab with Inventory Management enabled ]
The 3 Options for Backorders
Right below that, you'll find the drop-down menu Should backorders be allowed? (Allow backorders?). There, you have three options:
0, the product is listed as “Out of Stock,” and no one can buy it.
If you select the simple option “Allow,” the customer will assume that the product is ready for shipment. When they realize that their order is delayed, they will be dissatisfied. By selecting the “It should be allowed, but the customer must be informed”, be completely honest with him, build trust, and avoid complaints and cancellations.
[ Screenshot: The "Backorders" drop-down menu in WooCommerce ]
What does an order like this look like?
When a customer purchases a product that is on backorder:
- The online store will process the payment as usual.
- In your admin panel, on the tab WooCommerce -> Orders, the label will appear next to the product (Backordered).
- The product's inventory will start to show a negative balance (e.g.,.
-1,-2), showing you exactly how many items you owe your customers.
Enable Backorders only for products that you are 100% certain your supplier has in stock and can ship to you immediately. If you allow backorders for a product that has been discontinued or is permanently out of stock, you’ll be forced to issue refunds, which costs you in bank fees and time.
[ Screenshot: How the "Backordered" label appears when editing an order ]
Once you've made your selections, go to the top right of the product page and click the button Update to save the changes.
Would you like to enable “Back in Stock” notifications?;
If you don’t want to let customers buy out-of-stock products, there’s an even better solution: adding a **”Notify me when available” (Waitlist)** button. The customer enters their email address on the out-of-stock product page, and the system automatically sends them a personalized email the moment you restock the item! At Skynetix, we can set up and configure this automation, turning lost visitors into loyal customers.
