Why a competitor’s stock matters
When a shopper wants a product today and finds it sold out, they look for the nearest alternative. If that’s your product, the days a competitor is out of stock are some of the easiest sales you’ll get. They’re also a clear sign of which of their products are really in demand.
What you can see from outside
It helps to be clear about the limits. On most Shopify stores you can see whether each size or color of a product is available to buy. You usually can’t see how many units are left.
On the product page
- A “Sold out” button in place of “Add to cart”
- Sizes or colors that are greyed out or crossed through
- A “Notify me when it’s back” sign-up
- A “Pre-order” button or a note with a shipping date weeks away
In the public product list
Many Shopify stores publish their product list at a public address. For every size and color, it says whether that option is available. This is the quickest way to see stock across a whole catalog instead of one page at a time:
northwindknits.com/products.jsonNot every store leaves this list open. The free Shopify store checker tells you whether a store’s list is public.
Signs a product is running low
- Options going one by one. The popular sizes sell out first. When medium and large are gone, the rest usually follow.
- “Only a few left” messages. Some stores show these. Treat them with care, since they’re sometimes switched on permanently to create urgency.
- Delivery dates slipping. A longer shipping time on one product often means stock is on its way, not on the shelf.
- The product leaves their ads. Brands stop advertising what they can’t deliver.
What a sell-out tells you
| What you see | What it probably means |
|---|---|
| A best seller sells out, returns within weeks, sells out again | Strong demand they’re struggling to keep up with |
| A new product sells out in its first week | A good launch, or a small first batch |
| A product sells out and never returns | Discontinued |
| Many products sell out at once | A supply problem, or the end of a big sale |
| Sold out, then back at a higher price | They’re testing how much demand will bear |
How to use the opening
A sell-out can end any day, so the useful responses are the ones you can do quickly:
- Check your own stock first. There’s no point sending shoppers to a product you’re also low on.
- Move ad budget to your matching product for as long as theirs is unavailable.
- Feature it on your homepage and in this week’s email.
- Hold your price. With the main alternative unavailable, there’s no reason to discount.
Tip
Keep it about your product. Ads that name a competitor or mention their stock problems tend to backfire.
Know the day it happens
The opening is only useful if you hear about it in time. Trailwatch reads each competitor’s catalog every few hours. When one of their best sellers sells out, you get an alert. Other sell-outs and restocks are collected in your Monday briefing.
Best seller sold out: Merino crew sweater
All 6 sizes are unavailable. It was in stock at yesterday’s check.
To know which products count as their best sellers in the first place, see our guide to finding a competitor’s best sellers.