When a product is out of stock, it doesn’t have to translate directly into lost revenue. Rather, it represents a chance to maintain customer interest and encourage repeat visits. By implementing a back-in-stock notification system in your WooCommerce store, you can alert subscribers the instant an item is available again, turning a potential missed sale into a secured transaction.
This feature does more than recoup lost sales; it also fosters customer loyalty. Shoppers appreciate knowing that their interest is valued, even when you cannot immediately fulfill their order. Since WooCommerce does not include this functionality out of the box, you will need a third-party plugin. Below, I explain two distinct methods to add back-in-stock notifications without any coding knowledge.
Prerequisite: Ensure Email Deliverability
Before setting up notifications, it’s essential to configure a proper email delivery system. WordPress typically uses the PHP mail function, which often gets blocked by spam filters. Installing an SMTP plugin like WP Mail SMTP routes your emails through a trusted provider, adding necessary authentication. This ensures your back-in-stock alerts actually land in your customers’ inboxes. The plugin also offers email logging, so you can monitor which notifications were sent and when.
Method 1: Using Merchant Pro (All-in-One Toolkit)
Merchant Pro is a comprehensive WooCommerce growth plugin that includes a Waitlist module alongside over 40 other sales-boosting features. This is ideal for store owners who want to consolidate multiple plugins into one lightweight package.
To begin, install and activate Merchant Pro on your WordPress site. After creating an account on the aThemes website, download the plugin zip file and copy your license key. In your WordPress admin, go to Plugins › Add New, upload the zip file, install, and activate. Then navigate to Merchant › Settings to enter your license key.
Next, open the Waitlist module by going to Merchant › Modules › Boost Revenue. Click on Waitlist to access its configuration options.
Within the Waitlist settings, you can customize the form that appears on out‑of‑stock products. Adjust the form title, email field label, and button text (e.g., “Notify Me”). A live preview shows changes in real time. You can also set success and unsubscribe messages. Additionally, you may exclude specific products (like discontinued items) from displaying the waitlist form.
Under Email Settings, enable automatic notifications. Customize the content for two types of emails: a confirmation sent when someone subscribes, and a stock update email sent when the product is back in stock. Preview each email before saving.
If you prefer to place the waitlist form manually, enable the shortcode option. A shortcode like [merchant_module_wait_list] allows you to insert the form anywhere on the product page.
Once configured, click Save and then Enable the module. From this point, any out‑of‑stock product will automatically show the waitlist form. To test, set a product to “Out of stock” in its WooCommerce product data section and visit the front end.
As an alternative, Merchant Pro also lets you manually send stock update emails to subscribers via Products › Waitlist Subscribers. You can select subscribers and use the Bulk Actions dropdown to send emails. Always comply with privacy regulations when emailing customers.
Method 2: Using the Free Back in Stock Notifier for WooCommerce Plugin
For store owners on a tight budget, the Back in Stock Notifier plugin offers a powerful free solution dedicated solely to waitlists. Although its settings are more granular, it provides extensive control and built‑in bot protection.
Install and activate the plugin from the WordPress repository. Go to Plugins › Add New, search for “Back in Stock Notifier for WooCommerce,” install, and activate.
Navigate to Instock Notifier › Settings to configure the plugin. The settings are organized into several tabs:
Front End Form: Choose between a pop‑up or inline form. Customize placeholder text for name and email fields, as well as the button label.
Visibility Settings: Control where the form appears. You can hide it for specific product categories, such as discontinued items, to prevent customers from signing up for unavailable products.
Message Settings: Edit the text shown after a customer subscribes, as well as the content of the notification email. Friendly, on‑brand messages help build loyalty.
Mail: Set the sender name, sender email address, and subject line for notifications. Using your store name as the sender helps with recognition.
Background Process Settings: Choose between WooCommerce’s built‑in background process or the plugin’s default. The WooCommerce option integrates seamlessly; use the default if you encounter compatibility issues.
Bot Protection: Enable Google reCAPTCHA or Turnstile to prevent spam submissions. For reCAPTCHA, install the Advanced Google reCAPTCHA plugin, obtain API keys from Google’s reCAPTCHA admin console, and enter them in the settings.
Auto‑Delete Settings: Automatically remove subscriber records after a set number of days based on their status (e.g., mail sent, unsubscribed). This keeps your database clean and aids compliance.
Quantity Field Settings: Optionally collect the desired quantity from subscribers. Customize the placeholder and error message, or make the field optional for a simpler form.
Checkbox Subscribe Form: Provide an alternative checkbox‑style subscription option, allowing customers to sign up with a single click instead of filling out a form.
Estimate Stock Arrival: Display an estimated restock date to customers. Set rule priority if multiple estimates exist for a product.
Troubleshoot Settings: These experimental options are for advanced users only. Leave them unchanged unless directed by support.
After configuring all sections, click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.
Now visit any out‑of‑stock product page. You should see a “Subscribe Now” button that opens a pop‑up form. Test that the form works and that discontinued products do not show the button if you configured that.
To monitor subscribers, go to Instock Notifier › All Subscribers. Here you can view who signed up, for which product, and the notification status.
Back‑in‑stock notifications are a simple yet effective way to recover lost sales and keep customers engaged. Choose the method that best fits your budget and feature needs. For more ways to optimize your WooCommerce store, explore guides on flash sales, wishlists, smart product search, post‑purchase surveys, and sales funnels.