Picture this. You’re scrolling through your Facebook feed when you see an ad for the perfect pair of shoes. You click on the link and are taken to the website, only to find that they’re sold out in your size. Disappointing, right?
Now imagine that a few days later, you receive an email from the same store informing you that the shoes are back in stock and giving you a special discount for being a loyal customer. Suddenly, that disappointment turns to excitement, and you can’t wait to purchase the shoes.
This is the power of a well-crafted ‘back in stock’ email. When done right, this form of email marketing can be highly effective in recapturing would-be sales and driving revenue for your business.
There are many ways to contact your customers, or potential customers, such as adding them to your automatic dialer call list, but a back-in-stock email is the most effective way to reach people in this situation to generate the desired response.
So, what makes a good ‘back in stock’ email? We’re giving you the lowdown on the 5 elements that every great email of this type should have.
- Why a ‘Back in Stock’ Email is a Must-Have
- 6 Elements of a Good ‘Back in Stock’ Email
- Best Real-Life Examples of ‘Back in Stock’ Emails
Why a ‘Back in Stock’ Email is a Must-Have
Before we dive into the elements of a great ‘back in stock’ email, it’s important to understand why these emails are so important.
- In a report about mitigating product scarcity, 30% of consumers said that stockouts were the cause of a negative shopping experience.
- “Back in Stock” emails had the highest open rate (65.32%), performing almost 70% better than the lowest-performing email campaign type of post-purchase emails.
- The conversion rate of a back-in-stock email campaign can be as high as 12%, as shown with Eaglemoss.
Customers are impatient. They don’t want to wait for an item they want to come back in stock, and if you make them wait too long, they’ll likely take their business elsewhere.
6 Elements of a Good ‘Back in Stock’ Email
Now that we know why ‘back in stock’ emails are important. Let’s take a look at what goes into making a great one.
An Email List
The first thing you need for a great ‘back in stock’ email is a list of people to send it to
There are a few ways you can generate an email list. The first is simply asking customers if they want to be notified when an item comes back in stock. This can be done through a pop-up on your website or the product page itself.
If you have software for stock management, you may also be able to automate this so that customers are automatically added to the list when they inquire about an out-of-stock item.
Another great way to build your list is by offering a discount for signing up. This incentive will encourage more people to sign up, and you can always use the discount in your email.
A Catchy Subject Line
Your recipient will likely see your email in their crowded inbox and quickly decide whether to open it or not based on the subject line. So, you must make it count. Here are some tips for coming up with a great subject line:
- Keep it short and sweet
- Use emojis
- Use power words
- Be specific
- Personalize it
Let’s say you’ve implemented a Microsoft Teams Direct Routing solution to streamline your operations in a new country, on the other side of the world – but it’s been so successful that you’ve run out of stock for traditionally out-of-season items. It might take a while to adjust, so your subject line needs to draw them in straight away.
You might use a subject line like this: ‘’Hey, Amanda. Snow Shoes are Back!’ This subject line is short, sweet, and to the point. It also uses a strong verb (‘are back’) to create a sense of urgency, and it’s personalized with the recipient’s name.
A Clear Message
Once you’ve caught your recipient’s attention with a great subject line, it’s important to deliver on that promise with a clear and concise message.
The body of your email should be easy to read and free of any fluff or filler. Get straight to the point and let your customers know that the item they’re looking for is back in stock and available for purchase.
You can also use this opportunity to include a special offer or discount to sweeten the deal. For example, if you’re selling stylish backpacks, you might say, ‘Our popular canvas backpacks are back in stock! Get 10% off your purchase when you use code BACKPACK10 at checkout.’
Image: freshrelevance.com
Multimedia Elements
While it’s important to keep your email copy short and sweet, don’t be afraid to add a little flair with some multimedia elements to ensure email deliverability. Some of the most popular types of email content include:
- Images
- GIFs
- Videos
- TikToks
Including visual content in your email will help it stand out in a crowded inbox, and it can also help to further explain your message. For example, if you’re selling a physical product, you might include an image or video of the product in use. Or, if you’re selling a digital product, you might include a GIF or screenshot to give your recipients a preview of what they can expect.
Social Proof
Including social proof in your’ back in stock’ email can greatly increase conversions.
Social proof is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when people take their cues on how to act from others around them. So, if you can show your recipients that other people are interested in the item you’re restocking, they’ll be more likely to purchase it as well.
One way to do this is by featuring customer testimonials or reviews in your email. Let’s say you sell fitness equipment, and one of your most popular products is an exercise bike. You might include your Trustpilot reviews in your’ back in stock’ email.
Influencer collaborations or partnerships are another great way to add social proof to your email.
For example, if you sell business phones, you might include an ad from a famous mogul like Richard Branson. You don’t even need it to look like an advert. Provide some information that might interest your customer base – featuring your phones. Your email copy could say, ‘Business Titan Richard Branson answers: what are SIP lines and how does it work?’
A Strong CTA
Your ‘back in stock’ email won’t be effective if it doesn’t have a strong call-to-action (CTA)
Your CTA should be clear, concise, and easy to spot. It should also be accompanied by a sense of urgency to encourage recipients to take action.
A good CTA for a ‘back in stock’ email might be something like ‘Shop Now’ or ‘Buy Now’
or Get It While Supplies Last!’ Including a CTA like this will help increase conversions and ensure that your ‘back in stock’ email is effective.
Best Real-Life Examples of ‘Back in Stock’ Emails
Now that we’ve gone over what makes a great ‘back in stock’ email, let’s take a look at some examples of brands that are doing it right.
Tarte Cosmetics
Image Sourced from drip.com
Tarte’s ‘back in stock’ email is a great example of how to use urgency and scarcity to your advantage. The all-caps subject line with the sidenote “for now” hints at scarcity, and it almost reads as a limited-edition restock.
In the email body, Tarte uses a GIF showing the product being used in real life. This helps Tarte’s subscribers visualize the product and acts as a reminder of what it does.
The email also contains a customer review and a CTA to shop for the product. Overall, this is a great example of an effective ‘back in stock’ email.
Apothekary
Image Sourced from drip.com
Apothekary’s ‘back in stock’ email is a great example of how to create curiosity and excitement around a product launch. The subject line is mysterious and teases the return of an old product.
The email also shows appreciation for being on the list and promises an early product release. By getting on the list and making a commitment, recipients are more likely to want to buy the product when it launches. This is a great example of how to use commitment and consistency to your advantage.
Off Hours
Image Sourced from popupsmart.com
Offhours’s ‘back in stock’ email uses the simple and effective headline, “It’s back.” The email then goes on to describe the product in a sincere and friendly tone.
In a smaller font, it says, “You can stop DM’ing, texting, emailing (and sending LinkedIn messages… you know who you are) trying to get your hands on a Homecoat. We’ve finally flicked the switch and turned on preorders! ” This part indicates the desire for this product by saying many people sent DMs, texts, emails, and LinkedIn messages trying to get their hands on it. By adding this level of social proof, Offhours shows that the demand for this product is high and that recipients should act fast.
Conclusion
So there you have it. These five elements of a good ‘back in stock’ email will help recoup your would-be sales.
If you’re looking to increase conversions and boost sales, then include these elements in your next’ back in stock’ email.
Good luck and happy selling!
Looking for more email marketing ideas? Check out the guides below.
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- Best Email Marketing Examples: 20 Types of Emails You Can Send
- Ultimate Email Deliverability Guide: 21 Ways to Improve Deliverability
- 11 Email Marketing KPIs and Metrics You Should Be Tracking
John Allen is a driven marketing professional with over 14 years of experience, an extensive background in building and optimizing digital marketing programs across SEM, SEO, paid media, mobile, social, and email, with an eye to new customer acquisition and increasing revenue
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