Turn sold-out products into high-intent subscribers
When a product sells out, the customer who wanted to buy it represents one of the highest-intent moments in your entire funnel. They were ready to purchase — they just couldn't. A "notify me when back in stock" form is a chance to capture that intent and turn a lost sale into a subscriber.
Most brands send restock alerts via email, which means the notification lands hours later, the customer has to click through to the product page, and by the time they check out, the product may have sold out again. Text-based restock alerts with reply-to-buy flip this: the customer gets an instant notification and can buy with one reply before it sells out a second time.
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How most brands handle restock notifications
The standard approach: a sold-out product page displays a "Notify me when available" form that collects an email address. When inventory is restocked, the brand sends a batch email to everyone on the waitlist. The email says "It's back in stock!" with a link to the product page.
The customer has to open the email (if it doesn't land in promotions or spam), click the link, wait for the page to load, add the item to their cart, and check out. Meanwhile, dozens or hundreds of other waitlist customers are racing through the same flow. By the time a customer completes checkout, the product may have sold out again — especially for high-demand or limited-inventory items.
Email-based restock alerts also have a speed problem. Emails aren't delivered instantly — there can be a delay of minutes or even hours between when the notification is sent and when the customer sees it. For a hot product that sells out in minutes, this delay kills conversion.
Restock alerts via text with reply-to-buy
A text-based restock alert embedded on the product page collects the customer's phone number instead of (or in addition to) their email. When inventory is available, they receive an instant text: "Your [product] is back in stock! Reply YES to buy before it sells out again."
The customer replies to claim it. Their payment method (if on file) is charged, the order is confirmed, and inventory updates in real time. No race to checkout, no link to click, no page to load. First reply, first served.
For customers without a stored payment method, the text can include a fast-checkout link that pre-fills their cart with the product. Either way, the path from "restock alert" to "purchased" is faster than any email-based flow, which means the customer is more likely to successfully buy before it sells out again.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Traditional | With AudienceTap |
|---|---|---|
| Notification speed | Email (minutes to hours delay) | Text (instant delivery, 98% open rate) |
| Customer action | Open email → click link → add to cart → checkout | Reply "YES" to buy (or tap a fast-checkout link) |
| Risk of second sellout | High — multi-step checkout race | Low — fastest path to purchase |
| Intent quality | Waitlist interest | Waitlist interest + instant purchase capability |
| Subscriber value | One-time restock notification | Ongoing text subscriber for future drops and reorders |
Who this is for
Brands with high-demand products that frequently sell out, brands doing limited-edition releases, and brands with waitlists for upcoming or seasonal products. Restock alerts are one of the highest-conversion sign-up moments because the customer is explicitly signaling purchase intent.
Where to use it
Restock alert forms should be prominently placed on sold-out product pages and upcoming product pages where the customer can't yet buy.
Sold-Out Product Pages
Replace the "Add to Cart" button with a "Get notified by text" form — capture the customer at the moment they realize they can't buy.
Pre-Order & Upcoming Products
For products not yet available, offer a text alert for launch day — "Text me when this drops."
Limited-Edition Teaser Pages
Tease an upcoming limited release with a form to get early text access — builds hype and captures intent before launch.
Waitlist Landing Pages
Dedicated waitlist page for high-demand products — collect phone numbers for text alerts when spots open up.
Collection Pages
If an entire collection is sold out or upcoming, include a collection-wide restock alert at the top of the page.
Features that make it work
Related use cases
SMS Product Drops & Limited-Edition Releases
Turn limited-edition releases into sold-out moments with reply-to-buy text drops.
SMS Pre-Orders & Waitlists
Let customers reserve upcoming products by replying to a text — payment captured instantly.
Website Pop-Ups for SMS Capture
Convert website visitors into text subscribers with pop-ups that lead to exclusive drops and flash sales.
Related glossary terms
SMS Opt-In / Opt-Out
SMS Opt-In is how consumers give permission to receive business texts. Opt-Out is how they revoke it — typically by replying STOP. Both are required under TCPA regulations.
Text-to-Buy
Text-to-Buy is a mobile commerce model where customers purchase products by replying to a text message — no links, no carts, no checkout pages.
SMS Product Drops
SMS Product Drops are time-sensitive product releases sold exclusively through text messages, where subscribers reply to claim limited-edition or small-batch items before they sell out.
Product Page Restock Alerts via SMS FAQ
Yes. You can collect both email and phone number on the restock alert form and send notifications through both channels. Text will arrive faster and convert higher, but email serves as a backup.
With text-to-buy, inventory updates in real time. Once the product sells out, subsequent replies receive an instant "sold out" notification. This prevents overselling and sets clear expectations.
Once a subscriber receives a restock alert and either purchases or passes, they can be removed from that specific waitlist. You can also cap the number of restock alerts per subscriber to avoid notification fatigue.
Yes. Restock alert subscribers opted in for a specific product notification. After they receive the alert, you can offer to keep them on your general list for future drops and offers, but the initial opt-in was product-specific.
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