A Complete Guide on How to Hide Out of Stock Products in Shopify

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Importance of Inventory Management
3. Why Hide Out of Stock Products?
4. Methods for Hiding Out of Stock Products
5. Using Apps for Efficient Management
6. Additional Tips and Best Practices
7. Conclusion

Introduction

Have you ever visited an online store only to be greeted by the sight of out-of-stock products? This situation can be frustrating for shoppers, and it can inadvertently harm your brand's credibility and sales conversions. For us, at ShipAid, we understand that a streamlined shopping experience is crucial for retaining customers and boosting revenue. One of the pivotal aspects of maintaining an effective eCommerce site is inventory management, particularly how you handle out-of-stock products.

Currently, many Shopify merchants face the challenge of deciding whether to display or hide out-of-stock items in their stores. Hiding these products can significantly enhance the shopping experience while avoiding potential frustration for customers. With this in mind, our blog post aims to provide you with comprehensive insights on how to hide out of stock products in Shopify. We will explore the various strategies and methods available to achieve this goal effectively.

By the end of this article, you will understand not only how to hide out-of-stock products but also the benefits associated with these practices—like improved customer trust and streamlined operations. We'll break down the process into manageable steps, highlight useful tools, and arm you with the knowledge to keep your inventory looking attractive and organized.

In this guide, we will cover:

• The importance of inventory management
• Why you should hide out of stock items
• Different methods for hiding out-of-stock products
• Utilizing Shopify apps for efficient management
• Additional tips and best practices for product visibility

So, let's dive into these strategies together and explore how you can enhance your Shopify store by managing out-of-stock products effectively.

The Importance of Inventory Management

Inventory management is the backbone of any successful eCommerce store. It involves monitoring stock levels, managing product availability, and ensuring that your best-selling items are readily available for purchase.

1. Maintaining Customer Satisfaction

Hiding out-of-stock items can positively impact customer satisfaction. Browsing a selection of only available products makes it easier for customers to find what they want without the frustration of encountering sold-out items. When shoppers have a seamless, enjoyable experience on your site, they’re more likely to return in the future, which builds customer loyalty.

2. Optimizing Store Appearance

An organized store interface conveys professionalism and helps customers quickly locate desired products. Keeping out-of-stock items off your collections or product pages helps maintain an attractive storefront. This perception can significantly influence shoppers, leading to higher conversion rates, as they’re not distracted by unavailable options.

3. Enhancing Operational Efficiency

Effective inventory management keeps your operations running smoothly on multiple levels. By ensuring only available products are displayed, you minimize unnecessary inquiries related to stock levels. This not only saves time for your staff but also leads to a more positive customer experience.

Why Hide Out of Stock Products?

Now that we understand how inventory management is vital to customer satisfaction and operational efficiency, let’s delve into why hiding out-of-stock products is essential.

1. Minimizing Customer Frustration

Faced with multiple options, customers can easily feel overwhelmed—especially when many items are listed as out of stock. Hiding these products ensures that customers do not waste time searching for items that are unavailable, which can lead to frustration and abandoned carts.

2. SEO Considerations

Google penalizes websites that frequently return 404 errors because they reflect poor user experience. By hiding out-of-stock products, you avoid creating broken links or dead ends on your site, which can ultimately impact your site's SEO performance.

3. Increase Clarity and Improve Conversion Rates

A streamlined approach that showcases only in-stock items often results in a more significant number of sales. Potential buyers can visualize the products that are readily available and make informed decisions faster, thus improving conversion rates and enhancing overall user experience.

Methods for Hiding Out of Stock Products

There are several ways you can hide out-of-stock products on Shopify. Here, we’ll outline both manual and automated methods for managing your inventory effectively.

Method 1: Unpublishing Products from Sales Channels

One straightforward way to hide out-of-stock items is by unpublishing them from your store's sales channels. Doing this ensures that while the product is still part of your inventory, it won’t be visible to customers until it's back in stock. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Log into your Shopify Admin.
2. Navigate to ‘Products’ and select the product you wish to hide.
3. Find the ‘Sales Channels and Apps’ section in the right corner.
4. Click ‘Manage’ for the desired sales channel (e.g., your Online Store).
5. Uncheck the channel and hit ‘Done’ then ‘Save’.

While this method is efficient, it does have its downsides, such as the potential for creating 404 errors when visitors access the hidden product’s previous URL.

Method 2: Change Product Status to Draft

Another option similar to unpublishing is to set the product’s status to draft. When set to draft, products won’t appear anywhere on your storefront. To do this:

1. Open the product in your Shopify Admin.
2. In the ‘Status’ section, click the dropdown and select ‘Draft’.
3. Save your changes.

Though this efficiently hides the product, like unpublishing, it can also create issues with dead links.

Method 3: Using Automatic Collection Rules

Shopify allows for the creation of automatic collection rules, which can be a very effective way to manage visibility of out-of-stock products.

1. Go to ‘Products’ in your Shopify Admin.
2. Select ‘Collections’ and choose a specific collection.
3. Under ‘Conditions’, click on ‘Add another condition’.
4. In the dropdown, select ‘Inventory stock + is greater than + 0’.
5. Save your settings.

This method automatically updates visibility based on stock levels, enhancing user experience without manual intervention.

Method 4: Shopify Flow for Automation

If you have access to Shopify Flow, you can create customized workflows that automate the process of hiding out-of-stock products. Flow enables merchants to set various conditions. For example, you could set up a flow that sends out an instruction—if stock is at zero, then hide the product.

This method offers a considerable advantage by saving time and ensuring that your store always reflects the current inventory status.

Method 5: Third-Party Apps

Sometimes, using third-party apps can be the most efficient way to manage your store's inventory. There are several apps on the Shopify App Store that make this process incredibly easy. One popular option is Out-of-Stock Police, which helps manage visibility by:

• Hiding out-of-stock products entirely until they become available again.
• Pushing out-of-stock items to the bottom of collection pages.

Using an app like this can automate a lot of the work and help retain control over the display of available stock.

Using Apps for Efficient Management

While we’ve covered manual methods, integrating specialized apps can take your store’s management to the next level. The right app can save you countless hours and headaches by automating and simplifying inventory management.

Recommended Apps

1. Out-of-Stock Police
   • Hides out-of-stock products.
   • Pushing non-available items lower in the shop.
2. Nada: Sort & Hide Out-of-Stock
   • Automatically hides sold-out products and brings them back when available.
3. Stocky
   • If you are using variants extensively, Stocky helps by providing insights and analytics on inventory levels.

By leveraging such apps, store management is lifted from your shoulders, allowing you to focus on other parts of your business, like marketing or customer engagement.

Additional Tips and Best Practices

To enhance your Shopify store's inventory management even further, consider the following best practices:

1. Implement Inventory Alerts

Keep track of your inventory levels more efficiently by setting up alerts for when stock levels are low. This proactive approach can help you manage product availability and minimize the chance of stockouts.

2. Use Stock Management Skills

Understanding customer buying habits can help to forecast demand accurately. Using analytics tools alongside your inventory management can help prevent overstocking or stockouts.

3. Optimize Product Pages

On your product pages, make sure to communicate clearly when new stock will be available. This transparency can lift customer trust and encourage them to come back when items are back in stock.

4. Consider Pre-Orders

When applicable, offering pre-orders on popular items can alleviate frustration from customers who might encounter out-of-stock products. If you believe a product will be back soon, allow customers to place orders ahead of availability.

Conclusion

In the competitive landscape of eCommerce, effectively managing your inventory is pivotal. Hiding out-of-stock products in Shopify not only streamlines the shopping experience but also enhances customer satisfaction and boosts your SEO performance. By leveraging the methods and tools discussed in this blog, you will be well-equipped to maintain an attractive storefront that speaks to your brand's professionalism.

As you navigate these strategies, we encourage you to explore our interactive demo at ShipAid to see how our innovative solutions can also help protect your shipments and bolster your post-purchase experience. Our commitment to empowering merchants and enhancing customer trust aligns perfectly with these inventory management strategies.

FAQs

1. Can I hide out-of-stock products manually?

Yes, you can manually unpublish or set the product status to draft to hide them from your store.

2. Do these methods affect SEO?

Hiding products can help prevent 404 errors, which may enhance SEO by ensuring customers have a seamless experience.

3. Are there apps that can help with this?

Yes, apps like Out-of-Stock Police and Nada can automate the process of hiding out-of-stock products, making inventory management much easier.

4. How do I manage inventory alerts?

Many Shopify apps allow you to set up low-stock alerts, which can help you keep track of your inventory levels and prevent stockouts.

5. Should I allow pre-orders for out-of-stock items?

Allowing pre-orders can alleviate customer frustration by letting customers order popular items expected to be back in stock soon.