11 Best Back-in-Stock Emails in 2024 & Why They Work

Isn’t it awesome when a sold-out item you missed out on returns to shelves? We bet it is! Even more convenient is when the company notifies you about it immediately after restocking: now you definitely won’t miss a chance to make a purchase!

While the primary function of back-in-stock emails is to keep subscribers in the loop, they are much more than just that. Back-in-stock emails are excellent for boosting sales, maintaining customer loyalty, and even winning new customers! 

Follow our article and make the most of your “Back in Stock” campaigns with the help of:

• 7 best practices for crafting your back-in-stock emails;
• 4 tips to write an effective back-in-stock email subject line;
• 11 best back-in-stock email examples to get inspired.

Why Even Make a Back-in-Stock Email?

You’ve renewed the stock, and now it’s time to tell your customers about it. Yet do you actually need a whole marketing email campaign for that? Can’t you just send a simple notification?

Technically, yes, you can (and some companies do exactly that). But we wouldn’t write this article if back-in-stock emails weren’t important!

With the highest (over 65%) open rate across the most popular campaign types, back-in-stock emails are a powerful marketing tool, and here are 3 benefits that they bring:

• They let you use FOMO to the fullest. Over 90% of people experience fear of missing out in some form. And back-in-stock emails give the possibility to take advantage of it all the way. They send a clear signal: if the product sold out before, this means that it’s got to be good. Perfect time to catch up!
• They give customers a second chance. Your customer might have missed out on a product they really wanted before. But now you provide them with one more chance to grab it! And if a product is in high demand, chances are that customers will make an immediate purchase decision.
• They help to build customer loyalty. When customers subscribe to back-in-stock emails, they are likely to convert into buyers. Use it to deepen their trust in your brand: notify them timely, make them feel that they’re among the first to get a restocked product, and provide an overall pleasant buying experience.

7 Back-in-Stock Emails Best Practices

Time to make your back-in-stock emails shine! Here are 7 best practices (complete with real-world back-in-stock email examples) that will help you create a truly outstanding restock campaign.

Show the Goods in Full Glory

Since you’re bringing the bestsellers back to stock, why not show them at their finest? Make your goods the center of attention and showcase them in the best way possible. High-quality images and eye-catching design elements will help you turn even a simple restock notification into a triumphant comeback!

Here’s a back-in-stock email example by Juvee that shows exactly what we’re talking about. After opening the email, you’re immediately greeted with a striking image of the Cherry Slushie energy drink, accompanied by fun little cherries in the background.

Trigger a Sense of Urgency

Back-in-stock emails offer exceptional opportunities to drive a sense of urgency and propel customers to act fast! How do you do that exactly? Show that even though the item has been restocked, it’s still:

• produced in limited quantity (“Only 5000 items in stock, and selling out fast!”);
• available for a limited amount of time (“In stock until June 29! Grab it while you can!”).

Here’s a great back-in-stock email example by Something Sweet that shows how it can be done. The email not only demonstrates the restocked COOKie Dough but also underlines that the supplies are limited.

Use Social Proof

80% of shoppers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Take advantage of that in your back-in-stock emails by including rave feedback from your existing customers!

Include some glowing reviews and assure potential buyers that the restocked item is definitely worth it. Though remember: reviews must be genuine and come from real clients. If you make up the feedback and get caught red-handed, customers will simply lose trust in your brand.

And, of course, no need to include a lengthy review: you may limit it to 2-3 most catchy sentences, like Public Goods did in its back-in-stock email example.

Share the Benefits

Use a back-in-stock email to inform the subscribers about what makes the product so special (and why it became a bestseller in the first place). For instance:

• show off the features, underline the important details, and discuss why customers love it;
• provide some instructions for first-time buyers: show how easy-to-use and convenient the product is, adding one more reason to get it now!

Check out this back-in-stock email example by Radio Roasters Coffee that includes both the perks and small instructions for its Steeped Coffee bags.

Include a Creative CTA

Get creative with not just the back-in-stock email copy and visuals, but also the call-to-action! Instead of widespread options like “Learn More”, “Buy Now” or “To the Store”, you may turn to something imaginative (or maybe even a bit bold, if that’s in line with your brand identity). This will make your email even more inventive and engaging.

Uniqlo does exactly that. Its back-in-stock email example features a photo of the product itself and a catchy CTA that reads “GIMME”.

Use Back-in-Stock Emails as a Reminder

Turn your back-in-stock notification into a full-scale reminder! For instance, you may use it to remind the subscribers that:

• the restocked item has been on their wishlist, and now they get a chance to buy it;
• their abandoned cart contains the restocked item (now available for purchase);
• they already bought this item before and would probably like to make the purchase again.

Here’s an illustration: this back-in-stock email example by Huckberry informs the customer that the product from their Wait List has been restocked.

Upsell Other Items

Use upsell and cross-sell methods to increase sales: no need to limit your back-in-stock email to one item only! You bring back an exclusive-flavor drink? Offer to get a snack with it. Restocked on hoodies? Show off a matching pair of sneakers. Even if the potential customer doesn’t have much interest in the primary product, they might check out other goods (and turn into buyers as a result).

This Firebox back-in-stock email example shows it best, with a couple of extra goods following the main item.

Craft Your Back-in-Stock Emails Using Blocks

Looking for a tool to create your awesome back-in-stock emails? Then you’ve come to the right place! Blocks, our powerful email builder, is here to assist you in any creative endeavors. Sign up for free, create a new project, and get ready to craft the email templates right away!

Blocks offers a vast amount of options for email design and customization. And on top of that, it’s intuitive and easy to learn: anyone will be able to craft excellent back-in-stock emails in mere minutes!

Need a dash of inspiration for your back-in-stock email subject lines? Try the AI assistant! Fill your email with content, choose the AI assistant in the menu on the right, and click “Subject line & preheader generator” to instantly receive 3 ready-to-use options.

4 Back-in-Stock Email Subject Line Tips

Subject lines might influence the customer’s decision to open (or ignore) your email, and therefore need to be discussed in more detail. These 4 tips will help you craft a compelling back-in-stock email subject line and catch the subscriber’s eye right after the email lands in the inbox.

Make It Direct and Clear

Get straight to business in your back-in-stock email subject line and clearly show the subscriber what’s awaiting inside. Indicate the most important part about goods being back on the shelf and provide other details that might be interesting for potential buyers.

You may also add some sense of urgency here as well, just like Frank & Eileen did with its straightforward subject line “Back in stock and already going fast!”.

Address the Subscriber

Create a feeling of direct conversation and spark curiosity in your back-in-stock email subject line. There are 2 ways you can do that:

• if you have the required data, personalize the subject line by adding a name. This is the most direct option to address the subscriber, and is sure to pique their interest;
• if you aim for a general audience, simply address the recipients using such words as “you” and “yours”. Exactly the case with the back-in-stock email subject line by Hawthorne that reads “Your favorites are finally back in stock”.

Be Playful

Add a pinch of spice to your back-in-stock email subject line by making it playful. This is a fun way to catch readers’ attention and make the email engaging even before it’s opened. Yet, of course, always go in line with your brand identity, and don’t go overboard when using playfulness. Otherwise, it might come out awkward and alienate the recipient.

Here’s an example by Great Jones. Its back-in-stock email subject line “What’s shiny, sturdy, and back in stock?” is fun and playful, yet remains informative and relevant.

Include Emojis

Did you know that emails with emojis in subject lines have 56% higher open rates than plain ones? The power of emojis sometimes goes overlooked, yet they might be just what you need for a back-in-stock email subject line! 

A couple of things to keep in mind here:

• include emojis only if appropriate. If your brand leans to a more serious side, it’s better to avoid them;
• choose suitable emojis. They work best if they’re related to the subject line one way or another;
• limit their quantity. 1 or 2 are ok, but an over-abundance of emojis will definitely feel out of place.

Here’s an excellent example by Fulton. Its back-in-stock email subject line, “All sizes are back in stock! 🏃🏻‍♀️ (for now!)”, includes a runner emoji. Probably the best choice for announcing the restock of sports insoles.

Conclusion

A proper back-in-stock email doesn’t just serve as a notification, but also drives sales and may reinforce your brand reputation. Stick to these key takeaways and make your back-in-stock emails effective in all respects:

• begin with a catchy back-in-stock email subject line;
• show the restocked goods in full glory;
• make use of urgency and FOMO;
• share what makes your product so popular;
• remind your subscribers about wishlist items and abandoned carts;
• put social proof (like customer reviews) to good use;
• include a creative CTA.

And the best part is, all of that (and even more) is available for you in Blocks! Create your back-in-stock emails with the help of our builder and get ready to boost your restock campaigns like never before!