"Do You Have It in Stock?" — How to Reply (In Stock and Out)
When to send this
When someone asks about availability. Intent is usually high — they've already decided to buy and are just checking they can. Reply speed directly affects whether the sale happens.
The reply (copy it)
Do you have it in stock?
Hi! [Item] is [in stock / on backorder right now].
[If in stock] If you order today it ships [timeframe].
[If not] We're expecting more around [date] — want me to message you the moment it lands?
The most common mistake
Replying "sold out" and nothing else when you're out of stock. That pushes away a customer who had already decided to buy. What you should do instead is offer to notify them when it's back — you keep the customer and you get a list of confirmed intent.
When the situation is different
If it is in stock, add timing or quantity ("3 left", "order today, ships tomorrow"). That isn't a sales trick — it's giving them a reason to decide now, instead of "let me think about it" and forgetting.
After you send it
If you promise a back-in-stock notification, send it. These are easy to lose track of when they live in a DM thread — and a customer you forgot won't ask twice.
Replies for other situations
This is one of 12 common customer message situations. The full set (with a picker) is here:
See all 12 customer message replies →
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