When it comes to winning back customers, nothing is more effective than back-in-stock emails.
So, if you are looking for the right back-in-stock email examples to drive sales—dive right in.
In this article, we are exploring:
What is a back-in-stock email actually?
Going by the technical definition, back-in-stock emails are the last part of stock-alert drip email campaigns.
These emails come right after the out-of-stock email.
The primary goal is to inform customers about a restocked product.
However, these emails go beyond the “hey, it's back” messaging.
The real job is to win back customers and drive:
- Engagement
- Sales
- Loyalty and Retention
Why do back-in-stock emails matter more? It’s win or lose.
Your customers will pay to get notified about your back-in-stock product.
There are countless posts on social media, complaining about not getting back-in-stock emails.
Note the way, Redditors have resorted to looking for ways to find back-in-stock products.
Just take a look at the effectiveness stats of back-in-stock emails:
- 65.3% Open Rate
- 22.45% Conversion Rate
But, there’s a catch.
As per Barriliance’s report, back-to-stock emails, despite having high open rates, were ineffective at bringing in results.
However, according to Marketing Sherpa's report, back-in-stock emails had a 22.45% conversion rate.
What was the difference that led to these results?
The email strategy used for the campaign.
24 Examples of High-Converting Back-In-Stock Emails
This list contains 24 unique brands that are just bringing in the $$$ with their winning back-in-stock notification emails.
1. Happy Earth: Creatively Highlight Your Product’s Uniqueness
Subject Line: RESTOCKED: Starlit Night Hoodie (+ more)
Preview Text: Sold out in 2 weeks, finally back!
Takeaways from Happy Earth’s email:
- Use a winning restocked product to lead the show
- Ensure that the product images show the product in use
- Pull in features, quotes, and testimonials
- Play around with your CTA text, like Happy Earth’s “Hoodie Upgrade →”
- Talk like the way your target audience does
- Don’t forget to showcase a cause that you believe in
Remember: Committing to a purpose, like Happy Earth, will make your brand’s products more purchasable, by 4X.
2. Kohler: Drop-In Your Restocked Product With Free Shipping
Subject Line: Back in stock and bold as ever
Preview Text: Get excited to make those upgrades!
Takeaway from Kohler’s back-in-stock email:
- Offer free shipping if your previous back-in-stock emails haven’t been performing
- Personalize the products in the email by viewing history
- Try making the CTA attuned to the theme of urgency like Kohler’s “Check Availability”
Remember: The average spend per customer increases by 37% when free shipping is offered.
3. TheBlockZone (UK): Bring Back a Favorite With New Releases
Subject Line: The F-16 is back ✈️🇺🇸
Preview Text: One of our most popular models from the past month is…
Takeaways from TheBlockZone (UK):
- If you are cross-selling, include categories only
- Whereas, if you are upselling, just add in products of the same category
- Use emojis in the subject line and your email (but sparingly)
- Use contrasting colors and attractive images in your email
Remember: Highly engaged customers = 22% cross-sell revenue + 38% up-sell revenue.
4. Vybes: Show Them How To Use Your Product
Subject Line: Restocked: Fast-Acting CBD powder
Preview Text: Keep the stress away
Takeaways from Vybes:
- Let your product images do the talking
- However, make sure your copy is in sync with your product images
- Set up an experience for your users, and leverage curiosity
- Showcase your product in use along with a “how-to-use” section
- Try to write the “how-to-use” section in the least amount of words possible
Remember: Experiment with your product images and minimalism in your emails; however, it’s best to not go overboard. Use minimalism with caution.
5. Tilly’s: Recommend All Back-In-Stock Products Together
Subject Line: Back In Stock 📢
Preview Text: Get 'em before they're gone again. Back in Stock! LEVI'S, NIKE,..
Takeaway from Tilly’s – Break your Back-in-Stock Email into 6 Parts:
- The Intro: Use a single image with a strong focus on the product—for example, the Levi's Overalls
- The Products: Add this right after “The Intro” section—showcase restocked products by use/relevancy/personalization
- The Offers: Include offers/low-ticket/fail-safe/bestseller products in this section
- The Information: Offer critical information like shipping costs and solve potential pain points
- The “Just For You”: Personalize the products by the user—note how Tilly’s does the same
- The Features: This section is the most subliminal part of your back-in-stock emails. Anyone who’s here will probably visit your product page at least once
Remember: This type of email works best when you have multiple products back in stock.
6. Lazarus Naturals: Use Powerful Copy
Subject Line: 👀Psst… It’s back on our website
Preview Text: Skin Repair Cream has returned for your routinely needs.
Takeaways from Lazarus Naturals:
- Use repetition to build the flow
- Match and suggest products by use like Lazarus Naturals does
- Tailor your email copy to highlight your product’s benefits
- Play with colors and contrast in your emails (keep it on brand)
Remember: Maintain a signature style across your emails by using similar tonality and matching designs.
7. Jack Mason: Play With The CTA
Subject Line: Our Hydrotimer is ready to ship
Preview Text: No more wait times, get yours today!
Takeaways from Jack Mason:
- When including a collection, showcase the top-level variants
- Don’t forget to highlight the USP(s)
- Play with the CTA like Jack Mason does with “Claim The Watch”
- Show them where it's manufactured. (and make it a USP)
Remember: Include a video about the product, if needed.
8. Macy’s: Personalization is Key
Subject Line: Your items are back in stock - checkout before they sell out again!
Preview Text: Hurry! They're selling quickly
Takeaways from Macy’s email:
- Personalize by your user’s viewing history
- Bring in your rewards programs
- Up-sell and cross-sell, whenever you can
- Don’t forget to include urgency by telling them it won’t be back again
Remember: Personalized or intellligent product recommendations drive returning visitors and sales by up to 20%.
9. American Eagle: Ask Them To Check The Demand
Subject Line: HURRY! 🔥Back in stock + going fast🔥
Preview Text: Get them before they're gone (again)!
Takeaways from American Eagle:
- Personalization is key, but scarcity is an even greater motivator
- A CTA is all it takes to distinguish a good email from an AWESOME email
- Include a shipping threshold (increases the cart value and AOV in one go)
Remember: Your headline is a go-to tool to ensure that people scroll through—ensure that it makes your subscribers think and scroll down.
10. Tymo: Use a Coupon
Subject Line: Introducing: TYMO PORTA
Preview Text: 🙌 Raise your hand if you're always on the go
Takeaways from Tymo’s back-in-stock email:
- Make the offer irresistible by throwing in a coupon
- Use coupons to sweeten the deal, and watch the transactions go up by 27%
- Make your coupon code clickable and auto-applicable
- Use proper attribution (just reminding you)
Remember: If there is a singular theme, stick to it. Make it the first email in your flow—after the sale ends, send out an email like Elf Beauty to all those who opened, but did not make a purchase.
11. Sweet Bath & Co.: Keep It Simple and Stay Humble
Subject Line: Did you order a Sugar Skull and were DISAPPOINTED?
Preview Text: None
Takeaways from Sweet Bath & Co.:
- Honesty is the best policy, provided you have the best intentions
- Remember to always own up
- However, don’t forget to attach your mission statement and your pain points
- Lastly, keep lines open for communication, like Sweet Bath & Co. does
Remember: 86% of consumers agreed that they would continue to shop from a brand, after facing poor customer service—provided there is an emotional connection. Now, the catch – only 30% of brands can make that connection.
12. Shine Armor: Show Them When It’s Dropping
Subject Line: Rejoice! The wait is over, and your favorite products are back in stock, buddy!
Preview Text: Same as the subject line
Takeaways from Shine Armor:
- Countdown timers always work, and can bring in up to 24% CTOR (Learn more about Click to Open rate)
- Keep the highlight on the product, and make the right offer like “free shipping”
- However, don’t keep your preview text same as your subject line
Remember: Once the countdown timer ends, ensure to send post-purchase emails to all those who did make a purchase—also send another personalized email to all those who opened the email, but did not buy (offer product bundles up for buying, in this email.)
13. Revolve: Sing a Song & Make Em’ Laugh
Subject Line: baby come back (in stock) 💗
Preview Text: None
Takeaways from Revolve’s Back-In-Stock Email:
- Experiment with subject lines as much as you can. For example: “the #ootd that got away” or “guess who’s back”
- If you are bringing back multiple products to stock, try to pair by usage, as Revolve does with their dresses
- Clever copy laced with information and powerful imagery can work wonders for sales, win-backs, and re-engagement
Remember: Ensure to show categories and add offers to engage shoppers.
14. Elf Beauty: Bundle It Out
Subject Line: The sold-out Rose Gold Eyeshadow Palette is BACK!
Preview Text: None
Takeaways from Elf Beauty’s Back-in-Stock Email:
- Make your microcopy highlight feature coupons and free shipping, subtly
- Use everything in 3’s to avoid choice paralysis. Note how Elf does it, with their email
- Create product bundles to drive up-sells. Note Elf’s usage of “mystery boxes of $18 value”
- Throw in a price threshold for free shipping
Remember: Product bundling paired with powerful copy can become a game changer for your back-in-stock emails.
15. Stringers World: Use Your Sales Announcement
Subject Line: An extra 20% off Tier One, Dyreex, and Topspin strings!
Preview Text: Pacific Natural Gut is now back in stock! New Franklin pickleball...
Takeaways from Stringers World:
- Use your existing newsletter to communicate that your product is back-in-stock
- Use your brand rating in your email—note the Trustpilot rating at the top of the email
- Use visual hierarchy in your CTA buttons and play with color contrast
Remember: Always make sure to pair your back-in-stock announcements with your most effective type of emails. By effective, we mean, emails that have statistically performed well for you.
16. Paul Smith: Make It Eye-Grabbing
Subject Line: Sale - Online Restock!
Preview Text: We just restocked key products in our spring/summer sale, up to
Takeaways from Paul Smith’s Email:
- Use curiosity and visual cues to drive click-through rate
- Intelligent iconography works if you have a minimal layout like Paul Smith does
- Maintain a singular theme like the 50% discount on re-stocked products
- Let the headline do the talking, and maintain visual hierarchy, always
- Make sure your preview text sounds complete
Remember: Sometimes more is less; provided it’s carried out visually, as Paul Smith does. After all, visual cues lead to 92.6% of purchase decisions.
17. California Cowboy: Call On Your Fanbase
Subject Line: 🚨Robe Restock - Dawn Patrol!🚨
Preview Text: You bought them all. We got more!
Takeaways from California Cowboy:
- Use your hero product to drive the conversation with your community
- Sprinkle humor and aim to build fans, who look forward to opening your emails
- Try to harness the power of relatability to build communities
Remember: Being Fun = Being Remembered. Funnier subject lines lead are attractive to 69% of consumers worldwide—brands with communities have seen 4% of their online traffic convert into sales.
18. Stio: Play With Words (the right way)
Subject Line: Your Favorite Fleece Pants Are Back In Stock!
Preview Text: More colors are available online, just in time to cozy into winter.
The Takeaways From Stio’s Back-In-Stock Email:
- Uplift and make your users laugh. Note how Stio says “pants for staying put” instead of “pants for staying in”
- Use the power of association—it’s worth noting that Stio pairs the fleece pants with jackets that are designed for “off-duty athletes”
Remember: Use animated images like GIFs to show your product recommendations engagingly and effectively.
19. Warby Parker: Communicate The Value Effectively
Subject Line: Look what’s back in stock
Preview Text: Grab one before it’s gone again.
Takeaways from Warby Parker’s Back-in-Stock Email:
- Craft a powerful value proposition like Warby Parker does with their anti-fog spray
- Tie the pain point to the call to action like “Bye-bye, fog”
- Create powerful product images to drive the sale
Remember: This rule applies when you are bringing one product back to stock. Note how Warby Parker pairs the carrying pouch and cloth to create a unique feature.
20. Crate & Barrel: Include a Testimonial
Subject Line: Back in stock: Your fave sold-out storage pieces
Preview Text: + there’s still time to get dad a gift: Order online & pick up in
Takeaways from Back-In-Stock Emails from Crate & Barrel:
- Include social proof, like Crate & Barrel does—they leverage their community by including reviews and using images of products bought by their customers
- Tune your microcopy to remove friction—unlike every other brand that does in-email menu-style navigation, C&B brings something that will help their sales: a zero-interest repayment plan
Remember: Try to show the same recommendations on your product page and emails, along with new reviews.
21. Kiehls: Use Testimonials (Even More Creatively)
Subject Line: 📢 Deodorant Is Back In Stock
Preview Text: Get it before it sells out!
Takeaways from Kiehl’s email:
- Use visual cues effectively to highlight the most important testimonials
- Keep your primary message in the first fold of the email
- Don’t be afraid to boast, but keep proof ready
- Use carefully tailored iconography like Kiehls does
Remember: Visuals are primary for almost 92.6% of your customers, no matter where they are.
22. Williams Sonoma: Make Them Feel Exclusive
Subject Line: Now back in stock: Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Pate Terrine
Preview Text: None
Takeaways from Williams Sonoma:
- Show that you know them—as always, exclusivity drives up AOV by 40% when paired with tailored product suggestions
- Do not include too many colors in your email, and use color contrast for focus
- Keep all offers towards the end of the email
Remember: Your back-in-stock email is also a good up-sell email. Thus, it is critical to not leave any information out. Note how Williams Sonoma offers an option to find a local store at the end of the email.
23. Cyber Jammies (UK): Include the Seasonality
Subject Line: Your favourites are back in stock, just in time for Christmas! 😍
Preview Text: FREE UK delivery over £40
Takeaways from Cyber Jammies (UK):
- Highlight family values in your product images—research has shown that portraying family bonds helps in building a better association with brands
- Stock up well in advance, and remind them—61% of shoppers start getting on to their Christmas shopping right after Thanksgiving
- Don’t forget to showcase your uniqueness in your copy
- Lastly, reviews go a long way, but make sure to include recent reviews—note how Cyber Jammies includes the dates of reviews in their email
Remember: Try to mention priority shipping or express shipping options for seasonal emails.
24. Ring Concierge: Make The Restocking An USP
Subject Line: BACK by popular demand!
Preview Text: & just in time for fall layering
Takeaways from the back-in-stock email by Ring Concierge:
- Always play the “I must get it too” card. FOMO is always a great motivator
- The preview text is a great place to continue your message and increase your CTOR
- Highlight the urgency like Ring Concierge does with “Limited Restock” and “Instantly Sold Out”
Remember: This tactic works extraordinarily well for high-ticket/sought-after items.
7 Powerful Strategies For Perfecting Your Back-In-Stock Emails
1. Make the subject line shine
Make your back-in-stock email subject line, work for you:
- Make them hungry for what’s inside with power words: "Limited Edition," "Exclusive Offer," or "Don't Miss Out!"
- Let them know this isn't your average restock, and that they won’t get it again
- Call them by their name and crack the open rate wide open
- BREAK the rules of grammar and make it appealing
- Use the preview text to build further continuity
Pro Tip: Keep testing your subject lines and preview text in batches and combine all of the above-mentioned strategies for maximizing your open rate.
2. Show them “We get you.”
Here’s what you should do when it comes to personalization and back-in-stock emails:
- Show products that are relevant to them
- Continue using their name in the email
- Perfect your segmentation strategy in your drip
Pro Tip: Tailor the offers based on activity on your website and emails.
3. Make it Unmissable
The human brain processes visual information better and here’s how you can use this tactic:
- Let your hero image take center stage like Elf Beauty
- Tune to benefits over features like Stio
- Use animated images to drive engagement even further
- Play with words and humor to make it memorable, like Luckies does
Pro Tip: Experiment as much as possible with every aspect of your emails.
4. Go beyond a generic “Buy Now”
Your call to action is where the action happens and here’s how you optimize it:
- Make it clearer than daylight and leave zero space for confusion
- Start creating exclusivity, and channel the urgency
- Make it impossible to miss with buttons of unique shapes or colors
- Maintain the visual hierarchy by using contrasting colors and correct alignment
- Use arrows to drive direction
Pro Tip: Get the “I am Browsing” Segment. Remind them that your back-in-stock product is about to run out.
5. Build up the hype with pre-order options
Pre-orders are the perfect way to announce your product is coming back to stock. Here’s how you do it:
- Bring in a limited quantity of the product back in stock
- Make sure your email copy has a countdown/mention of the no. of products left in stock
- Once stock runs out, add a pre-order option in your landing page copy
- Build a segment of those who opened your initial restock email and product page, but did not purchase
- At this point, send another email and offer a pre-order option once again
- Sweeten the deal by offering free shipping on their upcoming order or a free subscription to your insider community or a freebie
- Lastly, make a countdown to restock, and then repeat the flow
Pro Tip: Always be transparent about when the product will be restocked.
6. Let them know if it’s not coming back
79% of consumers in the US avoid a brand for over 2 years after facing poor customer service. Here’s how you can maintain customer satisfaction:
- Let your customers know of any possible delays as soon as possible
- Don’t keep your customers waiting for a product that’s permanently out-of-stock
- Ask them to add your email address as a contact, to not miss any emails
- Offer product alternatives like John Lewis (UK) does in their email
Pro Tip: Suggest the nearest alternatives to the product and sweeten the deal.
7. Keep em’ coming back
So, you made the sale and now it’s time to bring them a thank you note. Here’s how you do it:
- Leave helpful tips on how to use their purchased product
- Ask them to leave a review of their experience
- Give limited-time free access to your insider benefits
Pro Tip: Set up thank-you emails for every micro conversion that you include in your emails.
The 3-Step Segmentation Strategy for Back-in-Stock Emails
In this strategy, we take an assumption that you are bringing back 2 products, namely:
- {Item 1}: Went out-of-stock 15 days ago
- {Item 2}: Went out-of-stock 20 days ago
Consideration Taken: It takes an average of 30 days to restock. (Amazon takes a maximum of 30 days to restock)
Start With Audience Selection
- Build a segment of sign-ups from the form on the out-of-stock product page
- Include your active subscribers (optional)
Refine The Audience Size By
- Product Last Viewed: Select subscribers who have viewed {Item 1} / {Item 2} or viewed related products to {Item 1} / {Item 2}
- Purchase History: Include those who have purchased related products to {Item 1} and {Item 2} in the last 30 days
- Shipping Times: Refine further by subscriber location and filter it further
- Browse Abandonment/Add to Cart: Add subscribers who’ve added {Item 1} / {Item 2} / a related product to {Item 1} / {Item 2} to their cart
- Filtering Out: Exclude extremely new subscribers and those who’ve already brought {Item 1} / {Item 2} in the last 30 to 60 days
Pro Tips:
- Adjust the duration according to the date your product has gone out of stoc
- Use your back-in-stock email as a replenishment email, if your product is an essential item or has a short use span
Branch Out & Send Your Restock Email
Once you have a clear idea of your audience, make sure to branch out your email into three templates.
At this point, your selected audience includes
- Subscribers who’ve viewed {Item 1}/{Item 2}/related products in the last 30 days
- All active subscribers
- Subscribers who’ve signed up from a form on an out-of-stock product page
- People who have added related products in their carts; but did not buy
The ones who are excluded from the audience are:
- People who’ve bought {Item 1}/{Item 2} in the last 30 days
- Subscribers for less than 30 hours
The next step is to send out emails based on conditional logic. So, if you are looking for back-in-stock email templates, we’ve got you covered.
3 Powerful Back-in-Stock Email Templates For Free
The “Free Shipping” Back-In-Stock Template.
In this example, we have assumed the product to be a lip balm. This email works for all fans of the product and aims to bring frictionless sales, by offering free shipping.
Subject Line: soft lips are back in stock 💋
Preview Text: (with something extra special)
Email Headline: Now restocked: ready to replenish.
Body: Hey {Name}, your all-natural lip care is back with FREE Shipping. But, not for a long time.
Call to action: Get It With Free Shipping
Remember: Try including a “how to use” section and add reviews/testimonials too. Moreover, try to include product bundles and personalized recommendations.
The “Limited-Time” Back-In-Stock Template
This back-in-stock email template works best for active subscribers and fans of a certain product. This template piques the curiosity of active subscribers by making them wonder – “what’s this product about?.”
Subject Line: {Product Name} is FINALLY back-in-stock
Preview Text: and going away in
Email Headline: We saw you loved it – and we brought it back
Subheading: but they are going away, fast.
Body: Heyo {Name}, we have finally brought {Product name} back in stock. This is a product we don’t usually bring in. However, since {Product Name} went out of stock, 2000+ people have joined the waitlist. Thus, we had to bring it back, and we couldn’t let you miss the fun. Make sure you get it in time
Call-to-action: Check How Many Are Left
Remember: Add a countdown timer or a count of the products left back in stock to further drive the FOMO. Also, pair a testimonial with the email to drive up the sales. Lastly, keep this template focused on the restock only.
The “Buy 3, Get One Free” Back-In-Stock Template
Subject Line: Back To Climb Into Stock
Preview Text: with something extra?
Email Headline: Thirsty for Adventure?
Body: Greetings {Name},{Product Name} is back for adventure. This trusty gear is back in stock, ready to be your loyal companion on every wild escapade.
Call-to-action: Make It Yours
Secondary Heading: Because we know you want it
Secondary Body: We saw you were eyeing these, and we couldn’t help it. Buy any three and get one extra product of your choice at zero extra cost. Sounds exciting?
Secondary Call to Action: Go Go Go
Remember: Offer products by cart history and high-value products viewed in the last 60 days. Keep a healthy mix of high-value and low-value products.
Also Read:
In Conclusion: Back-In-Stock = Back-With-Revenue
There are a lot of tools to send a back-in-stock email with.
However, the revenue from your emails remains underutilized. Here’s why:
- You are still using age-old strategies
- All of your emails are from a template, used by every other brand
- Your workflows were last updated in 2020
What you need is hyper-personalization. Engage can help you do just that.
Want to see it in action? Book a free demo.
We’ll show you:
- workflows we can create for your store,
- proven ways to drive 30% or more $$ from email alone, and
- successful templates and strategies from your industry (and others).
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