Telling a customer their item is not in stock is an email nobody enjoys writing, so it often goes out late or not at all. This guide gives you five templates to copy and adapt, covering a backorder notice, a revised date, an item you cannot supply, a partial shipment and a back-in-stock update. To make these emails rarer, see how to calculate a reorder point.
Send it before the customer asks
The email that prevents a complaint is the one that arrives before the customer starts wondering. Send it as soon as you know, even if you do not have a firm date yet. Each message should carry three things.
- What happened: Which item is affected, in one plain sentence
- The new date: A date or a date range you can meet, or an honest "we do not know yet"
- The choice: Wait, swap for another item, or cancel for a refund
Template: item on backorder
Use this when the item will arrive later than the customer expected. Offer the options up front so the customer does not need to write back to ask for them.
- Subject: An update on your order [order number]
- Body: Hi [name], thanks for your order. [Item] is on backorder with our supplier, and we now expect to ship it by [date]. The rest of your order is not affected. If you would prefer not to wait, reply to this email and we will [swap it for another item / cancel that item and refund you]. If we do not hear from you, we will ship it as soon as it arrives. Sorry for the delay, [your name] at [store name]
Template: the date has moved again
A second delay needs a more direct tone. Say that the date slipped, give the new one, and repeat the option to cancel.
- Subject: New ship date for your order [order number]
- Body: Hi [name], we told you [item] would ship by [original date], and we have missed that. Our supplier has now confirmed [new date]. We are sorry for moving the date on you. If you would like to cancel and receive a refund of [amount], reply to this email and we will process it. Otherwise, your order keeps its place in the queue. [your name] at [store name]
Template: item cannot be supplied
Use this when the item was oversold or discontinued and will not be coming back. Do not leave the customer waiting on stock that will not arrive.
- Subject: We are unable to fulfill part of your order [order number]
- Body: Hi [name], we are sorry to say that [item] is out of stock and we are not able to get more. This was our mistake, and it should not have been available to order. We have [refunded the item to your original payment method / held your order while you choose]. The closest alternative we carry is [alternative item]: [link]. If you would like it, reply and we will arrange it. [your name] at [store name]
Template: partial shipment and back in stock
Use the first when part of the order can ship now, so the customer is not surprised by a parcel with items missing. Use the second to close the loop when the wait is over. For other delays, see how to write a shipping delay email.
- Subject, partial shipment: Your order [order number] is shipping in two parts
- Body, partial shipment: Hi [name], good news first: [items shipping now] are on their way, and your tracking details will follow. [Backordered item] will ship separately by [date], at no extra shipping cost to you. If you would prefer to cancel that item for a refund, reply to this email. [your name] at [store name]
- Subject, once it ships: Your [item] has shipped
- Body, once it ships: Hi [name], thanks for your patience. [Item] is back in stock and left our warehouse today. Your tracking number is [tracking number]. If anything is not right when it arrives, reply to this email and we will help. [your name] at [store name]
Doing this at scale
Reclaim triages each support ticket by intent, sentiment and urgency, drafts a reply grounded in the real order, tracking and refund history, and escalates out-of-policy refunds to a human. Today it builds its queue from recent orders and does not connect to a helpdesk or inbox. See Reclaim.