How to Handle Sold Out Products in Shopify

Source: Dev.to

Introduction

Even when a product is sold out, its page can still attract traffic from search engines. Instead of deleting or drafting the page, you can optimize it to showcase in‑stock alternatives and capture sales.

1. Create a Sold‑Out Template in the Theme Editor

1. In the Shopify admin, open Online Store → Themes → Customize.
2. Click the Products dropdown and select Create template.
3. Name the template sold-out-1 and base it on your Default product template.

2. Add a Product Collection Section

Insert a collection section that displays related items (e.g., other products from the same brand).

• Collection title: “Products that Might Fit Your Needs.”
• Optionally add a subtitle such as “The product you’re looking for is sold out, but one of these might fill the gap.”

3. Remove Irrelevant Elements to Highlight the Collection

To keep the page focused, hide components that are unnecessary for a sold‑out product:

• Buy button – the item can’t be purchased.
• Variant picker – no sizes are available.
• Quantity selector – irrelevant when the product is unavailable.
• Subscription widget – if you use one, remove it.

Leave only the essential SEO elements:

• Product title
• Product images
• Price (Shopify automatically adds “Sold out” next to the price)
• Product description

These elements ensure the page remains searchable.

4. (Optional) Add an Email Collection Form

Include a simple form that lets visitors request a notification when the product is back in stock. This also adds them to your email list, increasing the chance they’ll become a customer later.

5. Create Additional Sold‑Out Templates

If the first template doesn’t suit every product, duplicate it:

1. Copy the sold-out-1 template.
2. Replace the collection with one that better matches the new product.
3. Assign the new template to the appropriate out‑of‑stock product.

6. Apply the Sold‑Out Template to a Product

1. Open the product in the Shopify admin.
2. In the right‑hand sidebar, scroll to Theme template.
3. Select the sold‑out template you created and click Save.

Your sold‑out product page is now optimized to guide visitors toward in‑stock alternatives, turning a dead‑end page into a revenue opportunity.

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