Out of Stock vs Pre-Order

[MSchaffer30]

HI all, i sell wellness products like saunas, massage chairs, and cold plunges. I currently have all products set to pre-order when they are out of stock because I was told "Google doesn't like out of stock items" and it could hurt site rankings etc. Is there truth to this?  It is getting cumbersome to manage pre-orders that are months out so I would prefer to just mark things as actually out of stock until they are available within 1-2 months. Any help here would be greatly appreciated!

[TheUntechnickle · Accepted solution]

Hi there,

Based on current industry consensus and insights from experts, there’s no inherent penalty from Google for having products marked as out of stock. The key is how you handle the page and user experience when a product isn’t immediately available.

Here’s the breakdown:

1. No Direct Penalty:
   Google doesn’t “punish” your site simply because a product is temporarily out of stock. However, if a page appears to offer no value—say, it only shows “out of stock” without additional useful information — Google may treat it like a soft 404. This means that while your site’s overall ranking remains intact, that specific product page might see reduced visibility if visitors quickly bounce off it.

2. Best Practices to Mitigate Risks:

   • Keep the Page Live: Instead of removing or “noindexing” out-of-stock pages, leave them active. Clearly mark the product as “out of stock” (or “temporarily unavailable”) and, if possible, include an expected restock date. This helps manage customer expectations and prevents confusion.
     
     
   • Enrich the Content: Enhance your product pages with additional details — like comprehensive descriptions, reviews, or related content — even when the product isn’t available. This ensures the page continues to provide value to both users and search engines.
     
     
   • Offer Engagement Options: Consider integrating features like an email/SMS “notify me when available” option or even a pre‑order option for items with long restock periods. This keeps visitors engaged without forcing you to manage pre-orders for extended periods.
     
     
   • Use Structured Data: Implement proper product schema (with values like “OutOfStock” or “PreOrder”) so Google clearly understands your product’s current status.
     
     

3. Operational Considerations:
   Many store owners initially opt for pre‑orders to avoid “empty” pages, but if managing long-term pre-orders becomes cumbersome, it’s perfectly acceptable to mark products as out of stock — provided you enhance the page with useful content and alternative recommendations. In this way, you maintain your SEO equity while improving the overall user experience.

So in a nutshell:

• Out‑of‑stock pages won’t hurt your overall site ranking if handled properly.
• The risk lies in a page being seen as offering no value (a soft 404), which can lower its visibility.
• By keeping the page live, clearly indicating its status, enriching its content, and offering customer engagement options, you can mitigate potential negative impacts on your SEO.

I hope this helps clarify things for you. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions!

Cheers!
Shubham | Untechnickle

[cooperandco]

Have you tried StockFlow? (https://www.stockflow.co/) its basically automatic pre-orders so rather than going out of stock it just shows the next date it will be dispatched and customers can always purchase. Obv if you don't have any incoming stock, it will just be out of stock.