# How to Add “Sold Out” to Your WooCommerce Products: A Beginner’s Guide
Selling products online is exciting, but managing inventory can be tricky. One crucial aspect is letting customers know when an item is no longer available. This article shows you how to effectively mark your WooCommerce products as “Sold Out,” preventing frustrated customers and boosting your site’s credibility.
Why Showing “Sold Out” is Crucial
Imagine this: a customer excitedly clicks to buy your limited-edition handmade scarf, only to find a blank page or an unclear message. This leads to a negative experience, potentially losing a sale and damaging your brand reputation. Clearly displaying “Sold Out” offers several benefits:
- Manages Customer Expectations: Prevents disappointed customers by clearly indicating unavailable items.
- Maintains Site Credibility: Shows you’re actively managing your inventory.
- Reduces Support Tickets: Fewer customer inquiries about product availability.
- Improves User Experience: A clean and informative website keeps visitors engaged.
Method 1: Using WooCommerce’s Built-in Functionality (Easiest!)
WooCommerce cleverly handles “Sold Out” status automatically. If you’ve correctly set your inventory, the plugin will automatically display a “Sold Out” message when stock reaches zero.
Steps:
1. Manage your Inventory: In your WooCommerce dashboard, navigate to Products > All Products.
2. Edit a Product: Click on the product you want to mark as sold out.
3. Inventory Tab: Find the “Inventory” tab.
4. Stock Quantity: Set the stock quantity to 0. Save your changes.
WooCommerce will automatically adjust the product page to reflect its unavailability. The exact wording and appearance will depend on your theme, but most themes display a clear “Sold Out” message or a similar indication.
Method 2: Customizing the “Sold Out” Message (For Advanced Users)
While the default “Sold Out” message often suffices, you might want to customize it to better fit your brand’s voice or offer alternative options. This requires some coding knowledge and might involve modifying your theme files or using a plugin.
Caution: Directly modifying theme files can cause issues if your theme is updated. It’s recommended to create a child theme or use a custom plugin for this purpose.
Example using a plugin (Recommended):
Many plugins allow for easy customization of WooCommerce’s out-of-stock messages without touching your theme files. Search for “WooCommerce Out of Stock” in your plugin directory. These plugins often let you change the text, add images, or redirect customers to a related product.
Example using a code snippet (Advanced):
This requires adding code to your theme’s `functions.php` file or a custom plugin. Proceed with caution, back up your files before making any changes.
This example changes the “Sold Out” text to “Currently Unavailable”:
add_filter( 'woocommerce_get_availability', 'custom_woocommerce_get_availability', 10, 2 );
function custom_woocommerce_get_availability( $availability, $product ) {
if ( ! $product->is_in_stock() ) {
$availability[‘availability’] = ‘Currently Unavailable’;
}
return $availability;
}
Remember to replace `”Currently Unavailable”` with your desired message.
Method 3: Using a “Back in Stock” Notification (For Engagement)
To further enhance the customer experience, consider offering a “Back in Stock” notification system. This allows customers to subscribe and receive an email alert when the product becomes available again. Many plugins provide this functionality, improving customer engagement and potentially boosting future sales.
Conclusion
Displaying “Sold Out” accurately is a vital part of managing your WooCommerce store. Using the built-in functionality is the easiest and recommended method for most users. However, customizing the message or adding a “Back in Stock” notification can significantly enhance the overall shopping experience. Remember to always back up your files before making any code changes. Choose the method that best suits your technical skills and store’s needs.
