How to Mark Product Sold Out on Shopify in 3 Steps? [2025]

Ever had a hot product fly off the shelves overnight, but the customer demands don’t stop? 

Here’s how to handle it like a pro.

As a Shopify expert, I’ve seen it happen countless times: A product becomes popular, sales spike, and before you know it, you’re left with an empty inventory. 

But what happens next? If you’re not careful, your customers might think you’re out of business, or worse, they’ll lose trust in your store. 

That’s where clearly marking your product as “sold out” comes in.

When you clearly indicate that an item is sold out, you’re managing expectations and updating your customers about the availability of the product. 

It’s all about transparency. This simple step can prevent potential confusion and disappointment, helping your customers feel confident in your Shopify store. 

But is the term ‘sold out’ similar to ‘out of stock’? Let’s find out in the next section. 

Sold Out vs. Out of Stock: What’s the Difference?

In my years of Shopify experience, I’ve noticed many store owners confuse “sold out” and “out of stock.” While they might seem similar, there’s a key difference that can impact how you manage your Shopify inventory and communicate with your customers.

Sold Out

When you mark a product as sold out, it means the item is completely gone, and it likely won’t be available again anytime soon. 

It’s a clear signal to your customers that the product is unavailable, and they’ll need to look for alternatives or wait for a restock.

Out of Stock

Out of stock typically refers to a temporary situation. 

The product is unavailable, but you plan to restock it in the near future. 

This status often implies that the product will be available again soon, and customers may have the option to sign up for notifications when it becomes available. 

A lot of the time, Shopify store owners ask me, ‘How to mark a product sold out on Shopify?’

Here’s how to do this in just three simple steps.

How to Mark Product Sold Out on Shopify?

Step 1: Select the product

Log in to your Shopify store and navigate to the “Product” section. Here, select the product you want to mark as sold out. 

Step 2: Edit the inventory number

In the inventory section, adjust the available inventory number to 0. This means that the particular product is sold out. 

If you have multiple variants of the same product, you need to edit the availability of every product. 

Step 3: Save changes

Save changes, and your product will be automatically marked ‘Sold out’ by Shopify. This works great for your customers, but you still need to send them still notifications in the form of email reminders on when you will restock or regarding any alternate products. 

Inventory management for Shopify is key. While your customers are notified about the sold-out item, you can still improve sales of your store. Here’s how.

How to Increase Sales After a Popular Product is Sold Out? 

Offer Similar Products

Even though the product is sold out, recommend similar or complementary items on the product page or through automated email campaigns. 

This keeps the sales momentum going and increases your chances of converting those interested buyers.

Implement Pre-Orders

If you know the product will be restocked soon, let customers pre-order. It’s a great way to lock in sales while you wait for new inventory.

Use ‘Notify Me’ Alerts

Allow customers to sign up for restock notifications. This way, they’ll be the first to know when the product is back in stock, encouraging them to return and purchase once it’s available.

Bundle with Other Products

Create product bundles that include similar items or best-sellers. Offering discounts for bundles can incentivize customers to buy more while they wait for the sold-out product to return.

Highlight Restock Timeline

Be transparent about when the product will be available again. Displaying an estimated restock date keeps customers informed and prevents them from losing interest.

Conclusion: Keep Your Store Thriving, Even When Products Are Sold Out

Marking products as sold out is a simple yet powerful way to maintain transparency and manage customer expectations. 

It helps prevent confusion, even when items are sold out. You can still drive sales by offering alternatives, pre-orders, or product bundles. These strategies keep your customers engaged and ready to buy as soon as the product is back in stock.

FAQs

1. Do you need inventory on Shopify?
No, you don’t need to maintain physical inventory for Shopify to sell products

2. How to sell on Shopify without inventory?
You can utilize business models like dropshipping, print-on-demand, or affiliate marketing to operate without holding stock.

3. How to mark product sold out on Shopify?
To mark a product as sold out on Shopify, set its inventory quantity to 0. 

4. Does Shopify provide inventory management?
Yes, Shopify offers built-in inventory management tools. These include tracking stock levels, managing product variants, and syncing inventory across sales channels. 

5. Which is better for managing inventory: Squarespace or Shopify?
Shopify is superior for managing inventory compared to Squarespace. Shopify provides advanced inventory management features, including real-time tracking and integration with various sales channels.