Handling Out-of-Stock Situations in December
Running out of your best seller in December feels like a disaster, but it does not have to cost you the customer. With a little preparation, an empty shelf can become a waitlist sign-up, a substitute sale or a reason for someone to come back in January. This guide shows you how to spot shortages early, what to say to disappointed shoppers and how to keep your systems honest when stock runs low.
Key takeaways
- Watch your best sellers daily in December and set a low-stock trigger for each one.
- Decide in advance what you will offer when an item runs out: a substitute, a waitlist, a backorder or a voucher for later.
- Keep online stock levels accurate so you never take money for items you cannot supply.
- Be honest about restock dates, and never use fake scarcity to push sales.
- Give staff a short script so every customer hears the same helpful message.
In most months, a sold-out product is a small annoyance. In December, it lands differently. The shopper may be buying a gift with a fixed deadline, they may have traveled to your shop specially, and they have plenty of other places to spend their money. How you handle that moment decides whether they buy something else from you, come back later or quietly go to a competitor.
The good news is that most out-of-stock problems follow a pattern. A few products sell faster than expected, a supplier slows down, or an online listing keeps selling stock that is already gone. Each of those can be planned for. This guide covers what to do before stock runs out, what to do in the moment and how to learn from it afterward. Shipping and courier delays are a separate topic; here we focus on running out of the product itself.
Spot shortages before they happen
The best time to handle an out-of-stock situation is a week before it happens. With late November in full swing, now is a good moment to set up a simple early-warning system.
Know your top sellers
Pull a report of your 20 best-selling items from the last few weeks. These are the products most likely to run out and the ones customers will be most disappointed to miss. Check them every day in December, either in your point-of-sale system or with a quick shelf walk.
Set a low-stock trigger
For each top seller, decide the stock level at which you take action. A simple way is to look at how many units you sell in a typical week and how long your supplier takes to deliver. If delivery takes two weeks and you sell ten a week, you want to reorder well before you drop to 20. Many sales systems let you set low-stock alerts, so use them.
Talk to your suppliers early
Ask your key suppliers about their December cut-off dates, holiday closures and current lead times. Some will have stock for one more delivery; others will already be sold out. Knowing now lets you decide whether to place a final order, find an alternative or plan to be out of stock gracefully.
Pro tip
Keep a small note on your phone listing each top seller, its supplier, the latest reorder date and a good substitute. When a customer asks about an item that has just sold out, you have the answer in seconds.
Decide your options before you need them
When an item sells out, staff should not have to invent a solution on the spot. Decide your options in advance and write them down. Most shops use a mix of these:
- Substitute. Suggest a similar product, ideally one you have plenty of. Train staff on the best swap for each top seller.
- Waitlist. Take the customer's name and contact details and tell them when the item is back. Only add them to marketing emails if they clearly agree.
- Backorder. Take payment now and supply later, but only if you are confident of the restock date and the customer is happy to wait.
- Gift voucher or IOU card. Let the customer give a card saying the gift is on its way, then supply the item in January.
- Reserve and collect. If another branch or a supplier has stock, offer to reserve it for collection.
For backorders and online sales, rules on delivery promises and refunds vary by country. In general, if you cannot supply within the time you stated, customers expect, and are often entitled to, a clear choice to wait or get their money back. Check the official consumer guidance where you trade. This is general information, not legal advice.
Common mistake
Using scarcity as a sales trick. Saying "only two left" when you have a full stockroom, or showing a countdown that resets every day, can damage trust. In the UK, CMA guidance treats fake urgency as an unfair practice. Only say stock is low when it genuinely is.
Keep online stock honest
Online out-of-stock problems are often worse than in-store ones, because a customer can pay for an item that no longer exists. If you sell in more than one place, such as a shop, a website and a marketplace, make sure your stock counts stay in sync.
- Check your sync settings. Confirm that sales in the shop reduce stock on your website straight away, and the other way around.
- Hold a small buffer. For top sellers, consider showing one or two fewer units online than you hold, so a shop sale does not cause an online oversell.
- Turn on "notify me" buttons. Let customers leave their email when an item is out of stock, with clear consent wording.
- Update product pages. Show an honest restock date if you have one, or "back in January" if you know there will be no more before the holidays.
- Hide or pause empty listings. For items that will not return, remove them from paid ads and featured spots so you are not paying for clicks you cannot convert.
What to say to customers
A calm, helpful answer turns most disappointment into a sale or a future visit. Give your staff a short script so the message is consistent, then let them say it in their own words.
In-store script
"I'm sorry, that one has just sold out. We're expecting more in January. If it's a gift, I can put your name on the list and give you a card to say it's on its way. Or, if you'd like something today, this one is very similar and really popular."
Email or message template for waitlist customers
"Hi [name], good news: the [product] you asked about is back in stock. We've set one aside for you until [date]. Reply to this message or pop in to collect it. Thanks for your patience over the holidays."
Backorder update
"Hi [name], a quick update on your order for [product]. Our supplier has confirmed delivery for [date], so we expect to send it by [date]. If you would rather not wait, just reply and we'll refund you in full straight away."
Hypothetical example
Sam runs a small toy shop. On 12 December, a popular wooden train set sells out, and the supplier cannot deliver until January. Sam's staff already know the substitute: a smaller set from another maker. They also hand out a printed "your gift is on its way" card for customers who want to wait. Over the next ten days, about half the people who ask buy the substitute, and most of the rest join the waitlist. In the first week of January, Sam messages the waitlist and sells out the new delivery in two days.
An out-of-stock response template
Copy this table into a shared sheet and fill in one row for each top seller. The entries below are made-up examples.
| Product | Low-stock trigger (example) | Best substitute | Restock date (example) | Default offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wooden train set | 8 units | Small starter train set | 6 January | Substitute or gift card plus waitlist |
| Hand cream gift box | 15 units | Lip balm and hand cream duo | 18 December | Backorder with refund option |
| Knitted scarf, red | 5 units | Same scarf in green | No restock | Substitute only |
Print a copy for the till and share it with anyone answering emails or messages, so everyone gives the same answer.
Learn from every sell-out
Each out-of-stock moment is useful information for next year. Keep a simple log during December: the product, the date it ran out, how many people asked for it and what they did instead. In January, review the log.
- Items that sold out early may deserve a bigger order next year.
- Items where customers happily took a substitute may not need a bigger order at all.
- Suppliers that let you down might need a backup for next season.
- Long waitlists show where demand is strong enough to plan a dedicated restock.
Be careful not to overcorrect. A one-off rush, such as an item going viral, does not always repeat. Use the log alongside your normal sales data when you plan next year's buying.
Your December out-of-stock checklist
- List your 20 best sellers and check their stock daily
- Set a low-stock trigger for each top seller
- Ask suppliers for December cut-offs, closures and lead times
- Choose a substitute for every top seller and brief staff
- Decide when you will offer waitlists, backorders or gift cards
- Check online stock sync and hold a small buffer on top sellers
- Update product pages with honest restock information
- Share the in-store script and message templates
- Log every sell-out and review the log in January
Frequently asked questions
Should I take payment for items I do not have yet?
Only if you are confident about the restock date and the customer clearly understands they are ordering for later delivery. Give them an easy way to cancel and get a refund if the date slips. If you are unsure, a free waitlist is safer.
Is it worth paying more to restock quickly in December?
Sometimes. If a product has a strong margin and clear demand, a faster or more expensive delivery can still pay off. Work out the margin after the extra cost, and remember that stock arriving after the holidays may sell more slowly.
Can I add waitlist customers to my marketing list?
Only if they clearly agree. Someone who asked to be told about one product has not necessarily agreed to regular marketing. In the UK and EU, consent rules apply to marketing emails, and in the US commercial emails need an unsubscribe option and a postal address.
Related reading
The bottom line
Running out of stock in December is normal for a busy shop. What matters is having a plan: watch your best sellers, talk to suppliers, choose substitutes, keep online counts honest and give customers clear, truthful options.
Fill in the template for your top sellers this week and share it with your team. When the next item sells out, everyone will know exactly what to offer, and the customer will leave with something good, or with a reason to come back.
