Back in stock WhatsApp templates from real messages

A back in stock message tells people that a product they wanted can be bought again. It works best for the people who asked to be told. On TextYess, restock campaigns bring an order from 1.04% of delivered messages for the median brand, against 0.65% for campaigns in general.

What works, from the messages brands send on TextYess

Few brands on TextYess automate this message yet, so the data is thin. Here is what we can say.

• Restock news beats an average campaign. Back in stock campaigns convert 1.04% per delivered message for the median brand, against 0.65% for all campaigns.

• People who asked convert far more. One home textiles brand sends an automatic alert to shoppers who signed up for a restock. It is two lines long, has one button and brings an order from 11.6% of delivered messages. That audience chose to be told, so a high result is expected.

• Name the product. The messages that do best say exactly what is back (“the product you were waiting for”, the scent, the collection). Across our data, messages that name the product do better, while a first name on its own does nothing measurable.

• An image header is optional. In campaigns, messages with an image did no better than the same brand’s messages without one.

Templates

1. Waitlist alert, short

For shoppers who signed up to be told. Two lines, the product, one button. Modelled on the home textiles alert above (11.6%).

• Header: none, or the product image

• Buttons: URL “View the product”

• Example values: {{first_name}} = Emma, {{product_name}} = linen duvet cover

2. Waitlist alert with a thank-you code

For a product with a real waiting list, when you want to reward the wait. A fragrance brand sent this kind of message to people waiting for a scent, with a code that ran out on Sunday and a free sample, and got 6.4%.

• Header: product image

• Buttons: URL “Shop now”

• Example values: {{first_name}} = Emma, {{product_name}} = Amber Night eau de parfum, {{discount_code}} = BACK10, {{discount}} = 10, {{deadline}} = Sunday

3. The bestsellers are back

A campaign to all your customers when several popular items return at once. It frames the news as a first look and lists what’s back. A bamboo clothing brand sends this with no discount and gets 2.45%, more than three times the campaign median.

• Header: none

• Buttons: URL “Shop the restock”

• Example values: {{first_name}} = Emma, {{restocked_items}} = vests and tops in four colours, {{new_item}} = short summer pyjamas

4. A favourite collection returns

For a collection your customers already know and missed. Short, sensory, with an early-access code for your best customers. A cashmere brand sent this as “for real VIPs only” and got 2.19%.

• Header: collection image

• Buttons: URL “See the collection”

• Example values: {{first_name}} = Emma, {{collection_name}} = Soft Cashmere, {{discount}} = 10, {{discount_code}} = SOFT10

When to send it

The trigger is the restock itself: send the alert as soon as the variant is available again, only to people who asked to be told about that product. For broader restock news, send a campaign to customers who bought or viewed that category. TextYess has no built-in restock trigger: the app that collects the sign-ups (a back-in-stock app or Klaviyo, for example) sends the restock event to a TextYess flow by webhook, and the alert goes out automatically from there.

Meta category

A back in stock alert is a marketing template, because it invites the customer to buy. That stays true even when the customer asked to be notified, as with cart reminders. Adding a code doesn’t change the category. Source: Meta template categorisation.

Avoid rejection

• Don’t start the body with the product: “{{product_name}} is back!” opens with a variable and gets rejected. Put a greeting or a few words first.

• Don’t end on a variable either. Close with a fixed line, like “Take a look below 👇”.

• Keep % outside the variable ({{discount}}% with the sample value 10).

• Button labels can be 25 characters at most. “View the product” and “Shop the restock” fit.

• Full rules: Meta template review.

FAQ

Related templates

Price drop, Abandoned cart reminder and VIP early access.

See all 20 WhatsApp message templates for ecommerce.