If you’re sending back in stock email alerts to your subscribers, that’s great! Now, what if we told you that you could use restock emails to promote your upcoming BFCM discounts?Umm… but how does it help to promote BFCM in back in stock emails? Studies have found a direct correlation between BFCM email volume and revenue (see the below graph). And so, don’t hesitate to combine your restock alert and BFCM messaging. In this blog, we’ll tell you all about this amazing hack we discovered.

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Promote BFCM in back in stock emails

Here are some eye-opening statistics for BFCM and back in stock emails. Imagine, when combined, they can create a whirlwind of sales opportunities.

• The average email open rate for eCommerce is 15.68%
• BFCM sales have been increasing by 129% year-after-year
• Back in stock email alerts achieve 22.45% conversion rate

Now can you imagine the potential when all these come together? Yes? Great! Let’s make it easy for you to combine them.

Ways to promote BFCM in back in stock emails

Add a countdown timer for your BFCM sale in the back in stock emails

You may not have thought of putting a countdown timer in an email but it’s easily possible. You can have it in the form of a GIF.But how does adding a countdown time in the restock email notification help?By showing a countdown timer, you’re telling the subscriber that they’re nearing the BFCM sale and that they can now buy the restocked item at a huge discount. That heightens their excitement. The countdown time helps build a feeling that the subscriber is getting closer to the BFCM sale date. You’re bringing in specificity. Instead of telling them, ‘hey, the sale’s coming soon’, you’re telling them exactly when the sale’s starting - in how many days, hours, minutes, and seconds!Now, a few tips to remember:

• Place the countdown timer strategically and prominently
• Be clear about the time
• Keep your Call To Action (CTA) close to the timer
• Keep the copy short, crisp and clear

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Add a BFCM sneak peek in the restock alert email

Another way to create excitement about your BFCM sale through back in stock emails is by showing a sneak peek. But don’t make it prominent. Let the main attraction of the email be the item that has been restocked.You can add the BFCM information below the main message. Here, you can show products, collections and other highlights that are going to be on sale during BFCM. But keep your shoppers curious - don’t share the discount yet.Take inspiration from this example:

SourceHere are some things to keep in mind:

• You can play with the shoppers' psychology by using words that trigger emotions. Words such as 'Surprise', 'Mind-blowing', 'Spectacular', 'Amazing', etc.
• Make the CTA button prominent so that it enables shoppers to go to your BFCM page
• Include the restocked item in the discounted items
• Upsell by sharing alternative products or related items - this will help you increase the AOV

Add pre-orders information in the back in stock email

What if we say you can secure BFCM sales through your back in stock emails? Yes, it’s possible! How?Open pre-orders on your BFCM discounted items and add these as product recommendations in the restock email. It is common for brands to combine out-of-stock with pre-order. If products go out of stock and if you’ve decided to restock them, you can automate the pre-order button to replace the buy-now button. You can enable the pre-order options in your restock emails. But, you’ll have to get smart about the products that you share. Here are some tips to help you make the most of it:

• Share products related to the restocked item
• Make the offer irresistible so that you secure pre-orders
• Create product bundles and recommend them. That way the AOV will increase
• Add the pre-order information below the main restock message

Create FOMO

What is FOMO? Fear of missing out. Did you know 7 out of 10 people have made purchases because of FOMO? That's because it makes people feel like they’re missing out on good deals and advantages. And human beings are wired to not miss out on good things.For eCommerce stores, FOMO helps push potential customers to take action faster, and move them down the sales funnel. So, when you send your back in stock emails, you can add information about your BFCM sale in it. But, use FOMO as a tactic. Here’s how:

• Tell subscribers that the item they wanted is back in stock and will be available during the BFCM sale at a great offer
• If your BFCM sale is already on at the time when you send the email, tell customers how many others have already bought that item
• Tell them how many pieces are left and that they might run out fast
• Tell them how many people are exploring that product. For example, '300 other shoppers are looking at this product right now'

Ask subscribers to create a wishlist

While the main focus of your back in stock emails should be the messaging about the restocked product, in the end of the email, you can tell subscribers about the upcoming BFCM sale. Plus, you can also nudge them to create a wishlist. BFCM sales offer great deals and so most customers wait for this annual affair. And so, the chances are, that when you remind subscribers about the sale and allow them to add products to the wishlist, it’s going to generate some amount of excitement.There are many ways of doing this:

• Show some product recommendations and enable subscribers to add them to their wishlist
• Tell subscribers about your BFCM sale and that they can already start selecting products that they like and add them to their wishlist
• You could make it more tempting by offering a discount on items purchased off wishlists

Share a gifting guide from the BFCM sale products

As BFCM is around the festive season - Christmas, New Year and the holidays are just around the corner - many people buy gifts from BFCM sales. Why not take this opportunity to help your subscribers choose gifts at discounted prices?Add a gift guide to your restock alert emails. Here are some ideas to inspire you:

• Add a list of gifts below the restock alert message
• Display items related to the restocked item
• Add a gift guide for Her
• Have a gift guide for Him
• Personalize the gift guide based on the subscribers’ interest

Before the BFCM sale - share a reminder

If you’re sending the restock emails before your BFCM sale date, share a reminder in the email. Of course, most people are aware of BFCM sale dates but your subscribers should know that you are also participating in the sale.Ideally, you should start this sort of promotion weeks or even months in advance. In every restock alert email, spare some space to display a BFCM sale reminder. As a brand, it’s your responsibility to get the word out. The more you remind your subscribers, the more it’ll register and stay in their minds.

During the BFCM sale - product recommendations

If your BFCM sale is on at the time when you send the restock alert email, you can add product recommendations from your BFCM sale in the email.It’s possible that your BFCM sale has similar items or alternatives to the restocked product, which you might want to share with your subscribers. By sharing these recommendations, you can improve your sales opportunities as well as the AOV.Here’s an example:

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When the BFCM sale is closing

Your sale is coming to an end. Meanwhile, you also restocked some items that had gone out of stock. You need to make the most of this period. Create urgency and FOMO as the deadline comes closer. Send restock emails with BFCM sale closing information frequently. It’s okay to send an email every few hours. Because it’s a limited-period sale, and a sale that offers huge discounts, which you don’t want your customers to miss. Add strategic call to action buttons that urge potential buyers to click. Some ideas for your BFCM sale closing messaging in your restock emails:

• Tell subscribers the sale's ending and trigger product scarcity by letting them know that things are selling out fast
• Personalize sales closing messages based on the specific subscriber
• Add a CTA button that makes it irresistible to click. For example, ‘Yes, I want 70% off’
• Display a sale closing timer. Visuals have more impact that simple text

Here’s an example of a timer:

After the BFCM sale - extended offers

You can share BFCM related information in your back in stock emails even after the BFCM sale is over. For example, if you extend your BFCM sale or extend some of the offers on selected products, you should let your subscribers know about it.Because if you don’t share information about these events, your subscribers won’t come to know on their own. Will they?Here are some post-BFCM offers you can bring in:

• Extend the BFCM sale date for a few more days
• Extend the discounts on some products (until stocks last or for a specific time)
• Make the discounts offered exciting. For example, have diminishing discount rates so that the products get sold out fast
• Offer extra discount on the restocked products if the subscriber hasn’t taken any action to push them into making a purchase
• Have a countdown timer showing sale extension date

What’s the best strategy to combine back in stock emails and BFCM messaging for your Shopify store?

Make the most out of every email you send out. BFCM is a crazy time and you can go crazy with the ways in which you entice your back in stock email subscribers to take action. Try out different strategies. Figure out what had worked for you in the past. Then, replicate it. Personalize messaging in the emails. There! There's so much you can do. And there’s still time for BFCM, so make every email count!