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What do I do when my product runs out of stock but I'm still running ads?

Inventory management edge case — asked by operators experiencing their first winner with supply constraints

This depends on how long the stockout will last and what your supplier situation is.

  • Short stockout (3–7 days): Turn off ads while out of stock. Continuing to sell a product you can't fulfill leads to delayed orders, customer complaints, and potential PayPal/Stripe payment holds. The cost of pausing briefly is far lower than the cost of customer disputes.
  • Longer stockout (1–3 weeks): Pause ads. Email your list with an honest "back in stock soon" message and offer early access when it returns. Some operators use this to build a pre-order list that converts at above-average rates.
  • Fix the supply chain: A stockout on your winning product is a signal that you've outgrown your current supplier's capacity. This is the right time to find a second supplier or sourcing agent who can hold inventory and fulfill on demand. CJDropshipping limits your ability to scale precisely because inventory reliability is inconsistent.
  • Shopify setting: Enable "Continue selling when out of stock" only if you've confirmed your supplier can fulfil within your stated shipping window. Never turn this on speculatively.

See this in practice: Connect Your Supplier

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Original content by First Sale Society — . Free, no paywall.