A shop owner is planning her Christmas window display around a range of ornaments. She needs to know whether the wholesaler has them in stock, whether the gold versions are coming back and whether an order placed today will arrive before the end of the month. She messages the wholesaler on Sunday. The reply comes on Tuesday. By then she has ordered similar ornaments from another supplier who answered at once.
Stock questions decide where retailers order. Fast, clear answers win the business.
What buyers ask
Retail buyers usually ask whether a product is in stock, how many are available, when out-of-stock items will be back, whether they can pre-order, how long delivery takes, whether there is a cut-off for next-day dispatch, whether they can reserve stock and whether seasonal ranges are still available.
Example conversations
These scripts use information a wholesaler might publish. Your answers should come from your own pages.
Buyer: Are the gold ornaments in stock? Assistant: The product page shows the gold ornaments as out of stock, with the expected restock date listed. You can pre-order them now from the same page.
Buyer: If I order today, when will it arrive? Assistant: The delivery page explains that orders placed before the cut-off time on weekdays are dispatched the same day, with delivery times for each area listed.
Buyer: Can you reserve stock for me? Assistant: The page explains how reservations work for account holders. I can pass your request to the team with the products and quantities.
Publishing stock information
Showing stock status and restock dates on product pages answers most questions before they are asked. It also gives an assistant accurate information to answer from. The same principle drives retail sales, as described in is it in stock, the question retail websites fumble.
Lead times for made-to-order items
Some products are made to order or imported. Publishing typical lead times helps buyers plan seasonal orders well ahead.
Minimums and pricing
Stock questions often come with minimum order and pricing questions, covered in minimum order and pricing questions from trade buyers.
New buyers
New buyers ask about stock before opening an account. Applications are covered in trade account applications that stall. Some find the wholesaler through the retail site first, as described in wholesale enquiries hiding in your retail store inbox.
Seasonal planning
Retailers plan months ahead. Publishing when seasonal ranges launch, and how long they are available, helps buyers order early.
Discontinued lines
Buyers are often frustrated to discover a favourite line has been discontinued only when they try to reorder. Marking discontinued products clearly, and suggesting the closest alternatives, keeps buyers ordering from you rather than searching elsewhere. A short note explaining when a line will end, and whether remaining stock can be reserved, gives shops time to plan their displays and sell through.
Back-in-stock alerts
Capturing buyers who want to know when an item returns turns a lost sale into a future order.
Answering at any hour
SpideyChat for wholesalers and distributors answers stock and delivery questions from your own pages at any hour, including weekends when many shop owners do their ordering.
A stock and delivery page
Publish stock status, restock dates, delivery times and cut-offs. Try SpideyChat on your own site, or read about answers on the features page.