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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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