Running out of stock does not always mean demand has to disappear with it. Some products are already on their way from suppliers, while others may remain available through alternative inventory sources or planned replenishment. The difficulty is knowing when to keep an item purchasable without creating unrealistic delivery expectations.
BigCommerce merchants also need accurate stock data so temporary shortages do not spread confusion across sales and fulfillment processes. A combination of forecasting, inventory control, backorder management, supplier coordination, shipping logic, and customer communication can make these situations easier to handle.
The six BigCommerce inventory-shortage apps below approach inventory shortages from different points in the order journey. WISMOlabs manages delivery communication, GritGlobal supports backorders, Inventory Planner helps anticipate replenishment needs, Flxpoint connects supplier inventory, SkuVault Core strengthens warehouse stock control, and ShipperHQ manages shipping logic at checkout.
Instead of asking one app to handle every shortage-related task, merchants can choose the part of the process that needs attention first. The selected tools cover these areas:
- WISMOlabs Post-Purchase Platform: Keeps customers informed with branded tracking and shipment notifications;
- Back Order by GritGlobal: Allows selected unavailable products to remain purchasable under controlled backorder rules;
- Inventory Planner: Uses demand data to support forecasting and replenishment decisions;
- Flxpoint: Connects supplier inventory, product information, orders, and sales channels;
- SkuVault Core: Maintains warehouse inventory records and supports stock accuracy;
- ShipperHQ: Controls shipping rates and methods according to configurable checkout rules.
These apps serve different roles, which makes them easier to combine without building a stack full of overlapping tools.
1. WISMOlabs Post-Purchase Platform
WISMOlabs is a post-purchase BigCommerce shipping app built around shipment tracking, delivery updates, and customer communication.
A temporary stock problem can continue affecting the customer even after an order is eventually fulfilled. WISMOlabs connects with BigCommerce and automatically imports shipment data once fulfillment information becomes available. When the delayed item ships, WISMOlabs can use available order and customer details, carrier updates, timing, and merchant rules to choose a message or connected action. The tracking page and response can then reflect the order’s circumstances, rather than giving every buyer the same update.
Customers receive clearer information about shipment progress instead of depending entirely on carrier pages or support agents. This gives retailers a customer-facing layer after inventory and fulfillment systems have completed their part of the process.
This role is separate from BigCommerce inventory management because WISMOlabs does not decide how much stock should be purchased or whether an item can be backordered. Its value appears when the order moves toward delivery and customers expect reliable information. That distinction can be useful during shortage periods because delayed availability already increases uncertainty for buyers. Once the item ships, consistent communication helps prevent another information gap. Several functions support this stage:
- Automatic synchronization of BigCommerce shipment data;
- Branded tracking for shipments across 1,600+ carriers;
- Personalized delivery notifications;
- Proactive shipment status updates;
- Customer communication after fulfillment begins.
WISMOlabs fits the later part of a shortage strategy by giving customers a clearer view of what happens after their delayed or replenished product finally ships.
2. Back Order by GritGlobal
Back Order by GritGlobal is designed for merchants that want selected products to remain available after regular inventory reaches zero.
This BigCommerce inventory-shortage app lets retailers assign products to backorder rules instead of treating every stockout as an automatic stop sale event. Merchants can set backorder thresholds that control how many additional units customers are allowed to purchase.
Incoming quantities and expected availability dates can also be configured when replenishment is already planned. Product messaging helps shoppers understand that they are purchasing an item that will not follow the normal fulfillment schedule. These controls give stores more flexibility when a shortage is temporary rather than indefinite.
Backorders still require discipline because accepting more orders than incoming supply can create a larger fulfillment problem. Merchants should reserve the feature for products with realistic replenishment expectations and clear supplier information. Customer-facing wording should also distinguish a backorder from an item that is ready to ship immediately. Used this way, the app can preserve sales without hiding the expected wait. Its shortage management tools include:
- Product-specific backorder settings;
- Configurable backorder quantity thresholds;
- Incoming stock information;
- Expected availability dates;
- Customer messaging for delayed products.
Back Order by GritGlobal is most useful when stock will return soon enough that continuing to accept orders makes commercial and operational sense.
3. Inventory Planner
Inventory Planner is a forecasting and replenishment tool that helps merchants identify future inventory requirements before shortages become urgent.
The software uses sales and stock information to estimate demand and support purchasing decisions. Historical performance, lead times, and seasonal changes can all affect how much inventory a retailer should have available. Replenishment recommendations give purchasing teams a clearer basis for deciding what needs to be reordered. This matters when a large catalog makes it difficult to identify shortage risks through manual checks alone. Forecasting does not eliminate unexpected demand, but it can give teams more time to respond before inventory reaches zero.
BigCommerce inventory shortage apps solve different stages of the same problem, and Inventory Planner works mainly before the stockout occurs. Its role is to identify likely replenishment needs rather than keep an unavailable product purchasable afterward. Teams can use the resulting information to prioritize purchasing and allocate working capital more deliberately. This is especially relevant when supplier lead times make late reordering expensive or ineffective. Useful planning areas include:
- Demand forecasting from sales history;
- Replenishment recommendations;
- Supplier lead time consideration;
- Seasonal inventory planning;
- Purchasing support across larger catalogs.
Inventory Planner suits merchants that want to reduce preventable shortages rather than rely only on tools that react after inventory is already gone.
4. Flxpoint
Flxpoint connects supplier-driven inventory and product information with ecommerce channels such as BigCommerce.
This type of connection matters when merchants sell products they do not keep entirely inside their own warehouses. Supplier quantities can change independently, leaving a storefront with outdated availability if updates do not move quickly enough. Flxpoint can synchronize product listings, quantities, pricing, orders, and tracking information between connected sources and BigCommerce.
Retailers can also work with multiple suppliers or inventory locations instead of treating one warehouse as the only source of availability. That makes the platform relevant when stockouts depend partly on information coming from outside the merchant’s direct operation.
A supplier-based catalog creates a different shortage problem from a warehouse that simply runs out of physical stock. Another source may still have inventory even when the first location cannot fulfill the order. Merchants therefore need accurate source data before deciding that a product is genuinely unavailable. Flxpoint helps organize these relationships while keeping channel quantities connected to supplier information. Its relevant functions include:
- Supplier inventory synchronization;
- BigCommerce quantity and price updates;
- Product listing management;
- Order routing across connected sources;
- Tracking information returned after fulfillment.
Flxpoint is particularly useful for dropship and distributed supplier models where maintaining accurate availability depends on several external inventory sources.
5. SkuVault Core
SkuVault Core is a warehouse inventory system focused on accurate stock records and physical product handling.
A shortage can be real, but it can also result from inventory records that no longer match what is actually stored in the warehouse. SkuVault Core helps teams track products, quantities, and storage locations as inventory moves through receiving, picking, and fulfillment.
Better warehouse visibility can reduce situations where sellable stock exists, but staff cannot locate it quickly enough to fulfill an order. Accurate records also give connected sales channels a more reliable picture of what remains available. This makes warehouse control an important part of preventing avoidable stockout situations.
Inventory accuracy becomes harder to maintain as SKU counts and daily order volumes increase. Manual corrections can temporarily fix discrepancies, but they do not provide a reliable process for a growing operation.
Warehouse staff need current records that reflect the physical movement of products throughout the day. SkuVault Core addresses this operational side of BigCommerce inventory management rather than supplier forecasting or customer messaging. Its warehouse tools cover areas such as:
- SKU-level inventory records;
- Warehouse stock visibility;
- Product location tracking;
- Receiving and picking processes;
- Inventory updates as orders are handled.
SkuVault Core is relevant when inaccurate warehouse information contributes to products appearing available or unavailable at the wrong time.
6. ShipperHQ
ShipperHQ is a shipping rules platform that gives BigCommerce merchants greater control over rates and delivery methods shown at checkout.
Stock availability is only one part of setting realistic expectations when inventory is distributed across warehouses or fulfillment locations. ShipperHQ supports multi-origin rating, allowing shipping calculations to account for products leaving from different sources.
Merchants can also create rules that determine which shipping methods appear according to factors such as product, destination, or order conditions. Dimensional rating and live carrier connections provide additional control over checkout calculations. These settings become useful when inventory changes force orders to leave from a different origin than usual.
A customer who can purchase a product still needs a shipping option that reflects how the order can actually be fulfilled. Alternative stock locations may introduce different rates, carrier services, or delivery conditions. ShipperHQ handles this checkout layer rather than trying to manage the inventory itself. Merchants can test configurations before applying them to live checkout, which helps when shipping rules become more complex. Relevant controls include:
- Multi-origin shipping calculations;
- Live carrier rate connections;
- Product-based shipping rules;
- Dimensional rating options;
- Configuration testing before deployment.
ShipperHQ can support shortage planning when alternative inventory locations change the practical shipping choices available to the customer.
Final Thoughts
Stockouts become easier to manage when merchants separate prevention, continued selling, inventory accuracy, supplier availability, shipping rules, and customer communication into clear tasks.
Inventory Planner can flag replenishment needs earlier, GritGlobal can keep suitable products purchasable, Flxpoint connects supplier stock, and SkuVault Core supports warehouse accuracy. ShipperHQ adjusts checkout shipping logic when fulfillment conditions change, while WISMOlabs is a BigCommerce shipping app that keeps customers informed once orders move into delivery.
Merchants should choose the tools that address the actual source of their shortages instead of adding several apps with the same purpose. A more deliberate setup can help BigCommerce stores protect sales while keeping inventory and delivery expectations realistic.