How to Track Low Stock and Out-of-Stock Products in Shopify (and Why It Matters)

If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “I didn’t even realize that was sold out!”—you’re not alone. Staying on top of inventory is one of the biggest challenges for small product-based businesses, especially when you’re juggling everything else yourself.

Running low (or completely out) of stock can mean missed sales, disappointed customers, and a scramble to restock. But it is avoidable—with the right systems in place.

Let’s walk through why tracking low and out-of-stock items is so important, how you can do it using Shopify (with tools like Flow), and how Craftybase can take your inventory tracking to the next level—especially if you’re a handmade business.

Why Low Stock Tracking Is So Important

Here’s what happens when you don’t catch low inventory in time:

• You sell out and don’t even realize it until orders are delayed.
• You’re constantly in “reactive mode,” rushing to restock without a clear plan.
• You miss out on sales and marketing opportunities (like restock announcements or bundles).
• Your profit margins can take a hit due to rushed reordering or small-batch supplier fees.

And you’re not alone—stockouts are a major problem in retail. In fact, 7.4% of retail sales are lost due to out-of-stock items, costing businesses an estimated $82 billion per year, according to NielsenIQ. (source)

On the flip side, having a clear view of your low and out-of-stock items helps you:

✅ Stay proactive with restocking
✅ Keep your most popular products available
✅ Plan production in advance (especially if you’re making everything yourself)
✅ Avoid customer frustration

How to Track Low Stock and Out-of-Stock Products in Shopify

Shopify has some basic tools that can help you monitor inventory, especially if you’re running a simple product catalog. Here are a few options:

1. Inventory Filters in Your Shopify Admin

You can manually check which products are low or out of stock by using filters in the Products > Inventory section. You’ll see columns for “Available” and “Committed” inventory, and you can sort or filter by stock level.

While this works, it’s manual—so it’s easy to forget or overlook if you’re busy.

2. Set Up Inventory Alerts with Shopify Flow

If you’re on Shopify, Shopify Advanced, or Shopify Plus, you can use Shopify Flow to create automatic alerts when a product falls below a certain threshold.

For example:

• When inventory for a product drops below 5, send an email or Slack message to yourself.
• Automatically tag products as “low-stock” so you can filter and see what needs attention.

💡 Note: Flow is only available on select Shopify plans.

There’s a great Reddit thread on /r/shopify where sellers share how they manage this manually—or with Flow—and the challenges that come with it.

3. Third-Party Apps

There are apps in the Shopify App Store that can send restock alerts or help you manage inventory more dynamically. However, most of these are general-purpose tools—not designed for the specific needs of handmade sellers or those managing raw materials.

For a deeper look at inventory best practices for ecommerce, check out this Inbound Logistics guide.

Craftybase: A Smarter Way to Manage Inventory for Makers

If you’re handcrafting your products—or using raw materials to make batches—Shopify’s built-in inventory features might not be enough.

That’s where Craftybase comes in.

Craftybase is an inventory and manufacturing platform built specifically for small, product-based businesses like yours. It goes beyond just tracking finished product stock—and helps you track your raw materials, batch production, and low-stock alerts all in one place.

Here’s how Craftybase helps:

✅ Automatic Low Stock Alerts

Set custom low stock thresholds for both products and materials. Get notified before you run out, so you can restock or make more with time to spare.

✅ Raw Material Tracking

Shopify doesn’t track the ingredients or components that go into your products. Craftybase does. You’ll always know exactly how much you have on hand—and how much you need to restock.

✅ Batch Production Tracking

Make-to-order or produce in small batches? Track each batch, including the materials used, product costs, and remaining inventory.

✅ Real-Time Inventory Sync with Stock Push

Craftybase automatically imports your Shopify orders and adjusts inventory levels in real time. And with Stock Push, we can also sync your product inventory counts back to Shopify — so your listings always reflect what you actually have in stock.

No more bouncing between spreadsheets or forgetting to update your store. Just set your thresholds, produce your batch, and let Craftybase handle the numbers.

✅ Profit and Pricing Insights

See how your costs change over time, calculate your true cost of goods sold (COGS), and price your products with confidence.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Let Low Stock Catch You Off Guard

Keeping your bestsellers in stock shouldn’t feel like a game of whack-a-mole. With the right systems in place—like automatic low stock alerts and Craftybase’s Stock Push keeping your Shopify listings accurate—you’re free to focus on growing your business, not babysitting inventory.

If you’re a handmade business that needs more than just basic stock counts, Craftybase is here to help.

👉 Ready to stop stressing about inventory? Start your free trial of Craftybase today.