Stock and Back in Stock in Chat for a Google Sheets Store
Yes. AeroChat answers “is it in stock?” from the Products tab of your Google Sheets store, and keeps a restock list for you. It offers only products in stock, suggests the closest option when one is sold out, and adds customers who want to wait to a Waitlist tab in the same Sheet. When you restock, you message everyone on the list in one go.
This recipe handles stock questions and restock sign-ups. Part of connecting Google Sheets to WhatsApp and AI chat, using the built-in Google Sheets store.
What happens today
A customer asks if the blue one is still available. You check the Sheet and reply. When it is sold out, you write “I’ll let you know” and try to remember who asked. When the stock comes back, half of those customers are never told.
The flow that works
- The customer asks about a product or option in chat.
- AeroChat reads the stock for that product and option in the Products tab.
- If it is in stock, it says so with the price and photo, and offers to take the order.
- If it is sold out, it offers the closest option in stock, such as another color.
- If the customer wants to wait, it adds a row to a Waitlist tab with their name, phone number, the product and the option.
- When you restock, you update the stock in the Products tab and send a back in stock message to the customers on the Waitlist tab. On WhatsApp this uses an approved template.
What it looks like on WhatsApp
Customer: Do you still have the tote bag in olive? (example)
AeroChat: The olive tote is sold out right now. The tote in black and in sand are in stock at US$32 (example). Would you like one of those, or should I tell you when olive is back?
Customer: Tell me when olive is back
AeroChat: Done. You’re on the list for the olive tote, and we’ll message you here when it is back.
In your Google Sheet: a new row in the Waitlist tab with the customer’s name, phone number, Tote bag and Olive.
The recipe
Copy this into AeroChat
When a customer asks whether a product is in stock, follow these steps.
- Find the product and option they mean in the Products tab. Ask if the option is not clear.
- If it is in stock, tell them the price, send the photo and offer to take the order.
- If it is sold out, offer the closest option that is in stock.
- If they want to wait, add a row to the Waitlist tab with their name, phone number, the product and the option, and tell them we will message them when it is back.
- Give a restock date only if it is in our knowledge base.
Never offer a product that is out of stock. Never promise a restock date we do not have. Reply in the customer’s language.
Add a tab named Waitlist with the columns Name, Phone, Product and Option before you paste it.
What to connect
- Your Google Sheets store. Built in. Copy the AeroChat store template into your Google Drive, share it with AeroChat as an editor, paste the connection code into the Settings tab, and paste the Sheet’s link into AeroChat. Stock is optional in the Products tab, so add a stock column if you do not have one yet. See sell from a Google Sheet.
- The Waitlist tab. AeroChat adds rows to it through the Google Sheets API, with the access you approved on Google’s own screen.
- WhatsApp templates, for the restock message. A message you send outside the 24-hour customer service window needs an approved template. See the back in stock templates and WhatsApp message templates. WhatsApp broadcasts are on Growth and above.
Using a different system? If it has a public API, it connects to AeroChat the same way: describe what you want, paste in its key, and it runs.
Can’t find your tool? Message us in the chat on this page and we’ll tell you how it connects.
What you still decide
- Which option AeroChat suggests when one is sold out.
- When you restock, and when you send the back in stock message.
- Whether to share a restock date.
The result to expect
Stock answers come straight from your Sheet, so customers are never sold something you do not have. Every customer who wanted a sold-out item is on a list you can message when it is back.
Measure it with your own numbers: stock questions answered in chat, and orders from your restock messages, for a month before and after.
Next: see every Google Sheets workflow, including order confirmation. For other store platforms, see stock and back in stock in chat.
Works on every chat channel
This workflow runs the same way on WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, web chat and email, with the same Google Sheet behind it. See the WhatsApp stock and back in stock workflow.
Keep every sold-out request
Start the trial, connect your store Sheet, add the Waitlist tab, paste the recipe and ask your own chat for a sold-out product.
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Sign up for an annual plan on Growth or above and we’ll set up your workflows and connect your store for you, free. See plans.