Answer Restock and Subscription Questions for a Beauty Store
This recipe handles the questions that come with repeat buying: “when is the sunscreen back”, “can I reorder the same as last time”, “can I skip next month”. It checks live stock, gives a restock date only if you have listed one, keeps a restock list in a Google Sheet, helps customers reorder, and answers subscription questions from your terms. Part of the beauty store workflows.
What happens today
Your best-selling sunscreen sells out before the school holidays. For three weeks the inbox gets “restock when?” every day, and each reply is “soon”. When the stock lands, nobody has a list of who asked, so you post on Instagram and hope they see it. Meanwhile a subscriber messages to skip a month because she still has half a bottle, and the request sits until someone works out how to change it.
A skincare customer who reorders is the cheapest sale you make. These questions are where you keep or lose that customer.
The flow that works
- The customer asks about a product that is out of stock. AeroChat checks live stock in Shopify and gives your restock date if you have listed one.
- It offers to add them to the restock list. When the stock lands, you message the list with a WhatsApp broadcast, and the replies come back to AeroChat.
- A customer who wants to reorder gets their last order read back to them, with stock checked and links sent.
- Subscription questions, such as the next delivery date or how to skip, pause or cancel, are answered from your subscription terms, with the link to their account page where they manage it.
- Anything the account page does not cover, or a dispute about a charge, goes to your team.
The recipe
Copy this into AeroChat
When a customer asks about restocks, reordering or their subscription, follow these steps.
- If they ask whether a product is in stock, check live stock in Shopify. If it is in stock, send the link.
- If it is sold out, check our restock list in the knowledge base. If a date is listed, give it. If not, say we do not have a date yet. Never guess a date. If we sell a similar product that is in stock, mention it in one line, using only its description.
- Ask if they want us to message them on WhatsApp when it is back. If yes, add a row to our restock Sheet with the date, customer name, phone number and product, and tell them we will message them when it lands.
- If they want to reorder, look up their last order in Shopify after checking their email or phone number, list the products, check stock and send the links.
- If they ask about their subscription, answer from our subscription terms: how often it ships, how to skip, pause or cancel, and the cut-off before each delivery (example: changes must be made 3 days before the next delivery). Send the link to their account page, where they can manage it.
- If they cannot make the change themselves, or they dispute a charge, collect the details and hand to our team with their order number.
Never hold stock. Never promise a restock date that is not listed. Never change or cancel a subscription yourself. Reply in the customer’s language.
Change the cut-off and the account page link to your own before you paste it.
What to connect
- Shopify. Built in, for live stock and order lookup. If you sell subscriptions through Shopify, customers manage them from their account page, and AeroChat sends them the link.
- Your restock dates and subscription terms. Upload both to the knowledge base. Leave a restock date empty rather than guess.
- Your restock Sheet. A Google Sheet with one row per request. Connect your Google account when AeroChat asks and approve the access.
- WhatsApp broadcasts. From the Growth plan. Send restock and replenishment messages to customers who asked for them, using an approved WhatsApp message template.
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
- When to send a restock broadcast, and whether to offer the list first access.
- Your subscription terms, including cut-offs and cancellation.
- Whether to send replenishment reminders to opted-in customers, and when. These go out as WhatsApp broadcasts that you schedule.
The result to expect
“Restock when” gets a straight answer, and the customers who want the product are on a list you can message the day it lands. Reorders take one conversation. Subscription questions are answered at any hour, and your team handles only the changes and disputes.
Measure it with your own numbers: orders from restock broadcasts, and reorders made in chat, for a month before and after.
Next: the reaction handover.
Ask about a sold-out product
Install the app, paste the recipe and ask when a sold-out product is back. Check that it gives your listed date or none, and offers the list.
Install AeroChat from the Shopify App Store. Start your 7-day free trial, no credit card needed.
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