Why does a product say in stock when it's sold out?

How do I fix a product that shows in stock when it’s out?

1. Check stock management is on for the store. Go to WooCommerce, Settings, Products, Inventory. WooCommerce’s inventory settings guide says ticking Enable stock management keeps inventory counts. If it’s off, nothing counts down when you sell, and status is set by hand.
2. Open the product under Products, and in the Product data box select Inventory.
3. Set the stock. If you see a Quantity field, tracking is on for this product: enter the real number. At zero, WooCommerce marks it out of stock. If you see Stock status instead, either change it to Out of stock, or turn on the product’s stock management checkbox and enter a quantity.
4. Check Allow backorders. The product editor guide lists the options: Do not allow, Allow, but notify customer, and Allow. Anything but “Do not allow” lets customers order at zero.
5. Check variations. For a product with sizes or colours, open the Variations tab and each variation. Each can keep its own stock. Set the sold-out one, save the variations, then update the product.
6. Select Update, clear your caching plugin’s cache, and view the product in a private browser window.

Expected result: the product page shows “Out of stock,” and customers can’t add it to the cart.

If tracking is on at the product level, that quantity covers all variations together. If it’s off there, each variation uses its own setting. Mixing the two is a common cause of a sold-out size still showing as available.

You need the Administrator or Shop Manager role. Menu names can differ slightly between WooCommerce versions, and some stores use a newer product editor; the settings are the same underneath.

The short version

• Turn on stock management, then set the product’s Quantity or Stock status on its Inventory tab.
• Check Allow backorders, and each variation’s own stock.

How do I hide sold-out products?

In WooCommerce, Settings, Products, Inventory, tick the Out of stock visibility option to hide them from the catalogue. Some stores prefer to show them as sold out, so customers know you normally carry them.

Why aren’t my sale products showing?

1. Check the sale price. In the product’s General tab, make sure Sale price is filled in and lower than Regular price. For a product with sizes or colours, the sale price is set on each variation.
2. Check the dates. Select Schedule next to the sale price if dates are set. The product editor guide says the sale stops showing at 11:59 pm on the end date. A future start date means it won’t show yet.
3. Check the “On sale” section. It’s often a Product Collection block. WooCommerce’s Product Collection guide describes an On Sale Products collection and a Show only products on sale filter. Make sure the block uses one of them.
4. Clear the cache and check again in a private window.

Expected result: the old price is crossed out with the sale price beside it, and the product appears in the sale section.

Why does it matter?

Selling something you don’t have means refunds, apologies and an unhappy customer. A sale that doesn’t show wastes the promotion you paid for in lost margin.

What are the common mistakes and edge cases?

• Stock synced from another system. If a point-of-sale or inventory app feeds your shop, fix the number there, not in WooCommerce, or it will change back.
• Coupon discounts aren’t sales. Discounts from a coupon or discount plugin may not count as “on sale.” Only a sale price on the product does.
• Unpaid orders holding stock. WooCommerce can hold stock for unpaid orders for a set time. See how to see or export your orders.
• Theme labels. A theme or page builder may show its own stock label that ignores WooCommerce’s setting.

What if this didn’t work?

• The admin is right, but the shop is wrong. Clear the cache again, then check whether the theme shows its own label. Note the product and the page, and ask whoever manages your store.
• The quantity keeps changing back. Another system is syncing it.
• Customers still reach checkout with the item. Remove it from their cart, and see why online payment or checkout isn’t working if checkout also misbehaves.

How does E-3 handle this?

Send us the product name, the size or colour that’s wrong, and what it should say. A person at E-3 makes the change. A bigger change, such as hiding all sold-out items, is tested on a staging copy first. If stock syncs from another system, say which one. Call 814-399-4655 or email support@e3help.me.

Related questions

• How do I add or update products in my online store?
• How do I change shipping rates or sales tax?