Out-of-stock products: they're unpleasant but unavoidable for e-commerce professionals. It's never easy to have to say no to a client, whether it's in person or through your online sales portal. Luckily there's plenty you can do to make sure your web store visitors still have a great online buying experience, even if their item is unavailable.

With so much competition in B2B e-commerce, delivering an amazing user experience is key in making sure that your clients proceed to your checkout, rather than a rival's.

According to the B2B Buying Process 2019 Report, 44% of B2B buyers experience online order errors with their top 10 suppliers at least every two weeks. How you communicate about your products, whether they are available or out of stock has a huge effect on your UX.

There are two key elements in keeping your online clients satisfied: making sure they always have the right information about product availability and providing them with a suitable alternative to their desired item.