Definition
Stock management in e-commerce SEO concerns the technical decisions to make when a product is temporarily or permanently unavailable. Deleting a product page creates a 404 error and loses all acquired SEO value (rankings, backlinks, history). Best practices include: for a temporary stockout, keep the page active with an availability message and updated Schema Availability markup; for a permanently discontinued product, 301 redirect to the successor product or parent category; never delete a page that has backlinks or traffic. Schema Availability markup (InStock, OutOfStock, PreOrder, Discontinued) informs both Google and users of the product's actual status.
Key Points
- Never delete a product page that has traffic or backlinks
- Temporary stockout: keep the page active with Schema Availability
- Discontinued product: 301 redirect to successor or category
Practical Examples
Temporary stockout
A bestseller product is out of stock for 2 weeks. The site keeps the page active, displays 'Temporarily unavailable - expected back March 15', offers an email alert for restock, and updates Schema Availability to 'OutOfStock'. Rankings are preserved.
Permanently discontinued product
A smartphone model is replaced by a new version. The site 301 redirects the old page to the new one, transferring SEO authority and backlinks. Users land on the successor product.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, especially not for a temporary stockout. Noindex would cause ranking loss. Keep the page indexable, update Schema Availability, and add a clear message for users. For permanently discontinued products, a 301 redirect is preferable to noindex.
For seasonal products, keep pages active year-round with a 'Next season collection coming soon' message. This preserves acquired SEO value. Update Schema Availability and suggest alternative products or a newsletter signup to be notified.
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Last updated: 2026-02-07