Guide · Stock alerts
Back-in-stock alerts on iPhone
To get a back-in-stock alert on iPhone, save the sold-out item to Save Genie. Genie keeps checking it and sends you a notification when it's back in stock at that store. It's free, and it works on iPad and Mac too.
How to save a sold-out item
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Open the sold-out product page and choose the size or colour you want.
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In Safari, tap Share and choose Save Genie. In a shopping app, copy the product's link, then open Save Genie, tap + and choose Add Item.
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That's it. Genie shows the item as Unavailable and keeps checking it.
On a Mac, use the Save Genie extension for Safari or Chrome, or copy the link and choose File › New from Clipboard. Saved items sync to all your devices.
One catch: Genie needs a price on the page to track an item. Some stores hide the price while an item is sold out, and then Genie will say it couldn't read one.
What counts as "back"
Genie tells you when a sold-out item, or one the store had stopped selling, becomes something you can buy again:
| The store now says | You're told |
|---|---|
| In stock | Yes: "Back in stock at" the store |
| Pre-order | Yes: it tells you it's available to pre-order at the store |
| Limited stock | Yes: it tells you that stock is limited at the store |
| Back-order | Yes: it tells you that it's on back order at the store |
A move between those (pre-order to in stock, say) isn't a new alert: you could already buy it. And Genie has to have seen the item sold out first. If it couldn't read the stock when you saved the item, it has nothing to compare with, so there's no alert when the item appears.
What the notification says
The notification's title is the item's name, and it reads Back in stock at followed by the store's web address. Tap it to open the item in Save Genie, then buy it from the store.
Genie also tells you when an item you track sells out ("Out of stock at…") or when the store stops selling it ("No longer sold at…").
Get Save Genie
Free on iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Back at another store?
A back-in-stock alert is about the store you saved the item from; Genie doesn't send one because another store has it. Where it can, the product page shows the same item at other stores, so it's worth a look when your store is still sold out.
On a shared list
When an item on a shared list comes back in stock (or sells out), Genie tells everyone on the list, the list's owner included, whoever added it. On a "My wishlist" list, the person it's for isn't told about gifts other people added, so the surprise stays a surprise. To make a shared list, see a Christmas wishlist that tracks prices.
What to know
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Some stores don't show stock
If a product page doesn't say whether it's in stock, Genie can't tell either, so no stock alert comes. You'll still hear about price drops.
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Checks are regular, not instant
Genie checks your items regularly, not every second. When a restock matters, open the app and pull down to refresh: that checks stock as well as prices.
Tips for Christmas sell-outs
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Save it while it says sold out
Genie can only tell you an item is back if it has seen it sold out. Save the item the moment you find it gone, not after it comes back.
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Pick the size or colour first
A sold-out size isn't the same as a sold-out colour. Choose the one you want on the product page before you save it, and Genie tracks that one.
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Keep notifications on
A restock is only useful if you hear about it. Make sure notifications are on for Save Genie, and that Back in stock is switched on in the app.
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Move quickly, and refresh when it matters
Popular gifts can sell out again fast. Checks are regular, not instant, so on a big day open the app and pull down to refresh, then buy from the store.
More guides
Don't miss the restock
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