Availability in Google Shopping feeds

Availability tells Google whether the item can be bought right now. The valid values are in_stock, out_of_stock, backorder and preorder. Google verifies it against your product page, and selling out while the ad says in stock is a fast route to account level trouble.

How this app fills it

• Variants with inventory tracking off are in_stock. Shopify reports zero quantity for them, but they are fully purchasable.
• Tracked variants with stock are in_stock.
• Tracked variants at zero that still allow purchase are backorder.
• Everything else is out_of_stock.
• Out of stock items stay in the feed by default with the correct label. The Metadata tab can exclude them instead.

Dos

• Keep out of stock items in the feed as out_of_stock. Dropping them causes churn in Merchant Center and re-reviews when they return.
• Use a paid plan's instant updates if stock moves fast. Stale availability is a policy risk.
• Let Shopify's continue selling setting drive backorder status naturally.

Don'ts

• Don't mark everything in stock to keep ads running. Google detects it on the landing page and suspends items.
• Don't delete sold out products from your store to clean the feed. Excluding them in the app is reversible, deletion is not.