Running out of inventory is one of the quickest ways to disappoint customers and miss revenue. In Shopify, watching variant stock manually (or refreshing spreadsheets) is tedious and unreliable.
That’s why our Workflow of the Month is Receive Daily Slack Alerts for Low Stock Products in Shopify – tuned for product updates and variant-level checks. Whenever a product is updated, the workflow scans all its variants. If any variant falls below your threshold, it pings a designated Slack channel so the right people can act immediately.
What the Workflow Does
The workflow listens for the "Product Updated" event in Shopify. When a product changes (price, title, media, options, inventory adjustments, etc.):
- It retrieves the current inventory for every variant of that product.
- It compares each variant’s available quantity to your threshold (for example, ≤ 5 units).
- If any variant is low, it sends a formatted Slack alert to your chosen channel with product and variant details (title, SKU, variant options, current quantity, link to admin.)
In simple terms: On every product update, check all variants and alert Slack the moment any are low.
Why This Workflow Makes a Difference
- Speed to action: Alerts fire exactly when low stock is detected — no waiting for scheduled reports.
- Variant-level accuracy: You won’t miss low inventory on specific sizes, colors, or bundles.
- Fewer fire-drills: Early warning helps you reorder or reallocate before stock-outs hit.
- Team visibility: Slack notifications put ops, merchandising, and support on the same page instantly.
- Healthy cash flow: Thresholds can differ by product type or lead time so you’re not overstocking.
Common Use Cases
- Per-variant thresholds: Tighter thresholds for fast movers; higher for long lead-time SKUs.
- Channel-aware logic: Trigger only when “online store” availability drops below X.
- Velocity-adjusted alerts: If a variant sells 20/day and 30 remain, alert at 30 (not 5).
- Auto-tagging and collections: Apply a
low-stocktag and add to a “Reorder Queue.” - BFCM safeguards: Temporarily tighten thresholds to catch rapid sell-through.
How to Set It Up (Step-by-Step)
- Install Arigato Automation from the Shopify App Store.
- Import the “Low-Stock Alerts (Variant-Aware)” workflow template.
- Set the trigger: Product Updated.
- Configure conditions: Threshold values, product types, vendors, tags, locations.
- Add Slack action: Choose the channel and customize the alert message with product, variant, SKU, and admin link.
- Test by temporarily lowering a sample variant’s quantity.
- Activate – your back-office radar is now always on during product changes.
Manual vs Workflow vs Alternatives
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Manual checks | No app required | Time-consuming, easy to miss, no real-time alert |
| Scheduled reports | Simple overview | Delayed; still needs someone to act |
| Arigato Low-Stock Alerts | Real-time, variant-aware, routes to the right Slack channel | One-time setup (minutes) |
This workflow stands out because it acts at the exact moment stock becomes a risk – right when a product changes and can fan out to tags, Slack threads, sheets like Airtable or even supplier endpoints.
FAQ
Can I set different thresholds by product or variant?
Yes. Use conditions (product type, vendor, tag, location) and variant fields to tailor thresholds.
Will it spam my team?
No. Configure this workflow to receive an alert only when quantity crosses the threshold that you define.
Does it work with incoming transfers?
Yes. Include logic to skip alerts if incoming quantity covers projected demand.
Can it be applied to the storefront?
Yes. Tag products (e.g., low-stock) for merchandising badges or to pause certain ad sets.
🏆 Why It’s Workflow of the Month
As automations go, this one is deceptively simple and consistently high-impact. Variant-level checks prevent lost sales, reduce stress and give teams the time to reorder tactically – not frantically. With seasonal BFCM peaks approaching, this one workflow pays for itself by keeping bestsellers available and customers happy.
Ready to stop stock-out surprises?
Try our Workflow of the Month: Receive Daily Slack Alerts for Low Stock Products in Shopify — and keep your bestsellers in baskets, not in the “sold out” bin.