SEO For Discontinued & Out Of Stock Products 2024

When it comes to handling discontinued product pages in ecommerce SEO, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Several factors come into play, such as whether the product is temporarily out of stock or permanently discontinued, the organic traffic the page receives, the presence of valuable backlinks, and the available development resources.

• Is the product temporarily out of stock, or discontinued for good?
• Was the page getting organic traffic?
• Did the page have valuable backlinks?
• What development resourcing is available?

It’s crucial to consider these factors because the decisions you make can impact your site’s technical health, user experience, and SEO performance.

Handling Temporarily Out of Stock Product Pages

If a product is temporarily out of stock, it’s best to keep the page live rather than redirecting it or showing a 404 error. However, it’s essential to update the page to inform users that the product is unavailable and provide an estimated return date. Implementing structured data can help communicate the out-of-stock status to users and potentially improve their overall experience on your site.

Dealing with Permanently Discontinued Product Pages

For products that are permanently discontinued, consider showing a 404 error page to prevent user frustration. You can enhance the 404 page by suggesting related products to keep users engaged. Remove these discontinued product pages from the XML sitemap and eliminate any internal links pointing to them.

Preserving Value from Valuable Expired Product Pages

If a product page has valuable organic traffic and quality backlinks, consider implementing a 301 redirect to preserve the page’s link equity. Before redirecting, analyze the backlinks using tools like Ahrefs to ensure the redirected page maintains relevance and value.

When to Avoid 301 Redirects

In cases where discontinued products contain valuable content or serve as a reference, it may be best to leave the page as it is with a message indicating its discontinued status. This approach ensures users can still access useful information even if the product is no longer available for purchase.

Summary

Deciding how to handle discontinued or out-of-stock products requires careful consideration of various factors. Keeping users informed, preserving link equity, and providing a seamless user experience are essential aspects to consider. For expert guidance on SEO strategies, reach out to our team of professionals today.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Should out-of-stock products be redirected to other pages?

It is advisable to keep temporarily out-of-stock products live and provide clear messaging about their unavailability. For permanently discontinued products, consider showing a 404 error page.

2. How can I retain valuable backlinks from discontinued product pages?

Implementing a 301 redirect to a relevant page can help preserve the link equity from discontinued product pages with valuable backlinks.

3. What should be done with out-of-stock product listings on category pages?

To avoid giving the impression of only having out-of-stock products, consider demoting these listings to the bottom of the category page.

4. How can I enhance the 404 error page for discontinued products?

You can improve the user experience by suggesting related products on the 404 error page for discontinued products.

5. When should 301 redirects be avoided for discontinued products?

If the discontinued product page contains valuable content or serves as a reference, consider leaving it as is with a message indicating its discontinued status to provide continued access to useful information.