By Nicolas Avila · October 9, 2026

The order came in and inventory does not match: now what?

Photo: Avila Ops Tecnologia

First, take the product offline. Then count what actually exists. Only then decide who receives it and who does not, in payment order, and notify each unfulfilled customer with three options: wait for restocking, take an equivalent, or receive their money back. Submit the refund as soon as they choose. Order matters: notifying before counting means making the wrong promise twice.

Overselling is common during campaigns. The website showed 20 units, you sold 26, and there are 18 on the shelf. What determines whether this becomes a public complaint or a thank-you message is what you do in the first hour.

Why does inventory not match?

The cause is usually one of these. The store deducts stock only upon payment without reserving the unit while Pix or card payment is pending, and two customers pay for the last unit almost simultaneously. Physical stock was never counted after the last counter sale. A product sold through Instagram or WhatsApp, and nobody deducted it from the website. Or the record said 20 when the box held 18 from the beginning.

Knowing the cause does not resolve today’s order, but determines what you fix Monday. Record it while it is fresh.

What should you do in the first hour?

1. Set the product’s website stock to zero. No more sales enter while you resolve it.
2. Count physically. Do not trust the system number or “I think we have some.”
3. List paid orders for that product by payment date and time. Whoever paid first receives it. Unpaid created orders are excluded.
4. Physically set aside and reserve units for the first people on the list. Label with order numbers.
5. Message those left without a product before they ask, the same day.

Send the message first and wait for the customer’s choice. If they choose money back and paid by Pix, refund through the payment intermediary’s dashboard using the original transaction, and confirm the amount returned. For cards, the refund may take one or two statements to appear; explain clearly. Pix that does not arrive covers the reverse situation, when payment is uncertain.

What should you say to customers left without a product?

Short, direct, with options. “Hi, Marina. We sold more lamps than we had, and your order could not be filled. You choose: we refund the Pix today, ship model X at the same price today, or reserve a unit from the next shipment, expected December 10, at the campaign price. Tell me which you prefer.”

This message acknowledges the mistake in the first sentence and gives real options, including a refund. Under the Consumer Protection Code (article 35), when a store fails to fulfill an offer, customers choose whether to wait for the product, take an equivalent, or cancel; that is why the message asks. Do not offer a future shipment unless the supplier confirmed it. Exchanges instead of refunds explains offering an exchange without seeming to hold the money.

How do you prevent it next time?

One inventory serving website, counter, and WhatsApp. Short, time-limited reservations while payment is pending, and automatic deduction for paid orders. A safety buffer: if the count is 20, the site shows 18. Physical counts of offer products the day before and during the campaign, at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. And every off-site sale, by message or at the counter, recorded in the same system in the same minute.

People doing this in spreadsheets manage for a while. When sales exceed a few dozen daily, the spreadsheet falls behind and inventory stops matching again.

What to do now

If you have oversold orders, follow the five steps above before answering any messages. If it has not happened yet, count campaign products today and put two fewer than counted on the website. To leave spreadsheets and have one inventory for everything, Avila Ops builds the system without losing history: avilaops.com/sistema-para-pequenas-empresas or contact us on WhatsApp: wa.me/5517997811471.

Frequently asked questions

Can I cancel an order left without stock?

Cancellation with a full refund is most common, but customers choose: they may prefer to wait or take an equivalent. You cannot cancel without notifying them or hold the money while “trying to find” the product.

Is a customer left without a product entitled to compensation?

To everything paid back, including shipping, adjusted for inflation. If they prove another loss, the law also provides damages. Offer something extra voluntarily, such as free shipping on the next purchase, to preserve the relationship.

Should I send a similar model without asking?

No. Sending an item different from the purchase without consent creates returns, double shipping costs, and complaints. Ask, wait for the reply, then ship.