ApproveThis manages your Back In Stock - Restock Alerts Integration approvals.

Why Approval Workflows Matter for Restock Alerts

Let's cut through the noise: inventory management sucks. Back In Stock solves half the problem by automating customer notifications when products replenish. But here's what nobody's telling you - unchecked restock alerts can create bigger problems than they solve. Overselling? Check. Margin-killing rush orders? You bet. That's where ApproveThis comes in.

When you connect Back In Stock to ApproveThis through Zapier, you're not just automating notifications - you're building guardrails. Think of it like giving your inventory team a veto button before committing to timelines you can't actually hit. For teams managing 50-5,000 SKUs, this combo stops these common fires:

• Customer service nightmares from oversold items
• Inventory teams getting blindsided by marketing campaigns
• Finance department rage over emergency supplier markups

Real-World Use Cases That Actually Move Needles

This isn't about creating more process - it's about preventing dumpster fires. Here's how mid-market companies use the integration:

The High-Stakes Product Launch

Scenario: Your marketing team's hyping a limited-edition product with 10,000 pre-signups. Inventory only has 8,000 units arriving. Without approvals:

➔ Marketing auto-sends 10k "back in stock" alerts
➔ 2,000 angry customers discover oversold items
➔ CS team drowns in refund requests

With ApproveThis+Back In Stock:
Approval thresholds auto-flag alerts exceeding available stock. Finance gets final sign-off on accepting rush orders (with updated pricing) before any alerts go out.

The Supplier Shitshow Special

Your #1 supplier delays shipment by 4 weeks. Purchasing found alternate vendors but at 15% markup. Approval workflows let you:

1. Pause all auto-alerts for affected SKUs
2. Route restock requests to procurement for cost approval
3. Send revised ETAs only after leadership signs off on costs

Team-Specific Wins

Inventory Teams: Stop Playing Whack-A-Mole

ApproveThis' calculated fields let you set hard limits:
"If alert signups exceed 120% of incoming stock, require VP approval before sending notifications"

Real-time tracking shows which products are approaching redlines before they blow up.

Marketing: Campaigns That Don't Backfire

Launching a big promotion? Set conditional approvals:
"Any restock alert list growing 300% faster than average requires CMO review"
Catches viral moments before you overpromise.

Customer Support: Fewer Screaming Matches

When ApproveThis automatically attaches supplier ETAs to denial emails:
➔ Customers get realistic timelines upfront
➔ 23% fewer "Where's my order?!" tickets (actual client result)

Setup That Takes Less Time Than Your Morning Coffee

1. Create a Zapier account (if you don't have one)
2. Connect Back In Stock → Choose "New Stock Notification Request" trigger
3. Add ApproveThis → Select "Create Request" action
4. Map these critical fields:
- Product SKU
- Number of alert signups
- Original restock ETA
5. Set approval rules in ApproveThis dashboard:
- Thresholds (e.g., auto-approve if <500 signups)
- Approver groups (procurement+finance for cost changes)
- Denial templates with supplier updates

Pro Tip: Use ApproveThis' vacation delegation so summer Fridays don't bottleneck alerts.

Why This Isn't Just Another Integration

Back In Stock handles notifications. ApproveThis handles the messy human decisions behind them. Together, they solve the inventory communication problem most tools ignore:

The License Advantage: Your suppliers don't need ApproveThis logins. Forward denial emails directly from your procurement team's Outlook. External partners click "Approve/Deny" without another SaaS login.

Margin Protection: Calculated fields automatically flag alerts that would require emergency orders exceeding target COGS. Route those to finance before committing.

Audit Trail: Every approval/rejection in ApproveThis includes:
- Who decided
- Timestamp
- Attached supplier quotes
Perfect for vendor contract reviews.

When to Consider This Integration

If any of these sound familiar:

☑️ Your "low stock" emails sometimes lie
☑️ Purchasing complains about surprise rush orders
☑️ Marketing runs promotions without checking inventory
☑️ Customer satisfaction drops during peak seasons
☑️ You've had supplier ETAs change after alerts went out

This isn't about adding bureaucracy - it's about adding visibility. Teams of 50+ can't wing it with spreadsheets and Slack pings.

Cool Features You'll Actually Use

Beyond basic approvals, these matter:

Approval Thresholds That Don't Micromanage

Set it and forget it rules like:
"Auto-approve alerts under $50k COGS, but require CFO sign-off above that"

Consensus vs. Sequential Approvals

Need 3 department heads to agree? Use consensus mode. Have a strict approval chain? Sequential keeps things moving.

Mobile Denials That Don't Screw Everything Up

Approver rejects an alert via email? ApproveThis automatically:
- Updates Back In Stock status
- Triggers alternate supplier check Zap
- Notifies customer with revised ETA

Getting Started Without the BS

We know you're busy. Here's the playbook:

1. Register for ApproveThis (free 14-day trial)
2. Bookmark the Back In Stock Zapier docs
3. Run one test workflow:
- Simulate a high-demand product alert
- See approvals in action
4. Scale to 2-3 critical product lines
5. Let your teams add rules organically

No "digital transformation" jargon. Just fewer inventory emergencies.

The Bottom Line

Back In Stock tells customers when products replenish. ApproveThis ensures you can actually deliver. For companies past the startup phase, this integration acts as guardrails - not handcuffs.

Ready to stop putting out inventory fires? Get started or schedule a 12-minute demo. We'll show how to set up your first approval workflow while you finish your coffee.