How do you handle inventory out-of-stock situations without losing the customer?

[ElenaVance]

When a popular item sells out, do you leave the product page up with a "notify me when back in stock" email form, or do you hide the listing entirely until it's restocked? What keeps buyers from going to a competitor?

 

[eHarper]

I think the notify me works best because it promises the customer that somehow you will restock the item. However, if you just hide the item listing, people will often just go looking for another store that has a similar item.