# Anyway to find out when an out of stock item at Amazon is back in stock without actually buying it?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyway-to-find-out-when-an-out-of-stock-item-at-amazon-is-back-in-stock-without-actually-buying-it/539069>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 11, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyway-to-find-out-when-an-out-of-stock-item-at-amazon-is-back-in-stock-without-actually-buying-it/539069 "2010-05-11T17:22:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyway-to-find-out-when-an-out-of-stock-item-at-amazon-is-back-in-stock-without-actually-buying-it/539069/1 "2010-05-11T17:22:37Z")

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I want to buy a PS3 from Amazon (because I have almost $170 in [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) gift cards,) but they are out of stock. The little thingy says:

> [@](#):
>
> Order now and we’ll deliver when available. We’ll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your account will only be charged when we ship the item.  
> Ships from and sold by [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com). Gift-wrap available.

Only…I don’t want to actually _buy_ it now. There might be a slim chance I’ll break down and just buy it from some other retailer before then and use my [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) gift cards on other things (most likely games for the PS3.) I know they won’t actually charge me until it ships, but will I have a period of time between the email telling me it’s in stock, and when they ship it and charge me? Cause I’d rather not buy it someplace else and forget that I “bought” it already from Amazon, cause I am a giant scatterbrain and that is quite likely.

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**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyway-to-find-out-when-an-out-of-stock-item-at-amazon-is-back-in-stock-without-actually-buying-it/539069/2 "2010-05-11T18:52:15Z")

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Hmm… A couple of years ago when I was looking for a Wii Balance Board, there was an option to request a text message or e-mail when it became available. (Worked like a charm, too; there was a window of about a half-hour before they sold out again.)

But I don’t see that now. I’m interested to find out why that feature was removed or if there’s another answer to your question.

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**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyway-to-find-out-when-an-out-of-stock-item-at-amazon-is-back-in-stock-without-actually-buying-it/539069/3 "2010-05-11T20:56:55Z")

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I don’t know how to make them email you, but if you go to the website often, you can just put the item in your cart. Every time you go to the website, they show you any changes in price or availability of the items in your cart, right at the top of the screen.