Don’t Let Deleted Products Lead to 404 Errors

Running an online store means products can change regularly. Items may be discontinued, replaced, renamed or moved to a different category.

When you remove or change a product, it is important to consider what happens to the old product link.

If the page is simply deleted, customers who find the old URL through Google, social media, bookmarks or another website may land on a 404 “Page Not Found” error.

A 301 redirect automatically sends visitors from the old product page to the most relevant new page. This could be a replacement product, an updated version or the relevant product category.

Redirects can help to:

• Prevent broken product links
• Keep customers browsing your online store
• Improve the customer experience
• Help search engines understand where the page has moved
• Protect valuable website traffic and SEO visibility

For example, if a product has been replaced with a newer version, the old product URL should redirect directly to the new product page. If there is no replacement, redirecting visitors to the relevant product category is often the better option.

Avoid sending every deleted product page to your homepage. Customers should be directed to the most relevant page possible.

Before deleting, renaming or moving a product, decide where customers should go next and set up the appropriate redirect.

A small step can prevent broken links, protect your online store’s visibility and help keep potential customers shopping.

Contact 123WebShop to fix your website redirects.