This update introduces a structured experience for discontinued products on Product Detail Pages (PDPs).
Instead of displaying empty or confusing pages, discontinued product pages now guide users toward relevant alternatives such as replacement products or similar items. The goal is to ensure every discontinued PDP remains useful and helps customers continue their shopping journey.
This experience improves usability, product discovery, and overall confidence when browsing discontinued products.
Why This Feature Exists
Previously, users could land on broken or incomplete PDPs when viewing discontinued products or variants. This created confusion, reduced trust, and increased the likelihood of customers leaving the site.
This update solves those issues by:
Eliminating dead-end product pages
Providing clear next steps for customers
Improving product discovery through guided alternatives
Preventing outdated pages from negatively impacting SEO
Discontinued products can now continue contributing to a meaningful browsing experience instead of becoming inactive or misleading pages.
Who This Is For
Customers Browsing Product Pages
Receive clear guidance and alternative recommendations when products are no longer available.
Merchandising & Catalog Teams
Maintain cleaner product experiences without manually managing fallback workflows.
SEO & Growth Teams
Reduce the SEO impact of outdated product pages while maintaining accessible user experiences.
Customer Support Teams
Help customers find replacement or similar products faster during support interactions.
Product & UX Teams
Deliver a more consistent and user-friendly PDP experience.
Accessing Discontinued Product Pages
When a user visits a discontinued Product Detail Page, the system automatically displays a structured fallback experience instead of an empty or broken page.
⚠️ Important: Discontinued product pages remain accessible to users but are no longer promoted through the sitemap.
Step 1: View the Discontinued Product Message
When landing on a discontinued PDP:
A clear banner indicates the product is no longer available
Users are informed immediately that the item cannot be purchased
This prevents confusion and helps set expectations early in the browsing experience.
Step 2: View a Replacement Product (If Available)
If the discontinued product has a known replacement:
A prominent “Replaced by” product section is displayed
Users can immediately navigate to the recommended replacement product
This creates a clear and confident next step for customers while improving the likelihood of conversion.
Step 3: Discover Similar Products
If no direct replacement exists:
The page displays a curated list of similar products
Recommendations are shown within relevant categories
This helps users continue browsing instead of reaching a dead end and leaving the site.
Step 4: View Only Actionable Products
All fallback recommendations shown on discontinued PDPs must contain valid purchase actions.
Displayed products will include:
Active pricing
Request pricing CTA
Other valid purchasing options
This ensures users only see meaningful and actionable recommendations.
Step 5: Experience Faster and Cleaner Fallback Pages
Fallback recommendation content is now displayed immediately above the fold when the page loads.
This:
Prevents empty page states
Improves perceived loading performance
Helps users engage with alternatives faster
Only one primary recommendation section is shown to reduce clutter and confusion.
Step 6: Navigate a More Focused Experience
Discontinued PDPs now prioritize a single recommendation path.
Users will no longer encounter:
Multiple competing recommendation sections
Confusing alternative experiences
Inconsistent fallback layouts
This creates a cleaner browsing experience and helps customers make decisions more quickly.
What Is Not Included in This Phase
This release does not include:
Automatic URL redirects for discontinued products
Personalization or traffic-based recommendation logic
Advanced ranking optimization
Additional SEO content enhancements
What Changed From the Previous Experience
Before
Discontinued products could display broken or empty pages
Users received little or no guidance on next steps
Multiple recommendation sections created confusion
Discontinued products could still appear in the sitemap
Now
Every discontinued PDP displays a structured fallback experience
Users are guided toward replacement or similar products
Only one clear recommendation section is shown
Discontinued products are removed from the sitemap
Pages remain accessible but are no longer actively promoted to search engines
You’re All Set!
Discontinued Product Detail Pages now provide a cleaner, more structured browsing experience that helps users continue shopping with confidence.
By guiding customers toward relevant alternatives and eliminating dead-end experiences, this update improves usability, supports SEO strategy, and creates a more reliable product discovery journey across the site.