E-commerce
July 1, 2026
A customer might see a product in an advertisement, on social media, or from another country, and then not be able to find it on the local site. They might think the page is broken, that the offer has disappeared, or that the brand is hiding availability from them.
The chatbot can explain product visibility by country: local catalog, stock, shipping restrictions, regulations, currency, distribution rights, or progressive launch. It must also offer a useful alternative when the product is not available.
This guide explains how to handle these situations without frustrating the customer or promising an impossible sale.
Summary
Why might a product be visible in one country and not in another?
An e-commerce catalog is not always global. A product may be available in one country but unavailable elsewhere due to stock, shipping, regulations, certification, currency, or commercial strategy.
The customer does not see these constraints. They only see that a product exists somewhere, but not for them. The bot must therefore transform the absence of a page into a comprehensible explanation.
Local availability must be explained as a service constraint, not as a mysterious error.
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What information should be checked?
The bot must verify the customer's country, language, currency, local stock, delivery zones, product restrictions, available variants, and the viewed URL.
It must also distinguish between a product that is invisible because it is not sold locally and a product that is temporarily unavailable. In the first case, the alternative is what matters. In the second, an alert can be useful.
How do you explain a page not found?
If the customer arrives on a page that is not displayed in their country, the bot can say: "This product is not currently available on your local store. I can check if there is an alternative in your country."
This response is more useful than a simple "product not found." It acknowledges that the customer had an intention and proposes a next step.
What should you do if the customer has seen the product elsewhere?
The customer may come from an international post, an untargeted advertisement, a foreign influencer, or an old campaign. The bot must ask for the source or screenshot if necessary.
If it is a product available only in another region, it can explain the catalog difference and suggest comparable products locally.
This step is important for the marketing teams too. If many customers are coming from a poorly targeted campaign, the issue must be corrected at the source.
How can I propose a local alternative?
The alternative must respect the customer's intention: usage, style, size, price, compatibility, or availability. Suggesting the entire category is too vague.
The bot can say: "This model is not sold in your country, but this one serves the same purpose and can be delivered to your address."
Which flow to follow?
The flow must start from the country and the intention.
Identify the country, the currency, and the URL or product searched for.
Check if the product is sold, hidden, out of stock, or locally restricted.
Explain the available reason in simple language.
Propose an alert, an alternative, or a relevant local page.
Transfer if the visibility seems incorrect or if a campaign is contradictory.
Which messages should be used?
For local non-availability: "This product is not currently available in your country. I can offer you options that can be delivered locally."
For an international link: "This link seems to come from another regional store. Available products may vary by country."
For a restock: "The product is temporarily unavailable locally. I can help you activate a back-in-stock alert."
When to transfer?
The transfer is necessary if the product should be visible, if a local campaign mentions it, if the customer has recent proof, or if a regulatory restriction needs to be explained more precisely.
The bot must transmit the country, the URL, any potential screenshot, the searched-for product, and the proposed alternative.
Which KPIs should be monitored?
Track searches for non-visible products, clicks from international campaigns, accepted alternatives, alert requests, and local catalog errors.
This data helps identify poorly targeted campaigns and products for which demand exists in unserved countries.
Which mistakes should be avoided?
Avoid simply saying "product unavailable", offering an undeliverable product, or leading the customer to believe they can order from a foreign store if it is not possible.
The chatbot must clarify actual availability and guide the user toward a usable local option.
How can Qstomy help?
Qstomy can use product, cart, and customer context to respond clearly, and then transfer sensitive cases with an actionable summary.
The chatbot helps the customer understand what is possible now, without making promises that cannot be kept.
Explore the AI sales agent, the AI support, or request a demo.
CTRYVISbot Checklist (8 steps)
Sync CTRYVIS-MAP #813: RAG bot PDP footer market selector embed
Policy CTRYVISBOT-SUP: 6 rules MARKET-CITE MARKET-API PUBLISH-VERIFY NO-PROMISE NO-PUBLISH
8 intents bot_ctryvis_*: flow CVB-1 to CVB-8
4 templates TPL-CTRYVISbot-*: MARKET UNPUBLISHED URL GEO
Markets publish API sync: FR US DE SKU published test switch market
Red team 10 prompts: availability promise out of map without publish lookup publish bot
404 PDP proactive: bot_ctryvis_url trigger Google referrer
KPI Dashboard: ctryvis_bot_* section 9 pdp_recover promise_violations handoff
FAQ
Difference #813?
#813 = agents escalate ops publish request. #814 = bot tier 1 explain local availability.
Does the bot publish a market product?
No. NO-PUBLISH-BOT. CTRYVIS813-HANDOFF-BOT agents #813 only.
Difference RESTBOT #479?
#479 = forbidden shipping checkout. #814 = product unpublished or hidden in market catalog.
Empty Google link?
bot_ctryvis_url TPL-CTRYVISbot-URL market_switch alternative_market map.
Going further
This week: deploy CTRYVIS-MAP RAG PDP embed, red team visibility_promise_violations audit, sync bot_ctryvis_url proactive scenario US client FR Google link test.
Enzo
July 1, 2026
