Notifying customers when a sold-out item opens up
See who asked to be notified about a sold-out item, and when Renta automatically emails them.
Where to find it
Bookings → Waitlist
If a customer wants to book an item that's fully reserved, they can ask to be notified if it opens up. When it does, Renta emails them automatically — this page is where you track those requests and see who's been contacted.
Where to find it
Bookings → Waitlist.
How it works
- A customer chooses a sold-out item during checkout and is added to the waitlist automatically.
- If the booking holding that item is later cancelled, Renta checks whether the dates are genuinely open again and, if so, automatically emails the waiting customer — you don't have to send anything yourself.
- Status for each entry:
- Waiting — no opening yet.
- Dates freed up (shown in amber) — an opening was found. If the automatic email failed to send, the row shows an "Email failed" message so you know to follow up yourself.
- Booked — the customer went on to book.
- Closed — you've closed out the entry manually.
- Mark booked — mark an entry as converted into a booking.
- Close / Reopen — manually close an entry (for example, if the customer said they're no longer interested) or bring a closed one back.
Example
Your only cabin is fully booked for a weekend and a customer joins the waitlist. If someone later cancels, Renta re-checks availability and, if the dates are truly free, emails that customer automatically — you'll see the entry turn to "Dates freed up" here.
Good to know
- "Dates freed up" only means Renta found and reported the opening — check the row for an "Email failed" message before assuming the customer was actually reached.
- If the waitlist page shows a "setup pending" message instead of entries, the feature hasn't been fully turned on for your account yet.
Related articles
- Managing bookings: common questionsQuick answers on finding a booking, creating one, blocking dates, the Start/Finish/Cancel buttons, refunds, discounts, rescheduling, statuses, and what customers can change themselves.
- Finding a bookingOn a computer, search above the availability calendar to jump to a booking; on a phone, search and filter a list by status.
- Common questions: refundsQuick answers on sending money back to a customer, why a refund has not gone out yet, how much you can refund, what happens to Renta's fee, gift cards and cash, and the difference between refunding and releasing a deposit.
- Booking statuses explainedWhat the status badges mean (Pending, Confirmed, Active, Returned, Cancelled, Expired), and what the calendar colours mean.
- Changing a booking's datesMove a booking's pickup or return, see the new price first, and know what happens to add-ons, the deposit hold, typed prices, and past dates.
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