back-order

back order

1. noun An item that is not currently available for sale but can be ordered. No, that dress is sold out, but we can make it a back order for you.
2. verb To order an item that is not currently available for sale. No, that dress is sold out, but we can back order it for you.
See also: back, order
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

back-order something

[for a merchant] to order something that is not in stock and make delivery to the customer when the goods become available. The store didn't have the replacement part for my vacuum cleaner, so the manager back-ordered it for me. The shop had to back-order some of the items on my list.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • angle
  • angling
  • high
  • high, wide, and handsome
  • wear (one's) apron high
  • fire and brimstone
  • bummer
  • swag
References in periodicals archive
We have a back-order waiting-list for three months.
That created a back-order so huge the companies couldn't make pumps for anybody else for more than a year, giving Taylor's brand time to become established.
However, the demand for the Seraphine maternity gown was so high that it's presently on back-order, Us Magazine reported.
However, back-order measures can be a source of confusion because inventory managers may report back orders with or without an associated duration.
"Our strengthened presence in the Middle East will deliver measurable benefits to customers including, improved order-to-delivery lead times, improved parts availability and better back-order recovery, all of which translates into enhanced customer support," said Claes Svedberg, senior vice president, UD Trucks.
Despite its efficacy, Zostavax sales have been disappointing and hampered by manufacturing snags, with the vaccine currently on back-order.
To achieve that the retailer evaluates supplier performance on a number of measures, including on-time compliance, order fill rates and back-order rates.
There are a lot of back-order issues, and the product is all starting to look the same.
"We were in a back-order situation throughout the spring and summer of last year," Krovats says.
Instead of sending it to storage, you might be able to send it directly to a special back-order processing area upon receipt and start packing from there.
I recently purchased a new model Kimber Tactical Custom II that was on back-order for six to eight weeks.
I purchased your entire back-order collection about two months ago for $70.
Merchants have the option to designate products eligible for back-order and specify whether or not the software will charge for back-ordered products at the time of checkout or when they are shipped.
By allowing newer TSRs to handle easier tasks -- such as straight orders or catalog requests -- and sending more complicated jobs -- such as back-order check-ins and customer service -- to experienced reps, you get the most out of automation and human interaction, Kislik says.
That said, CompUSA still lists the notebook as on back-order. Not to worry.