If it makes any difference...
I tried to place an order online last night (after calling in my first order), and wasn't able to because of the cart-emptying problem -- it was hours of frustration and I just gave up... but it looks like items that are not in stock, but are not "sale" items, could be purchased at sale price, backordered, and would be shipped to you when they were back in stock (for instance one of the items I was going to order was another pair of Bella shorts, and it appeared that even though my size was out of stock by that point, I would be permitted to order them at sale price and I'd get them sometime in January). So if you were ordering regular stock, you may still be in luck...