Hello. Can you advise on the best course of action if we remove entire sections with products from our website and will no longer sell these items?
Should we give a 404 error and lose the link, or redirect to the main page since the section no longer exists and may cause negative behavior from users?

The obvious solution would be to redirect the link to the main page. This way, users won't visit an error page in vain and will be directed to the main page instead. Imagine you click on a search result that leads to a 404 page.
Would you continue exploring the website or close the tab? Most users would close the tab and move on to the next search result.

By implementing a redirect, you can avoid negative feedback from users who encounter multiple 404 pages. 301 redirects are commonplace, and by doing so, you won't have to keep track of sections that have suddenly disappeared from your website. However, it could make it difficult to track user behavior and where they are coming from. It may be best to handle 404 errors on a case-by-case basis by finding out the source of the error and implementing a redirect to the correct page.

This task can be assigned to SEO specialists. If redirecting to the main page is deemed appropriate for visitors who previously accessed addresses such as http://site/forum, then this can be implemented. Pages with redirects will eventually disappear from search results.

We should always redirect the not found url to the respective webpage or home page so that users get the correct direction to the website and even he can search whatever they need.

When deciding whether to implement a 404 error or a redirect, there are several factors to take into account. If the removed sections have no direct replacements or alternative pages on the website, it might be more appropriate to return a 404 error. This communicates to users and search engines that the content is truly gone and helps prevent confusion.

On the other hand, if there are related or similar products available on the site, setting up 301 redirects could be a more user-friendly approach. By redirecting users to relevant alternative pages, you can maintain their engagement and prevent frustration. Moreover, from an SEO standpoint, 301 redirects help preserve the link equity and authority associated with the removed sections, which can positively impact search rankings.

It's important to note that the choice between a 404 error and a redirect should be made based on the specific context of the removed content. Additionally, regardless of the approach chosen, it's essential to provide clear messaging to users, informing them about the changes and guiding them to relevant areas of the website.
The decision to use a 404 error or a redirect should be made thoughtfully, taking into consideration the user experience and the impact on search engine optimization. Ultimately, the goal is to minimize any negative effects on user behavior while maintaining the integrity and usability of the website.

You should use a 301 redirect if a web page you remove has a suitable alternative page on your web site. If there is no suitable page ("suitable" here means a page with very similar content), then 404 the page.

Removing entire sections and slapping a 404 error is a no-go—it's like torching your backlinks and tanking your site's juice. Instead, 301 redirect those URLs to a relevant category or the homepage to preserve link equity and avoid dead-end vibes for users.
Sure, redirecting to the main page might not be the slickest move for user flow, but it's better than leaving them high and dry with a 404. Also, toss up a custom error page with a sitemap or search bar to keep the bounce rate from spiking.

A 301 redirect permanently sends users and search engines to a new URL, preserving SEO value. A 404 error means the page is not found, which can harm user experience and rankings if frequent. Using 301 redirects is good for maintaining SEO when a page moves or is deleted.