Archived Is there a case for overstocking?

[HiddenPenguin]

I formed my personal opinion on overstocking a while ago: it's stupid, right? And yet, I continue to see good TMs shove those extra few items in, much to my bewilderment. So I'm here to ask: Am I missing something..?

I understand that you can make the argument: it saves someone a minute or two backstocking the item, and possibly another minute pulling and pushing more once we've sold a lot of that item...

But does that offset time spent elsewhere? If the zone is harder to maintain because of how many have been squeezed onto a shelf, that could take a minute to fix. If the product overlaps into the area of a less-expensive item, that could be a minute of debate up at the registers. If the capacity and on-hands aren't changed, our accumulator might continuously under-report how many we actually have, and the DC will just keep shipping boxes that now we do have to backstock (a couple minutes)... and possibly even require a RIG to fix (a minute again). Even if we don't get shipped more, the system might ask us to pull a couple for a CAF, have someone try to push it, realize the spot is still filled, and then backstock all over again.

Obviously if it's just a single product every once in a while, who cares. But once it becomes a half-dozen products on every aisle, isn't it just making our jobs harder..? Is there something I'm misunderstanding about the replenishment process..? Do shoppers really prefer each section as full as possible..?

I'm sure, (as per usual) ASANTS... but I'm really curious, how does your workcenter or your store handle this?

 

[PackAndCry]

When it fits reasonably, I don't see a massive problem with it, but some TMs (especially flow) overpush so much that it makes it a huge mess. I'd love to see the shelf capacity printed on the shelf label or something so that people know what the actual capacity is. I see the most overpush in places where it's not obvious what the cap is supposed to be (do you stack the item, fit it a certain way, etc).

 

[NKG]

You overstock and Ill back stock it for you. I have brought back a flat worth of shit flow was too lazy to take back. Well now Ill do it for you.

 

[Ringwraith917]

You overstock and Ill back stock it for you. I have brought back a flat worth of shit flow was too lazy to take back. Well now Ill do it for you.

This reminds me of years ago when I used to be the regular closer in domestics. I'd zone to POG daily and pull at least two huge tubs worth of overstock back from my zone. Backroom/flow probably hated me.

 

[HiddenPenguin]

When it fits reasonably, I don't see a massive problem with it, but some TMs (especially flow) overpush so much that it makes it a huge mess. I'd love to see the shelf capacity printed on the shelf label or something so that people know what the actual capacity is. I see the most overpush in places where it's not obvious what the cap is supposed to be (do you stack the item, fit it a certain way, etc).

With modernization shrinking flow teams, I thought I would see less overstocking, at least in ACE areas... Now the TM who's told to push the truck as fast as possible is also the TM who zones it, and the TM who researches it... but jam-packed aisles persist... Maybe "Full and Impactful" is being interpreted differently...?

 

[Ringwraith917]

At my store at least the Flow team starts the push in separate areas on the sales floor then does "the wave" as they finish to help other areas finish on the floor. Then the ones who can find equipment stay and backstock. Less backstock means the can go earlier.

Honestly I'd be motivated to have more backstock so I can pay my bills this month.

 

[beachlover]

Think it depends on the circumstances. 99% of the time it's a bad idea but when things like diapers are on sale and the shelves are empty throughout the day, I will overstock the shelves to keep from sprinting to the call button and fetching because folks are filling their carts to get a $20 gift card with a $100 purchase.

 

[Bosch]

Think it depends on the circumstances. 99% of the time it's a bad idea but when things like diapers are on sale and the shelves are empty throughout the day, I will overstock the shelves to keep from sprinting to the call button and fetching because folks are filling their carts to get a $20 gift card with a $100 purchase.

This, if it can fit and its going to blow out the door sure I will see if I can squeeze an extra in there.. But as a practice being In-Stocks for so long "Oh fuck no!"

 

[qmosqueen]

When in doubt bulk it out. It doesn’t sell in the back room.

 

[HiddenPenguin]

Think it depends on the circumstances. 99% of the time it's a bad idea but when things like diapers are on sale and the shelves are empty throughout the day, I will overstock the shelves to keep from sprinting to the call button and fetching because folks are filling their carts to get a $20 gift card with a $100 purchase.

That's a great point! Exceptions should be made for items that 1) are big enough that only one or two fit on the shelf and 2) are selling out quickly!

 

[HiddenPenguin]

When in doubt bulk it out. It doesn’t sell in the back room.

But was it ever really selling out to begin with?
Does it sell better or worse when "extra-full"?

 

[Kompa]

When in doubt bulk it out. It doesn’t sell in the back room.

It all comes down to this. If you can fit it one the floor, put it on the floor. There's not reason to have a 3 inch space between soup cans because the shelf says one facing

Fuck that

 

[WinterRose]

I would overstock when:

1. They sell quickly and my area really doesn't get stock when I leave.
2. When I don't have the item in for so many days, I would flex the item beside it to cover the hole temporarily. If that item I am flexing is something that sells quickly, I would fill it, otherwise just a <5 to cover the hole if that aisle is part of the treadway (I forgot what it's called. It's part where it can be seen when walking the runway.)

I am someone who hates seeing flexed items and don't mind backstocking a lot of items but I don't mind if it's a product that sells quickly.

 

[Greenie]

Fill to what fits without being jammed and crammed and looking like crap.

Then adjust the counts so it’s accurate and stuff doesn’t keep coming out in the autos when there’s no damn space for it.

 

[Anelmi]

Cramming 18 bottles of shampoo into a space that fits 12 (and even that is a push) is just a no. It looks bad and gives the impression that no one actually buys it...

 

[Ringwraith917]

When in doubt bulk it out. It doesn’t sell in the back room.

There's a sweet spot between being understocked (so it ends up empty at some point and we miss sales) and having so much crammed on the shelf it's falling off (missing sales b/c the guest doesn't want to knock over the pile).
Sometimes it sells better if you leave some in the backroom.

 

[SmilesWI]

Fill to what fits without being jammed and crammed and looking like crap.

Then adjust the counts so it’s accurate and stuff doesn’t keep coming out in the autos when there’s no damn space for it.

I wish someone would teach me how to adjust counts (I primarily cashier but they are having me fill in for awhile in consumables). I'm torn between asking for training (just because I care) and not asking because I don't want them to think I like consumables. I had a small amount of stuff to stock and tons of it was backstock.

 

[Ringwraith917]

In the mydevice, in mywork. Scan an item. Tap manage inventory. Under the location (example: E14 (4) 2-1-3) the capacity is shown as "6 fit" or whatever the actual number is. Tap that number. Enter whatever it should be, hit enter.

 

[BackroomBear]

My favorite is in the cereal aisle at my local grocery store when they stock the top shelf of cereal standing normal, THEN lay down the additional boxes 5-10 high on top. I’m 6’ 4” and cant reach those so clearly other shoppers won’t get them and won’t be able to take the boxes below the stack

 

[buliSBI]

If you can reasonably set or slide one or two product items on top of the rest to empty a box. Then yes.

If you are going to have a half a repack to backstock anyway then why overstock.
If the extra product will obviously tip off the shelf or get damaged, then back stock.

 

[Ringwraith917]

They should allow the research and audit apps to adjust floor counts above capacity. It would save work when someone overstocks. Just let it sell back to below normal before restocking it.

 

[Thunderbird1956]

When in doubt bulk it out. It doesn’t sell in the back room.

It also doesn’t sell when people flex and never manage their flex. I flexed product we had a lot of in back on an empty main aisle, it wasn’t my secrion but I had time and it had been bothering me. It stayed as flex for 6 months. The TL for that department never set the Sales Planner for that endcap on a main aisle for 6 months! Because the capacities were not in the system people would fill the endcap and not the primary location that was not on the main aisle. The hardlines ETL eventually put up prices after about 3 months.

The Sales Planner sit in the backroom for 6 months and eventually went salvage.

You can’t sell what is in your backroom, but if you’re flexing a lot and someone fills a hole sometimes that hole stays filled while other things go salvage.

 

[TM2]

I overpush hard in seasonal, but when we're selling hundreds of bags of Cadbury eggs a day and the capacity Corp wants is 48, I think it makes sense...

 

[qmosqueen]

I overpush hard in seasonal, but when we're selling hundreds of bags of Cadbury eggs a day and the capacity Corp wants is 48, I think it makes sense...

Same with food. My head lettuce capacity is 10 but my guest won’t buy any with 10 there. I put the whole case out which is 30. Now with more to choose from we are selling 20 head lettuces a day.

 

[FredPanda3]

Speaking for soft lines we're normally only supposed to put 2 of each size but last quarter when I was helping out with truck I over pushed and maybe did three or four per size in infants and in girls because stuff was flying off the shelves, especially in infants. When stuff isn't selling that fast, overpushed things in soft lines can look really bad and it makes it much harder to zone.