Archived NOP/Backroom problems

[ClearanceMaster]

We have serious problems with NOP, D-Code, Clearance and the likes at our store (I know it's like that at a lot of stores). NOP, usually until it hits 2 pallets full and then they push it. Also, our backroom will absolutely not backstock any NOP.. I usually have to sneak in and backstock a few boxes myself just so a pallet won't spill onto the ground..

Does anyone have methods that work great at their store? Because this is how our store works..

NOP comes off truck, someone writes NOP on box and throws it on a pallet after figuring out it is NOP.

Clearance comes off truck.. Someone writes clearance on box and throws it on same pallet. Doesn't separate anything.. doesn't tell anyone.

Each truck day our pallets are pushed into receiving the night before, then out onto the sales floor during the unload.. after the unload everything is brought back in, completely unorganized. All the pallets I had organized by Clearance, NOP etc. Are now discombobulated and mixed up. Say I have 3 pallets of residual clearance.. one pallet winds up on the front of the line behind vendor wine, the other is crammed down the fire aisle up against the Damn door, and the third pallet is either in receiving pushed up against a dock or if I'm lucky (I never am), on the back of the line.

Also, TMs are throwing new stuff not marked yet, onto our pallets that are already marked ready to be pushed. I freakin hate that!!

I tried talking to our flow TL about when they find out an item is clearance, throwing it on our pull for the day that we stage in light duty.. he said it takes too much time blah blah blah. Yet I am spending 3 times as much time as it would take, sorting through pallets of nonsense each day I'm missing something.

We used to be clean in the backroom until the unload was pushed up to 6am and mytime hit.. now, unless I spend an hour every other day moving, condensing, and sorting pallets.. nobody knows how bad it is. I had an ETL tell me.. oh you only have 2 pallets I saw.. fast forward two hours after I scanned through (and marked stuff 70% from the backroom btw) and put all clearance down the back of the line.. we now have 11 pallets including 4-5 of diapers for our ad next week.. THEN they freak out.. ugh.

Soo.. any solid process for keeping NOP sorted? I recommended just back stocking the crap, and then every other week or so running the detail report and pulling NOP and flexing it. I was shot down.. mostly because our backroom TMs are idiots and think they own the whole backroom, wont let me throw it in the steel, down our seasonal aisle in the backroom on pallets (which is completely barren btw)

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Your back room tl & etl-log need to resolve the issue. Partner with your Plano tl, & etl-Salesfloor to express the concerns to the back room folks. NOP stuff is mostly new product that hasn't dropped into the system, yet.

 

[backroomguy]

Are the items coming off the truck actually scanning NOP or just have no locations on the salesfloor. If it is new product off the truck and actually scanning NOP partner with your plano TL to my support. If you are getting alot of NOP from the salesfloor from old pogs the best way to deal with it is to backstock it and have the backroom TL mysupport it and have it added to a markdown program. It will then pull in the price change batches for the backroom and plano can ticket it.

 

[ClearanceMaster]

We are a smaller, b volume pfresh store.. so we don't get near as much merch as other stores..

Our backroom refuses to backstock any NOP. They have this grand idea that it should be pushed to the floor on endcaps and whatnot. I believe it should be too. But if nobody is being scheduled to do it, why can't we backstock it until
A. We get this new planogram in our store and the need for the product arises
B. It goes clearance
C. Someone runs a report/EXF batch.. idk how it works to pull the NOP from the back and flex it when they have time.

Everytime I bring up the situation everyone gets defensive.. it's only screwing price change.. and nobody cares about price change at our store.

Also, the guy in the bulk side of the backroom is a real ass. He despises price change and will throw crap on top of our pallets of marked clearance, instead of on our pull.. because "price change" is just going to let it sit until it salvages anyway. Hello, I was given 74 hours to do 14,000 tickets. BITE ME you SOB... lol. I know I'm supposed to be pushing too but I honestly cant push 3-4 pallets of clearance a day when im not even given the hours required to mark the dang stuff..

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

You might want talk to your upper mgt on your concerns. Print out your scores as proof.

 

[eleuthreophile]

Can someone please explain the difference between NOP and simply not having salesfloor locations?

 

[TiedAndDropped]

Can someone please explain the difference between NOP and simply not having salesfloor locations?

My understanding is that NOP is not on any current planogram, and not on any future planogram in the works.

Discontinued will never be on any future planogram.

Not sure if an NOP item can ever come back on a plano or not.

 

[Backroom81]

C. Someone runs a report/EXF batch.. idk how it works to pull the NOP from the back and flex it when they have time.

As far as I know, there is no report we can access to look up backroom locations for NOP merchandise. Unless you're designating a special area to backstock NOP items, you're going to forget it's there until it goes clearance.

My understanding is that NOP is not on any current planogram, and not on any future planogram in the works.

Not sure if an NOP item can ever come back on a plano or not.

Pretty much this. NOP items are generally items that have been overlooked by whomever designs planograms for the stores. The merchandise was already bought by corporate and distributed to the stores. They MIGHT come out eventually through a revision but that's depending on if it gets noticed. By sending it to the floor and flexing it in, you can still drive sales for that item while you send it up through MySupport and they hammer out a revision.

 

[ClearanceMaster]

Unless you're designating a special area to backstock NOP items, you're going to forget it's there until it goes clearance.

This is probably the best thing to do right now. If they don't like the idea I'll put a location label on the pallet and really screw them up.. ugh. Can you say Baffle because flow didn't wanna push a lampshade and threw it on the NOP?

The problem is, I know it's supposed to go to the floor before it hits clearance.. but once maybe every 2 or 3 months someone gets scheduled 8 hours to push NOP..

Just the other day it took 2 TMs 5 hours to do the backroom. 2 hours doing the actual pull.. and 3 sorting through crap

 

[Produce Queen]

As far as I know, there is no report we can access to look up backroom locations for NOP merchandise.

Backroom detail report shows NOP items

 

[Backroom81]

As far as I know, there is no report we can access to look up backroom locations for NOP merchandise.

Backroom detail report shows NOP items

Does it let you filter it to only show NOP items or does it just mention that an item is NOP?

 

[backroomguy]

yes you can filter it, select sort by status and it will list most of the discontinued NOP items at the top, you will have to scroll through the report sometimes there are active NOP that is not sorted and will be on different pages. The problem with NOP is that someone will flex it out to the floor then someone else will superzone the aisle and bring the NOP to the backroom, a never ending cycle. The best way to deal with it and get it out of the store is to backstock it and then MySupport it and have it added to a markdown program. That way it will pull in the price change batch for backroom and the pricing team doesn't have to search the salesfloor for NOP items that could be flexed anywhere. The only NOP items that cannot be MySupported are vendor product, video games/accessories, books (will be returned through the MIR process), cds and movies (returned through the return scan process).

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

yes you can filter it, select sort by status and it will list most of the discontinued NOP items at the top, you will have to scroll through the report sometimes there are active NOP that is not sorted and will be on different pages. The problem with NOP is that someone will flex it out to the floor then someone else will superzone the aisle and bring the NOP to the backroom, a never ending cycle. The best way to deal with it and get it out of the store is to backstock it and then MySupport it and have it added to a markdown program. That way it will pull in the price change batch for backroom and the pricing team doesn't have to search the salesfloor for NOP items that could be flexed anywhere. The only NOP items that cannot be MySupported are vendor product, video games/accessories, books (will be returned through the MIR process), cds and movies (returned through the return scan process).

The back room quantity report on workbench in the transition workload tools, will help you get the NOP items. Just select the depts desired & go for it.

 

[ClearanceMaster]

you guys are awesome! Hopefully the backstocking/mysupport will work but my store is so focused on trying to sell the item before it hits clearance i may have to tell them to use the detail report. we only superzone before visits so the constant backstocking thing will not be an issue.

 

[eleuthreophile]

So do other stores flex NOP items onto endcaps or wherever? My store has never done such a thing.

 

[sigma7]

We just stopped that. For about two years we had to have an NOP endcap(s) in each block where you store tied all NOP for those departments. Got a new STL a few weeks ago who was like...these endcaps look like trash...tear them down, send it to the back, and build an actual salesplanner or something that looks better than a hodgepodge, non clearance, 60+ label endcap. I like my new STL.

 

[mrknownothing]

The problem with NOP is that someone will flex it out to the floor then someone else will superzone the aisle and bring the NOP to the backroom, a never ending cycle. The best way to deal with it and get it out of the store is to backstock it and then MySupport it and have it added to a markdown program. That way it will pull in the price change batch for backroom and the pricing team doesn't have to search the salesfloor for NOP items that could be flexed anywhere.

You can also Store Tie the items instead of flexing them. If you use Store Tie, the item is located and gets replenished via the CAFs.

I'm one of those superzone people. I apologize.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Store tie can be seen in the color screen only, not in rf apps.

 

[Bosch]

Store tie can be seen in the color screen only, not in rf apps.

And that would be why every morning I walk in to multiple tubs with PTM clips cause flow uses only RF apps and they toss everything in PTM. I pull all the clips off and grab someone unlucky SOB to resort it all.

 

[Caitlin J]

I have a similar problem with tms putting newly pulled/un ticketed clearance in vehicles that are already ticketed..I spoke to my ETL as well as the overnight execs and tls and it didn't seem to help. So I added it into my routine to clean the clearance staging area once or twice a week depending on workload. If they aren't pushing clearance..try checking the backroom workload early and warn the tls that are responsible for that dept and call it out as its ticketed. I try to keep all clearance organized by TL and the depts they own so there are no excuses.

Invalid/NOF tip: I used a pfresh green rack and 5 sterilite bins (blue, green, yellow worlds, rework, and salvage) to alleviate the amount of items being mixed in with clearance. It seems to make it easier but there will always be tms that don't care and throw merch where ever they want

 

[mrknownothing]

Invalid/NOF tip: I used a pfresh green rack and 5 sterilite bins (blue, green, yellow worlds, rework, and salvage) to alleviate the amount of items being mixed in with clearance. It seems to make it easier but there will always be tms that don't care and throw merch where ever they want

We have a designated tub across from the line for NOF items. When I find NOF items, I scan them in Item Search to see if they're invalid or need SIM tickets. I only leave the invalid items on the NOF tub, and I take the rest to Guest Service so I can print tickets for them.

 

[ClearanceMaster]

Invalid/NOF tip: I used a pfresh green rack and 5 sterilite bins (blue, green, yellow worlds, rework, and salvage) to alleviate the amount of items being mixed in with clearance. It seems to make it easier but there will always be tms that don't care and throw merch where ever they want

We have a designated tub across from the line for NOF items. When I find NOF items, I scan them in Item Search to see if they're invalid or need SIM tickets. I only leave the invalid items on the NOF tub, and I take the rest to Guest Service so I can print tickets for them.

I wish my backroom was as smart as you. Pretty much anything gets thrown on our pull. (barcode unreadable, flow throws crap on it they couldnt/wouldnt push, defective merchandise, online items, clearance already ticketed that someone tried to backstock etc)

We have a tub as well. Half of it is usually backstock (i challenge it first) .. part of it is 72 hr hold that has been hold for like 3 months.. and the other small part we sim, tie barcodes to upcs.. and find dept/class

 

[ClearanceMaster]

I have a similar problem with tms putting newly pulled/un ticketed clearance in vehicles that are already ticketed..I spoke to my ETL as well as the overnight execs and tls and it didn't seem to help. So I added it into my routine to clean the clearance staging area once or twice a week depending on workload. If they aren't pushing clearance..try checking the backroom workload early and warn the tls that are responsible for that dept and call it out as its ticketed. I try to keep all clearance organized by TL and the depts they own so there are no excuses.

Invalid/NOF tip: I used a pfresh green rack and 5 sterilite bins (blue, green, yellow worlds, rework, and salvage) to alleviate the amount of items being mixed in with clearance. It seems to make it easier but there will always be tms that don't care and throw merch where ever they want

Oh hell, i clean our "staging area" twice a week.. Wednesday and Friday usually..but every truck day (M, W, F) it gets thrown somewhere else. Never, ever in the same place twice. Down the fire aisle, up in the steel, crammed in the signing room.. it is so frustrating.. i spend so much time organizing into repack boxes and seperate boxes by blocks (A, B, CD, E,). I stripe the boxes on a pallet or put them on seperate pallets.. but if the backroom gets a wild hair up their butt they "condense" and mix everything up..

I am going to try and find a way to incorporate your nof idea at my store. I dont think i have an extra green rack but may be able to get a rubbermaid rack requisitioned for us.. Thanks!

 

[RetailWorld]

Each fill group in our store has a "NOP" area reserved for upcoming planograms or similar. It gets backstocked with the rest of the truck backstock. Also, most of this stuff comes in with a B indicator....by not backstocking it, the backroom is hurting their numbers

Off the truck CLR just gets thrown on a price change tub. Honestly, I don't see how it's "easier" to hide it on a pallet somewhere.

 

[ClearanceMaster]

Each fill group in our store has a "NOP" area reserved for upcoming planograms or similar. It gets backstocked with the rest of the truck backstock. Also, most of this stuff comes in with a B indicator....by not backstocking it, the backroom is hurting their numbers

Off the truck CLR just gets thrown on a price change tub. Honestly, I don't see how it's "easier" to hide it on a pallet somewhere.

Can you explain more about the "B indicator" and how it is probably hurting our numbers. I feel like i am fighting a losing battle and want to come armed with as much info as possible when i bring it up to our ETL-LOG

Also, how would your store go about flexing out NOP. Would they run the detail report per aisle to find NOP or just walk down the aisle and pull? (My store writes NOP on the boxes). They have good intentions to push but it never gets done in a timely manner.

Our staging area for clearance to be marked is light duty. The staging area for clearance to be pushed is the back of the line. There is a laziness issue and people just throw it on the pallet in the bulk room when it comes off the truck because they dont want to walk to light duty.