Archived What does your store do with hanging overstock for softlines?

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Hey all

I would just like to say that I am very frustrated, as we are getting too much hanging product for infants (anyone want me to transfer some). For example they sent more than enough of the one dress on Wednesday to fill the floor and then sent some amount again today. I have been told that there is to be NO backstock and to flex it out. Today I thought my new supervisor gave me the okay to hang in the back, but I guess that was not the case (I think he is okay with it, but others in our store are not). In any event he ended up taking the heat for that one ( I did thank him for that one). Really don't know what to do, as there is no room for any more product on the floor. This department looks like crap and is not the least bit shoppable. I think I must be getting product for store that is a higher volume (we are a ULV) and has more fixtures to stock this product. I work at one of the smallest GM Target's in the country. We have to get creative as the map we use to set our VA in infants calls for us to have 4 rows of fixtures going back and we only have room for 3. Just wondering what stores do with their hanging overstock for softllines, aside from burning or throwing in the compactor. I guess I can just defect it all out and let the Salvation Army come and get it.

Thanks
AmICrazy (yes I am)
 
We hang it in our softlines stock room. Not in a Waco, but we have rails on the ends of the isles high up where you need a ladder to hang it or get it down. We even have them in the main for 4th quarter where we get stock for the winter coats and pj sets.

Beyond that dig up every fixture you can find and find it. Find out if you can TPC it so it can sell down a bit.
 
My store has this problem going on in infants too. We extended the bars on the racks as far as they will go and everything still doesn't fit.
 
We hang it in our softlines stock room. Not in a Waco, but we have rails on the ends of the isles high up where you need a ladder to hang it or get it down. We even have them in the main for 4th quarter where we get stock for the winter coats and pj sets.

Beyond that dig up every fixture you can find and find it. Find out if you can TPC it so it can sell down a bit.
That is what I did, but was told that was wrong. I think the logistics/backroom people are frustrated, as they don't they don't have any more room for softlines in their aisles, but can't see why it would matter if it is hanging. I am okay with putting up and taking it down.

As far as fixtures, all of mine are on the floor with the exception of the extra face out bars, shoulder hang bars, and so on. Even if had more fixtures there would no room on the floor for them, unless we just want to pack them in, so I no one can even walk in infants.
 
We put anything extra up in the air on racks in light duty. I was told sf would push it out. Sometimes, maybe, but if I put it up, I pay attention when I push and will get it out.
 
Apparently our DTL "said" to "push all to floor". I think it was our previous DTL that said it. Our racks are often jam packed to the point of being messy. We have bars running across the light duty on both sides of our main stockroom. Other than a smattering of fan central hanging up there, it's empty. I'm not entirely sure how/why it got to be like that.

My team (price accuracy) is getting yelled at because our accuracy score sucks. We promptly point our fingers at softlines. Softlines points their fingers to the flow team. I'd like to come up with some sort of idea/plan to help balance everyone out.

Here are a few ideas that I have, but I don't know if they would work or if it's even something that could be done.

  • Locate every fixture on the floor and every bar in the backroom.
  • Store tie everything to match the adjacency.
  • STO the stuff going up with the WAVe and work batches for it to come down.
I just think that if we had a better idea of where things were we could improve our scores a bit.
 
We push it all. Many infant racks are always 3 bars high. No backstock allowed except for the week before Black Friday to get ready for it.
 
We hang it in our softlines stock room. Not in a Waco, but we have rails on the ends of the isles high up where you need a ladder to hang it or get it down. We even have them in the main for 4th quarter where we get stock for the winter coats and pj sets.

Beyond that dig up every fixture you can find and find it. Find out if you can TPC it so it can sell down a bit.
If you tpc it to sell thru it, you risk the dc pushing you more because you're selling thru it quicker than other stores selling it at regular price.
 
^^ true on the TPC, another thought, is you have have a convertible you could add shelves to, and then take a rack of shirts and fold them to give you hanging space? We did that all the time when I worked at old navy.. I'm trying to come up with ideas, while knowing you are really stressing for space, and only really knowing my local stores layouts which are all pretty large.

I wish you luck though..
 
We got 200+ pairs of 18m girls jeans. By which I mean the exactly same DPCI. This is the first time since we opened that we've backstocked hanging softlines.
 
I doubt it, but also not sure. When I push I also think about being a guest. If I can hardly get my fingers on the hanger to get it off the rack, I put 2 or 3 of each size on and hang the rest. You don't need 1o of any size hanging.
 
We got 200+ pairs of 18m girls jeans. By which I mean the exactly same DPCI. This is the first time since we opened that we've backstocked hanging softlines.

Those I would TPC no doubt.

And yes My support things like this, so you can get them marked down, swept back(this only works sometimes) or miracle happens you can swap with another store.

Sweep sometimes they will take it and it comes back the next week as D-code or clearance.
 
Is this something that can be MySupported?

:not sure:
I have been told that is nothing that can be done to reduce the amount of softlines freight coming in. My problems really is that the folks telling us not to backstock anything don't have to work in the area and thus don't the negative affects it causes. I guess I will start at looking to make our racks 3 prongs high. I know we have had visitors (helpers) from other stores come and do this when we are short ELTs. Though it only has stayed that way until they have left.
 
I doubt it, but also not sure. When I push I also think about being a guest. If I can hardly get my fingers on the hanger to get it off the rack, I put 2 or 3 of each size on and hang the rest. You don't need 1o of any size hanging.
Agreed!!!!!!! I have been told in the past to run my department like a business and if you would not do it in your own store (one that you have put your money into) then don't do it here.
 
Each stores softlines hanging used to be given a volume ranking. A, b, c, etc. You could be a C volume store with an A volume softlines. Or an A volume store with a D volume softlines if all your sales are hardlines merch. I have been in a c volume store that's softlines was ranked B. We had it lowered to a D. We had to have DTL support to get that done tho.

I have no idea if this can still be done. The above was 10 years ago when I was an ETL.
 
You are told not to backstock hanging softlines because you CANT backstock it. The system won't allow it.
 
You can physically backstock it without entering it as backstock in the system. We have bars hanging up high for Softlines, in the back, as well as using z-racks for stuff that Softlines TMs pull from the floor.
 
Great News!

Our ETL logistics came today and said he was okay if we backstocked hanging softlines after seeing how much we had. I think his concern was that we were just putting up stuff, rather than working it. Also I guess he wants us to show him what we have before it goes up.
 
In our stockroom, we have hanging rails ( not sure of the tech term) that are located about 12 feet down from the ceiling and run across the ends of the stock room aisles. During the winter months we will BS some hanging softlines and of course with forth quarter you kinda have to. Other than that, it all gets pushed out
 
This drives me crazy! Why can't we locate everything in softlines? In the rest of the store we aren't allowed to pile stuff up the point it's unshoppable. Our racks and tables are so crowded they look terrible! It's impossible to push a cart through most of infant softlines. You have to be brave and determined to shop there. Also we use tiny hangers so the clothes all fall off if you touch anything. Here's a radical idea Spot, what if we merchandised the infant/toddler area in a way that looked inviting? Nah...never mind.
 
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