Get to know your wine vendors! Let them know what you expect from them and hold them to it. If they have an endcap do NOT let them order to fill it. 3 deep is plenty in most cases. I would do an EXF every Friday to make sure I was full for the weekend. My liquor order was due on Monday. As I wrote the order I did another EXF at the time to fill what was sold on the weekend. I printed out a copy of the labels, put the actual order code on the sheet and used that for orderingnd. Each week I would grab a copy and write in red pen how many I needed and transfer that to the order sheet. I got to know what sold and would never fill the shelf except for top sellers and peak items (Baileys, Jameson for St Paddys, UV blue for back to college weekend, etc) When I ordered I did not want any back stock, I ordered to fill the shelf only. OF course I did have some backstock from casepacks but very little.The EXFs were mainly for wine and what little backstock I did have from liquor staples (Vodka, Scotch, Jose Cuervo) I had a minimum order I needed to place which was never a problem. OUr order came in before the store opened on Tuesdays. I worked it and put the theft devices on the required items. The bottles that went for $50+ I only kept 2 on the shelf and if one was gone I would partner with AP to make sure it sold and didn't "walk" out.
