Why are supermarkets so bad at managing inventory / adjusting for demand?

[Ichinisan]

Every time I go to Kroger, I try to pick up a couple gallons of distilled water. About 4 out of 5 times, the shelves in the water section are half empty and there is no distilled water available. Only "purified water from a municipal source" or loosely-defined "spring water." When they do have it, they have A LOT of it. Clearly, people buy this stuff up. Perhaps there's one customer that buys it all every time it's there...?

It has been this way for years. You'd think the store would have adjusted by now.

...but it's even worse at Walmart. I've only found distilled water there one time ever. Usually, their water section appears fully-stocked, and there's still no distilled water to be found.

On a side note: Numerous anecdotal experiences with Walmart have convinced me that the store coordinates stock availability for some products to alternate between the name brand product and the store-brand. Soap refills, anti-dandruff shampoo, deluxe macaroni and cheese, nicotine gum, spray surface disinfectant...

[edit]
Just went there again. (Saturday 2015-01-24)

It's supposed to occupy that whole vertical column.

[edit2]
Went there again. (Sunday 2015-01-25)

They re-stocked! ...and it looks like it has been selling extremely fast. I grabbed the last jug from the top shelf.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Could be as much of a stocking problem as anything else. Most grocery stores only stock at night. Many Walmarts are so busy and go through so much product that no matter how hard they try they can't keep the shelves stocked. Best time of day to shop is the late morning, early afternoon. A lot of things are gone by 6PM.

 

[Mayne]

I probably live in the poorest area of Toronto and my "No Frills" supermarket has 12 dollar packs of hamburger. WHO THE FUCK IS BUYING THIS OVERPRICED FUCKING BULLSHIT? Seriously who is buying 18 dollar packs of chicken quarters? there is barely enough in there to feed 2 people.

This is my supermarket i have to deal with.

 

[waffleironhead]

The water is probably stocked by a vendor and not by the store. The regular stockers dont care if the shelf is empty, as its the job of some outside company. They probably have more in back, the vendor just hasnt made it in to refill the shelf.
Have you tried asking someone if they have more in the store?

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Could be as much of a stocking problem as anything else. Most grocery stores only stock at night. Many Walmarts are so busy and go through so much product that no matter how hard they try they can't keep the shelves stocked. Best time of day to shop is the late morning, early afternoon. A lot of things are gone by 6PM.

As you can't sell air, supermarkets are generally quick to react to allocation of space problems by expanding the pack out for items that sell out regularly. For things like water that are bulky you usually put them on a wing in the aisle or drop an entire pallet somewhere to keep from running out.

I'd assume that in this case the problem is that distilled water is a turkey. Almost nobody buys it, spring water and filtered tap waters dominate that section. So a smart store will give as little space as possible to a dead item like that. If there are only 2 customers that buy it and they both shop on the same day the early bird gets the worm and the other gets nothing. And a well run store won't give more space to an item that slow.

 

[KeithTalent]

I totally agree. My only local grocery store constantly runs out of the unsweetened almond milk every single time, but they always have oodles of the sweetened, chocolate, and coconut on hand. Makes zero sense.

KT

 

[BrokenVisage]

KROGER! My son tells me your store stinks!

 

[QueBert]

I probably live in the poorest area of Toronto and my "No Frills" supermarket has 12 dollar packs of hamburger. WHO THE FUCK IS BUYING THIS OVERPRICED FUCKING BULLSHIT? Seriously who is buying 18 dollar packs of chicken quarters? there is barely enough in there to feed 2 people.

This is my supermarket i have to deal with.

Dunno how poor areas in Toronto are compared to the states. But I use to live in the ghetto and the one small super market charged an arm and a leg for everything. Ramen noodles are usually 6-10 for a buck, 25 cents each tops at a normal store. There they were $1.49. They knew they could change that much because the people in the area mostly didn't have cars so they couldn't go 5 miles to the store that doesn't fuck you in the ass. Nothing like paying $3.00 for a 12oz can of coke and a single package of Ramen lol.

 

[Ichinisan]

As you can't sell air, supermarkets are generally quick to react to allocation of space problems by expanding the pack out for items that sell out regularly. For things like water that are bulky you usually put them on a wing in the aisle or drop an entire pallet somewhere to keep from running out.

I'd assume that in this case the problem is that distilled water is a turkey. Almost nobody buys it, spring water and filtered tap waters dominate that section. So a smart store will give as little space as possible to a dead item like that. If there are only 2 customers that buy it and they both shop on the same day the early bird gets the worm and the other gets nothing. And a well run store won't give more space to an item that slow.

Quite the opposite. It looks to me like it occupies a significant amount of shelf space and sells out consistently -- leaving a lot of empty space on the shelves. The proper response would be to allocate even more shelf space to that product to satiate demand or replenish stock more frequently.

As I said, this has been going on for many years since I noticed.

 

[rsbennett00]

For all of you not able to get your things: Can't you talk to the store and have them either hold the things you need or deliver them when restocked? Wouldn't help in an emergency but it's probably within 24 hours that you'd have what you need.

 

[Engineer]

http://business.time.com/2013/04/09/the-trouble-lurking-on-walmarts-empty-shelves/

cut....cut....cut....cut....oh shit, our shelves are empty!

 

[xaeniac]

1st world problem?

 

[Carson Dyle]

The proper response would be to allocate even more shelf space to that product to satiate demand or replenish stock more frequently.

Shelf space is finite. I can't imagine that the margin per square foot of shelf space on 89 cent jugs of water is all that much. Probably 1/10th that of a loaf of bread or a jar of spaghetti sauce. And if they only stock that area of the store once per day, stocking more often simply may not be an option.

 

[ponyo]

You should open a store next door that only sells distilled water.

 

[TallBill]

Yet you keep going back

 

[Mayne]

you guys have no fucking clue what shit supermarkets are like. makes me sad

 

[KeithTalent]

you guys have no fucking clue what shit supermarkets are like. makes me sad

Meh, the 24 hour Metro I have to use is a piece of shit. Would gladly go elsewhere if I could.

KT

 

[Mayne]

Meh, the 24 hour Metro I have to use is a piece of shit. Would gladly go elsewhere if I could.

KT

come to st. clair and vp no frills...the worst of the worst. I actually walked up to metro on danforth just so i could experience wide open aisles ..ended up saving no money and had to walk back with 2 bags of groceries and 12 tallboys...i thought i was going to die.

 

[KeithTalent]

come to st. clair and vp no frills...the worst of the worst. I actually walked up to metro on danforth just so i could experience wide open aisles ..ended up saving no money and had to walk back with 2 bags of groceries and 12 tallboys...i thought i was going to die.

There's a No Frills down the street, but I have not gone into it yet. Maybe it would be worse, but the Metro is pretty craptastic. :hmm:

KT

 

[Mayne]

There's a No Frills down the street, but I have not gone into it yet. Maybe it would be worse, but the Metro is pretty craptastic. :hmm:

KT

just be thankful is all I can say.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Who the hell buys distilled water on a regular basis?

 

[rsbennett00]

Who the hell buys distilled water on a regular basis?

Who doesn't? Perhaps those with in home water purification machines. For those of us without, what else are we supposed to do?

 

[Carson Dyle]

Who doesn't? Perhaps those with in home water purification machines. For those of us without, what else are we supposed to do?

I buy drinking water by the gallon jug, but not distilled, which tastes like ass.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Who doesn't? Perhaps those with in home water purification machines. For those of us without, what else are we supposed to do?

Very few people on earth buy distilled water, it sells like dogshit pretty much everywhere. It doesn't have any real place in the world anymore. It used to be bought by garages to service open-cell car batteries and little old ladies to use in steam irons. Nowadays, I think hardcare aquarium guys use it and that's about it.

 

[CPA]

Quite the opposite. It looks to me like it occupies a significant amount of shelf space and sells out consistently -- leaving a lot of empty space on the shelves. The proper response would be to allocate even more shelf space to that product to satiate demand or replenish stock more frequently.

As I said, this has been going on for many years since I noticed.

Or to raise prices.