Text 9460, 84 rader
Skriven 2014-02-03 17:00:47 av Nancy Backus (1:261/1381.0)
   Kommentar till text 9324 av Dave Drum (1:18/200.0)
Ärende: Re: Tracking Sales
==========================
-=> Quoting Dave Drum to Nancy Backus on 30 Jan 14  07:40:06 <=-

 NB>  DD> It's not just a claim. Grocery stores bigger than Mom & Pop
 NB>  DD> operations have to do it - their profit margins depend on how
 NB>  DD> many stock "turns" they get. If something is not moving off
 NB>  DD> the shelves at a profitable pace it is soon in the remainder
 NB>  DD> bin and not re-ordered. 
 NB>> The sad thing about that, though, is that sometimes something
 NB>> doesn't get reordered when it should, and then, since it isn't on
 NB>> the shelf, the computer just thinks it isn't being bought, as
 NB>> opposed to can't be bought... and then it's done away with, too...

 DD> Other than in boutique-sized places where the staff/owners know the 
 DD> customers/neighbourhood intimately the confusers are a valuable tool -
 DD> albeit, not a perfect tool - for keeping track of sales and ordering. 
 DD> For the most part they do a decent job. And, if something isn't
 DD> moving, it isn't moving. 

I'll agree with the valuable, and even more with the not perfect.  ;) 
What really bugs me about relying on the tool is the product that moved
too fast for them to have restocked properly, so the shelf sits empty
and then, of course, there are NO sales...  and then sometimes it just
never does get reordered...  Admittedly, we are a test market, and
sometimes that is a bigger factor in the suddenly empty shelf... 

 NB>> I've been known to buy some products that I'm interested in having
 NB>> available when I need them, even when I don't really need it yet,
 NB>> just to encourage the store to keep stocking it and having it
 NB>> there...  Although, I do still have some doubts as to the real
 NB>> effectiveness of just my little purchases...  :) 

 DD> Your buying "stock-up" quantities is just going to be a part of the
 DD> sales over time equation that the software uses. It might help,
 DD> it might not be enough to get the product re-ordered.

Oh, I know that...  And my "stock-up" is usually just one item, bought
before I was quite ready to buy otherwise... I just figure it's one more
sale in the stream, sooner than later...  But I still like to kid muself
that it might be helpful in keeping it available...  :)
 
 DD> On a smaller scale, back when I was trucking for a living I made a 
 DD> regular stop at a place north of Indianapolis (they had really good
 DD> food - a rarity and a treasure in a truck stop) and the waitresses
 DD> would always ask "Would you like dessert?" I would always reply "Got
 DD> any rhubarb pie? No, well then just give me the check."
 DD> One evening my waitress didn't even ask - she just slid me a slab of 
 DD> rhubarb pie. Another drive saw it and ordered some. Before she got
 DD> back to get the other guy some pie the whole thing was subscribed. So,
 DD> they began to stock it on a regular basis ... and sold a ton of it.
 
That was a rather dramatic demonstration of the desirability of the
item... ;)  I take it you were regular enough that they would know when
you'd be there, so that your surprise would be fresh and at its best...
:)  

 NB>  DD> It works much the same at Auto Zone (first hand knowledge here)
 NB>  DD> we stock in our store a lot of product for a lot of cars. If
 NB>  DD> the product(s) aren't moving at a pace to justify having them
 NB>  DD> at hand for the casual "off the street" customer they are
 NB>  DD> "recalled to a central warehouse for special order". 

Just bought some rear light bulbs at a local Auto Zone... they had one
package of two bulbs hanging on the display, I'd've bought two packages
had they had them, as I knew I needed probably two bulbs right then, and
wanted to get a package for reserve...

 DD> It's going to be interesting to see which remains open if there is a 
 DD> choice. I know of several towns close by which have an Advance Auto 
 DD> Parts and a Car Quest within a few blocks of each other if not right 
 DD> next door. Someone is going to be at the labour exchange looking for a
 DD> job before it all shakes out.

Probably... since they are now owned by the same outfit...  Around here,
we often have an Advanced Auto and an Auto Zone within doors of each
other, and I know of at least one place where there's a Car Quest right
next door to an Auto Zone...  Of course, we also have Starbucks right
next door to Tim Hortons, McDonald's next to Friendly's, Burger King
next to Five Guys, and so on...  all apparently thriving...  ;)

ttyl         neb

... Always tackle a small problem *before* he grows up...
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