The Walmart software monitors each item's level as products are scanned at the register.
There’s still a great deal of physical inventory checking going on at each store. Theft (from customers and employees) at places like Wallmart can be as high as 20%.
There is. Theft is included in overall loss called “shrinkage”.
Physical inventory is required annually for tax preparation. I used to hate to do that in my dad’s store. It was all manual back then. That was in BC; “Before Computers”.
Ah, we still have to do a physical count. Nobody takes the count in your computer systems. You have to PHYSICALLY count them. The only exception is lightweight, high volume components. You can weigh those to get a reasonably accurate count. We just finished physical inventory- almost 2 weeks. Nothing in or out during inventory…
The thing is, regardless of the sophistication of the inventory system and the automatic filling of orders, if people steal product off the shelves or in the back room, the computer never knows it needs to be replenished. The only way you detect inventory shrinkage is by doing a physical count and correct the computer. I’ve never once seen anyone at WM doing a physical verification count. So the new manager simply inherits the numbers from the old manager and unless they catch someone walking off with a TV no one is the wiser. One of the managers from a nearby town admitted they had a terrible theft problem. Who would guess that with their high class clientele?
I Really Believe That At My Local Store Sometimes The Product Is There, In The Back Room, But Staff Can’t Find It.
I’m not sure if it’s procedures not in place or not followed or untrained employees created by endless employee turn-over that’s at fault.
I sometimes will stand in a certain spot in the store near an empty shelf where the product I want is supposed to be (I verify by shelf tag description) and I call the store’s phone number on my cell phone and talk to the service desk. They will page a clerk to my location and that person scans the tag and it reveals inventory in storage. They go hunting and often bring some out. However, it is often aged to very near the “sell by” date.
Merchandise on shelves is not always rotated properly and seems employees will put newer merchandise in front of older stock. I sometime dig toward the back to get the freshest product, especially when buying produce or perishables.
It’s like online shopping while you’re standing there wasting time.
CSA
The weakness in any inventory system is always going to be the human beings involved, whether it’s thieves, bad management, or improperly trained or lazy employees. Or all of the above combined. It always comes down to people. No getting around that one.
Now at Menards, when I needed all of the cabinet pulls the computer said they had but the drawer was empty, it took the girl about 5 minutes to retrieve the two additional boxes from the back. Then she did a hand count to correct the computer that was off by one out of 57. That’s reasonable inventory control. The computer is not always right. When I asked the clerk at WM about the empty peg, he just shrugged his shoulders and hoped I would go away.
Don’t ask about Kmart. They are closing the nearby Kmart so I went there to pick up a set of head phones before they were sold out. Half the store was empty shelve already so they knew months ago before they told employees or the media. Of course any employee seeing shelves not stocked for a couple months should be able to draw their own conclusions. Menards is hiring across the street if they can count.
Overall I think Walmart provides another place for people to shop, so that seems a good thing. But that won’t stop me adding to the list … lol …
Some of the check-out staff don’t seem to be very interested in their job responsibilities. One time while checking out I placed 6 items on that conveyer belt thing. The staff person rang up three of them, and left the other three on the belt. When I got the receipt I pointed out that she forgot to ring up the other three items, still sitting there right in front of her. So she rang up two of them, presented me a second receipt, and left one more still on the belt. It took three receipts to get everything paid for.
I don’t recall sludging being a problem until the crude emission controls of the 70s and 80s raised engine temps.
Walmart provides another place for people to shop so that is a good thing. , I don;t agree much with that statement. Both Walmart and Home Depot have led to a huge net loss in the variety of places to shop. Even online, your selection of goods in many categories is limited to whatever the Chinese factories are turning out.
Now that you bring China up, not to go off course but I ordered some parts for my kerosene heater (made in Ohio). Every part I got with the Ohio logo was made in China. I’m really really sick and tired of it.
Hope you folks that think China is OK caught the 60 minutes show last week. I don’t put a lot of stock in 60 Minutes but their story on the theft US corporate property and unfair competition by them was chilling.
Now that you bring China up, not to go off course but I ordered some parts for my kerosene heater (made in Ohio). Every part I got with the Ohio logo was made in China. I'm really really sick and tired of it.
Complain to the company you buy from. We as consumers can’t buy directly from China. We buy from a company that bought from China.
I try not to buy from China when I can…Not that easy. Especially on a blind item. Then there’s the parts within the product. Some made in US…other parts made in China.
Look out for the new Buick SUV assembled in China then. I don’t have a problem with imports. My Buick Regal was assembled in Windsor, Ontario. Well, OK, I don’t actually consider that an import since the Canadian and US economies are so intertwined. And besides, I’m an includer. I consider the Fords built in Mexico domestics these days.
I don’t think it’s relevant to talk about “imports” vs. “domestics” anymore. With so many vehicles being designed and built in the U.S. under the Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, and other so-called “foreign” names, and with so many so-called “domestic” cars being built in other countries, I think the whole concept of “foreign” and “domestic” cars is obsolete.
As regards the “revenue” argument, while a very small portion of the gross may make its way to be converted into yen, the overwhelming bulk of the revenue goes to the employees, their benefits, suppliers (which may or may not be in the U.S… it’s truly a mix), fixed overhead (buildings, realestate taxes etc.) variable overhead (heat, lights, electricity, water, sewage, etc… and making a car uses a whole lot of electricity. The portion that goes to the employees spreads into the communities for houses, food, utilities, clothing, daycare, etc. etc. Taxes, both state and federal, also get a large chunk of the revenues.
The automotive industry, to its credit, has become one of the most globally integrated industries there is. IMHO there really are no more “domestic” or “foreign” automobiles.
I agree @“the same mountainbike”. That’s was the unwritten intent of my last post. Several global auto manufacturers have assembly plants in China or other low production cost countries, and we should expect to see vehicles imported from them.
Daughter came by for an oil change so we went up to town. Found the Pennzoil Ultra 0w20 at Advanced Auto Parts and it was on sale, sort of. The deal was for a 5 qt jug and a Purolator Boss filter. Regular price for the oil $37.99. Filter runs about $16. Both for $32.99. Seems like a good deal.
Except Purolator doesn’t make a Boss filter for the Toyota Camry. So I selected a PureOne filter, a lower priced filter, but the deal doesn’t work that way. I had to pay the full price for the oil and the filter. OK, angry e-mail to Advanced to follow, except their web site has crashed my computer the three times I went to their site.
It gets worse, after removing the filter cartridge housing, I find the PureOne cartridge does not fit. It has a smaller OD, larger ID and is longer. Went to Walmart and got a Fram. BTW, Walmart still doesn’t have the 0w20 Pennzoil.
There are lots of brands of oil for sale and even house brands are sufficient for normal driving so why are you driving yourself nuts .
"so why are you driving yourself nuts . "
It’s no drive, it’s a short putt.