MEGATHREAD Signing Tips, Tricks and Quips (along with howls of despair)

[SigningLady]

I mean, conceivably, a low volume store that has several days to work thru inventory may be better positioned than a store that has to immediately turn around and unload back-to-back trailers.

We were in the unenviable position of having to do our annual inventory in the midst of our biggest pushes of xmas. On the day of inventory, I tried to convince WIS that it would be more optimal for me to back-stock the mini first and then let them count than to leave it on pallets and count it. But they insisted that there could be no delays. Subsequently, I strongly question the results of their counting. No way it's accurate. I really don't even see the value of annual inventories unless they can be performed to a standard that would likely be cost-prohibitive to actually execute.

The only way it makes sense to me is if the purpose is to approximate a dollar value of total store assets to within a plus/minus 10% for the purposes of financial reporting to Wall Street.

Anyway, I digress.

Coming from a low volume store, I can assure you, it is not any easier. We too have back-to-back trailers often, barely coming clean enough to unload the next and because we are low volume, we also don't really have the payroll to support any kind of actual efficiency for filling back pallets.

We've been lucky enough to never have to deal with heavy transitions during inventory at least.

 

[Dysprosed]

What you say makes sense. At any volume level, you're always in an uphill battle. It's that way by design, presumably. As I've said in other threads, I mostly blame fulfillment. (DO YOUR OWN DAMN SHOPPING PEOPLE!!!!) But, by necessity to Wall Street, it would probably be that way regardless.


In a different vein, theoretically, what would be the best time of year to do an inventory. I am leaning towards May/June.

 

[SigningLady]

What you say makes sense. At any volume level, you're always in an uphill battle. It's that way by design, presumably. As I've said in other threads, I mostly blame fulfillment. (DO YOUR OWN DAMN SHOPPING PEOPLE!!!!) But, by necessity to Wall Street, it would probably be that way regardless.


In a different vein, theoretically, what would be the best time of year to do an inventory. I am leaning towards May/June.

I'd agree- the end of May or early June. After the BTC stuff arrives but before the BTS stuff arrives.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

I mean, conceivably, a low volume store that has several days to work thru inventory may be better positioned than a store that has to immediately turn around and unload back-to-back trailers.

We were in the unenviable position of having to do our annual inventory in the midst of our biggest pushes of xmas. On the day of inventory, I tried to convince WIS that it would be more optimal for me to back-stock the mini first and then let them count than to leave it on pallets and count it. But they insisted that there could be no delays. Subsequently, I strongly question the results of their counting. No way it's accurate. I really don't even see the value of annual inventories unless they can be performed to a standard that would likely be cost-prohibitive to actually execute.

The only way it makes sense to me is if the purpose is to approximate a dollar value of total store assets to within a plus/minus 10% for the purposes of financial reporting to Wall Street.

Anyway, I digress.

Pretty rare to find a store that doesn’t take at least 6 trucks a week. I know a store that took 3 trucks a week on average and now just 3 years later takes 7 on average. Freight is just different now.

 

[BKop16]

Pretty rare to find a store that doesn’t take at least 6 trucks a week. I know a store that took 3 trucks a week on average and now just 3 years later takes 7 on average. Freight is just different now.

My store is consistently 4. Even when they schedule 5 it's been canceled half the time.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

My store is consistently 4. Even when they schedule 5 it's been canceled half the time.

Definitely out there. Just rare outside of small formats. Plenty of small formats take 3-4 trucks a week.

 

[allnew2]

What about all the blasted holiday wine. We have to take. Jingle Mingle my @@@. Think I'll go to X to calm down.

That jingle never sells . Not even at 70%

 

[allnew2]

My store is consistently 4. Even when they schedule 5 it's been canceled half the time.

Welcome to take some of my 14 we had one cancel just to make it a triple the next day

 

[BKop16]

Welcome to take some of my 14 we had one cancel just to make it a triple the next day

No thanks. Covering inbound as GM2 plus running all of home, seasonal, and mini is enough on 5 truck weeks.

 

[allnew2]

No thanks. Covering inbound as GM2 plus running all of home, seasonal, and mini is enough on 5 truck weeks.

At my store inbound owns all the push except beauty , market , tech and style

 

[BKop16]

At my store inbound owns all the push except beauty , market , tech and style

I meant that being the TL in charge of the operations in those areas. In higher volume stores those areas are split up between multiple leads. Sure I have less freight but I don't have fewer endcaps or aisles to maintain.

 

[allnew2]

I meant that being the TL in charge of the operations in those areas. In higher volume stores those areas are split up between multiple leads. Sure I have less freight but I don't have fewer endcaps or aisles to maintain.

Yeah I get it . I’m amazed at my tls in the store how they complain for their one block that they each own . When they don’t have to worry about the freight or backstock of the freight . Giving we take doubles everyday

 

[Dysprosed]

I have 22 Xmas tree displays. Each display is on POG, but when i key in the actual tree DPCI, only 10 of the trees are on POG, and indeed, i only gave 10. Why don't the trees follow the class 94 convention that displays in other departments use? Is it because they are meant to be sold at full cost later? In that case, why not let them be like TV displays, where the direction is simply to take the display from sellable inventory. The labels for some of the displays have the real DPCI and box number in the description, which is great, but fully a third don't have that information. Why the inconsistency? It's so freaking confusing and irritating...

 

[MrT]

I have 22 Xmas tree displays. Each display is on POG, but when i key in the actual tree DPCI, only 10 of the trees are on POG, and indeed, i only gave 10. Why don't the trees follow the class 94 convention that displays in other departments use? Is it because they are meant to be sold at full cost later? In that case, why not let them be like TV displays, where the direction is simply to take the display from sellable inventory. The labels for some of the displays have the real DPCI and box number in the description, which is great, but fully a third don't have that information. Why the inconsistency? It's so freaking confusing and irritating...

Questions that have been asked every year for as long as spot had been in business. Why even have a box number or have it match up with the last 4 of the dpci.

 

[Dysprosed]

And they only sent me hang tags for like 4 of the trees.. smh

 

[BKop16]

Anyone else have barely any trees left? I know they went big with the promo but the table is empty and I've only got a handful in the backroom. It's November 13th!

 

[Dysprosed]

Anyone else have barely any trees left? I know they went big with the promo but the table is empty and I've only got a handful in the backroom. It's November 13th!

Correct. I purged my trees today and got all of them out of the backroom throughout the day other than box 20.

I also learned that my store was a test store that received far fewer total number of SKUs on our POGs compared to the chain. And yet, received the same number of displays. Suffice to say, I have started selling the displays. On November 13th...

 

[FlowTeamChick]

Pretty rare to find a store that doesn’t take at least 6 trucks a week. I know a store that took 3 trucks a week on average and now just 3 years later takes 7 on average. Freight is just different now.

It's changed a lot. Pre-covid and outside of Q4, we had 3 trucks a week for a low-volume store and even then, some of them were small-ish. Then covid hit and Fulfillment went off the chart. During covid and Q4, we had 7 trucks a week and they were all large. Only the rare double. This year during Q4, it's only 5 a week but still large, probably due to the cost of fuel and DC staffing issues, so the DC wants to send the minimum number of trucks and they're all pretty full.
Our TLs do a pretty good job shuffling TMs around to where the load is especially full so we're almost always clean by the end of the day. Still, Seasonal was a little tricky with so many trees and so much candy to push. Heard a conversation recently about a whole lot of those trees already coming down out of the steel for fulfillment orders.

 

[IceIceBaby]

It's changed a lot. Pre-covid and outside of Q4, we had 3 trucks a week for a low-volume store and even then, some of them were small-ish. Then covid hit and Fulfillment went off the chart. During covid and Q4, we had 7 trucks a week and they were all large. Only the rare double. This year during Q4, it's only 5 a week but still large, probably due to the cost of fuel and DC staffing issues, so the DC wants to send the minimum number of trucks and they're all pretty full.
Our TLs do a pretty good job shuffling TMs around to where the load is especially full so we're almost always clean by the end of the day. Still, Seasonal was a little tricky with so many trees and so much candy to push. Heard a conversation recently about a whole lot of those trees already coming down out of the steel for fulfillment orders.

I was watching a recent interview with Cornell and he mentioned Target investing more in seasonal because it sells well while being conservative on other depts. Maybe that's why seasonal freight was heavier than normal, but than again I say that every year 😂

 

[Dysprosed]

I was watching a recent interview with Cornell and he mentioned Target investing more in seasonal because it sells well while being conservative on other depts. Maybe that's why seasonal freight was heavier than normal, but than again I say that every year 😂

Mini seasonal has been extremely heavy, to the point of obscenity. But I haven't observed regular seasonal being especially heavy in my store. Quite manageable even.

 

[BKop16]

Mini seasonal has been extremely heavy, to the point of obscenity. But I haven't observed regular seasonal being especially heavy in my store. Quite manageable even.

Don't forget the multiple pallets of Halloween cereal salvaged out

 

[vendordontmesswithme]

Mini seasonal has been extremely heavy, to the point of obscenity. But I haven't observed regular seasonal being especially heavy in my store. Quite manageable even.

I can't believe that Nabisco space on the pogs is so small. Each only holds one or maybe 2 cases.

Don't forget the multiple pallets of Halloween cereal salvaged out

Omg we ghave never had an issue selling thur until this year. We salvaged alot of it. Wished I could donated it

 

[nevermind]

Coming from a low volume store, I can assure you, it is not any easier. We too have back-to-back trailers often, barely coming clean enough to unload the next and because we are low volume, we also don't really have the payroll to support any kind of actual efficiency for filling back pallets.

We've been lucky enough to never have to deal with heavy transitions during inventory at least.

.... until next time .....

 

[Dysprosed]

I can't believe that Nabisco space on the pogs is so small. Each only holds one or maybe 2 cases.
Omg we ghave never had an issue selling thur until this year. We salvaged alot of it. Wished I could donated it

A lot of what was pulled from the floor was salvaged. But everything I pulled from the backroom this week, I donated. I pulled it this week because, prior to our annual inventory, all the cereal was baffles. Post-inventory, it showed up in our salvage pulls. Merry Halloween Kiddos! 🤣

 

[FlowTeamChick]

I was watching a recent interview with Cornell and he mentioned Target investing more in seasonal because it sells well while being conservative on other depts. Maybe that's why seasonal freight was heavier than normal, but than again I say that every year 😂

I've noticed recently that my Nutrition & Vitamins back stock space is noticeably less full the last few months (since all the post-Christmas seasonal set sold down). It's a good thing for the most part, because I don't have to defect out expired product like in the past. There were times I was defecting out many boxes of Quest protein bars or whatever, and it wasn't because I wasn't FIFO-ing. Or because they were sending me one box at a time in the repacks. It's more sensible now, getting a whole case (they're not huge) and then another one when there's a box or two left on the shelf. It's easy to FIFO and I'm not defecting out expired product.
So being more conservative in some places is a smart move.
Now if only this could happen more consistently with the meds like allergy pills and antibiotic ointment. The POGS for those areas have the shelf spacing so tight that it's really hard to FIFO in there.