OUT-OF-STOCKS

Kroger has both Coke and Pepsi two-liter bottles on sale. Three times in less than a week there was an out-of-stock [OOS ] on the product I was seeking to buy.

Day one had and OOS on the floor.
This situation had me asking a customer service manager to check the back room. Product was found. Two units purchased.

Day two had an OOS on the floor.
This time I ask the manager on duty if he would kindly check the backroom This time there was a store OOS. Since this brand and type was what I wanted I went to another Kroger location less than a mile away. They had it in stock. One unit purchased.

Day three OOS after a partial selection.
Went to the second Kroger that had preferred product in purchase number two. This time my goal was to buy two units as today was the last day of a 4/$5 sale. This time there was only one unit left of the preferred product. Bought that one and also bought a similar product from the other guy.

Consumer Behavior: Sometimes the consumer will...

• Flavor Shift
• Store Shift
• Brand Shift
• Not Buy

The Bottom Line
Coca-Cola, CCE, and Pepsi, PBG, need to do a better job on in stock and availability for their products.



What has been you experience with out-of-stocks on food, beverages and consumer packaged goods products?

What did you do?

WSJ: "Study Suggests Fan Use Cuts SIDS Risk in Babies"

Questions

• Will fan sales increase in the coming days and weeks? Most stores have cut back on fan inventory already [Summer is over].
• Will they be able to respond quickly if demand increases rapidly?
• Will they make signs pointing to where fans are in the store?
• Will they just sent an email to department managers or will store managers work to drive sales of fans?
• What training and information will they provide fro front line employees?
  

Part of the Wall Street Journal article is excerpted below. Full article should be available by clicking on the headline for this post.

Using a fan while a baby is sleeping appears to significantly cut the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, according to new research.

Researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif., compared 185 babies who died from SIDS in 11 California counties between May 1, 1997 and April 30, 2000, with 312 normal infants from similar socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds living in the same counties. Mothers were asked several questions about fan use, pacifier use, room location, sleep surface, the type of covers over the baby, bedding under the infant, room temperature and whether a window was open.

TAKEAWAY: Stores with baby sections should use this new information as a communication opportunity. Deliver actionable and important information to consumers that will respond to it. There are so many lost selling opportunities, it makes zone/district/etc managers sick.

Department managers should consult with category managers on which fans are tops with parents with infants. This might be obvious already. Being proactive is important. Order top selling fans today so weekend sales do not lead to Out-Of-Stocks that kill profits and destroy customer satisfaction.

What are your thoughts on how businesses will/should respond to this new research?