CliffordK
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2013
- Messages
- 2,109
- Location
- Eugene, Oregon
- Tractor
- Toro D200, Ford 1715, International 884,
The big thing with many businesses is that inventory is expensive (although I imagine shipping and pulling small orders is also expensive). So the new idea is "just in time". Estimate sales, and get replacement items in just as the item leaves the store.
Anyway, for many items the stores will stock ONE of each item. Then when it sells, they suddenly find they have zero.
It drives me crazy when I go to a store and they have an empty spot where the item I'm looking for should be.
Or, I got to a small local hardware store in Napa Idaho. I knew that I would need several grinding wheels for a project that I was working on, and I normally like to buy a couple anyway so I don't have to repeatedly head back to the store. The had ONE grinding wheel of each size.
Last year I needed a pair of drive belts for my lawn tractor. I got into the auto parts store, and each store had one belt, so they directed me to the another store in town to pick up the second belt that I needed.
I'm looking at my new mower that takes a matched set of 4 belts, and thinking I don't want to go to 4 stores to pick them up if they should ever break and I find myself in a pinch in the middle of the field.
I suppose I should hang out more in big tractor supply stores, but then the markups can be pretty outrageous and most of them are in the wrong side of town.
I just think stores need to think more about types of inventory. So they should adjust their stock for items that may not sell quickly, but customers are likely to purchase several at a time. It would be like stocking one of each size of nail, and thinking they would keep the customers happy.
Rant Over.... :yuck:
Anyway, for many items the stores will stock ONE of each item. Then when it sells, they suddenly find they have zero.
It drives me crazy when I go to a store and they have an empty spot where the item I'm looking for should be.
Or, I got to a small local hardware store in Napa Idaho. I knew that I would need several grinding wheels for a project that I was working on, and I normally like to buy a couple anyway so I don't have to repeatedly head back to the store. The had ONE grinding wheel of each size.
Last year I needed a pair of drive belts for my lawn tractor. I got into the auto parts store, and each store had one belt, so they directed me to the another store in town to pick up the second belt that I needed.
I'm looking at my new mower that takes a matched set of 4 belts, and thinking I don't want to go to 4 stores to pick them up if they should ever break and I find myself in a pinch in the middle of the field.
I suppose I should hang out more in big tractor supply stores, but then the markups can be pretty outrageous and most of them are in the wrong side of town.
I just think stores need to think more about types of inventory. So they should adjust their stock for items that may not sell quickly, but customers are likely to purchase several at a time. It would be like stocking one of each size of nail, and thinking they would keep the customers happy.
Rant Over.... :yuck: