 | | Slim pickings everwhere (Was: Slim Pickings at Target)
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Of the three TRU stores that I frequent I have seen something this holiday season that I have never seen before. The supply of Lego in the store is way down. Almost no restocks on current sets [1] and the supply of 2000 sets is limited. [2] TRU (...) (25 years ago, 27-Dec-99, to lugnet.market.shopping)
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| | Re: Slim pickings everwhere (Was: Slim Pickings at Target)
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(...) Buy up those Sith Infiltrators at $17.90 apiece--grey bricks and grey plates galore! It's better than a service pack at that price! (Need I add that you get Boba Fett heads too? ;) ) LFB (25 years ago, 27-Dec-99, to lugnet.market.shopping)
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| | Re: Slim pickings everwhere (Was: Slim Pickings at Target)
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Kevin, My outlook on what you have observed... Over the last four months, I have visited a fair number of TRUs seeking old product. The store stock situation (with respect to Lego) varies widely. I believe that there are a number of contributing (...) (25 years ago, 27-Dec-99, to lugnet.market.shopping)
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| | Re: Slim pickings everwhere (Was: Slim Pickings at Target)
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(...) In New York, TRU employs RJIS to do total shelf inventory. After Christmas, RJIS staffs up and dispenses laser scanner belts to college students on break. You sometimes find their data sheets lying about. My experience with TRU is that 3 year (...) (25 years ago, 27-Dec-99, to lugnet.market.theory)
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| | Re: Slim pickings everwhere (Was: Slim Pickings at Target)
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(...) I wonder how that works. Most of the errors I have seen are like this... 1. The computer says we have X stock of Y, but there in none physically there. 2. The computer says we have no stock, but I found some on the shelf. Once or twice, I have (...) (25 years ago, 27-Dec-99, to lugnet.market.theory)
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| | Re: Slim pickings everwhere (Was: Slim Pickings at Target)
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A couple of comments: 1. Most large retail chains these days use inventory forecasting software, such as IBM's INFOREM, that does all sorts of statistical analysis on past sales trends (per SKU, incidentally) to forecast probable sales. These (...) (25 years ago, 27-Dec-99, to lugnet.market.theory)
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| | Re: Slim pickings everwhere (Was: Slim Pickings at Target)
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(...) such (...) are (...) keys (...) Not (...) I have no argument or disagreement with what you say. However, the added twist to this is that whoever does the actual ordering for the large chains (at corporate or warehouse-by-warehouse region) has (...) (25 years ago, 27-Dec-99, to lugnet.market.theory)
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| | Re: Slim pickings everwhere (Was: Slim Pickings at Target)
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Of course, the other snafu is that existing forecasting software works by the SKU, on products that are available over a period long enough to amass a statistical base. This kind of blows the system for new products, which is basically the scenario (...) (25 years ago, 28-Dec-99, to lugnet.market.theory)
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| | Re: Slim pickings everwhere (Was: Slim Pickings at Target)
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Which goes back to what I was saying in the first place, everyone is trying to predict the future and not dealing with what actually happens. No inventory balancing. If Mos Espas sell out in one store, and the store 50 miles away can't move them at (...) (25 years ago, 28-Dec-99, to lugnet.market.theory)
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| | Re: Slim pickings everwhere
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From a profitable sales prospective, the idea of moving product from store to store would seem to work. And if used, would definitely increase the revenue of each participating outlet. From a paperwork or tracking prospecive, it could become as (...) (25 years ago, 28-Dec-99, to lugnet.market.theory)
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| | Re: Slim pickings everwhere
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(...) No! No! Never! Don't say that, they could be listening. <shifty looks> (...) This is true of most of the megastores--even more so now that we're below 4% (!!!) unemployment in many states. The Wal-Mart near my home in NJ can't even find (...) (25 years ago, 29-Dec-99, to lugnet.market.theory)
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| | Re: Slim pickings everwhere
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(...) Yes, *they* are listening :) (...) *sigh* [climbs on small soapbox] The retailers and TLC are cooperative partners in the situation that exists. Each has its own turf and wants to keep it that way. Perhaps Lego product should be thought of as (...) (25 years ago, 29-Dec-99, to lugnet.market.theory)
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