It really bothers me when a store runs a sale on an item or brand and they don't bother to stock the shelves (throughout the sale) with that product. I went to 2 CVS stores to purchase a hair product that was buy 1, get 1 free this week and each store had only 3 items left on the shelf...all of which were shampoo. Why not order extra products and keep the shelves stocked? The website was also sold out of a lot of stuff. It really annoys me that I had to drive around and still didn't get what I went out for. I ended up getting a rain check, but I think all stores should have plenty of the items on sale that week. Just a rant. Has anyone else noticed this? Are there certain store that are habitual offenders?
Yes, I've noticed it. LIDL and Aldi tend to do that with high ticket items. A few years back, my husband bought a new laptop from Aldi at a really good price. We got to the store before it opened, to be sure of getting one, and there were 4 other people there with the same idea. We snagged ours, but there were only 8 laptops in the display. I asked the assistant if they only put so many out every hour, and she said no, that was their allocation for the day. Five of those laptops went within minutes of the store opening, so there were going to be a lot of dispappointed buyers.
Many stores are like this and it is irritating to the consumer. At least you were able to get a rain check. CVS is famous for this and I never see them having a huge display of a big sale item. I do understand why stores don't stock up. Many times the advertised item is a loss leader. They don't make any money on the item and sometimes loose, but they use it to get you in the store. I personally get irritated when the store doesn't have the special I want.
With the CVS hair product incident, I wonder if shelf clearers are to blame. If someone goes in there with an armload of coupons and takes all the products that are on sale, that's not the store's fault. That's someone being an inconsiderate d-bag.
That is very true. Many tend take advantage of offers like a publicity and eventually, don't renew the stock of products. At least in my country there is an obligation to report the total amount of stock, the closing date of the offer and other details of equal importance. We consumers aren't used to demand our rights. In that case, a simple complaint would be sufficient to condemn the attitude of the seller or the store that takes advantage of the good faith of its customers and speculates on the stock of products. Once they are sanctioned, learn the lesson and not repeat them.
I know it's shelf clearing in some cases. I was kind of glad to see some stores implementing a limit on how many you can buy. I've noticed Kmart doesn't stock what they have on sale. I went for toilet paper the day it went on sale. I could only find one pack. Could just be my store. I'm not sure, bit it's frustrating.
That does get irritating when it does happen. Although, sometimes it's not even the stores fault. People are always looking for great deals after all so I wouldn't be surprised to see customers hoarding the items if there isn't a limit. I've seen it way too many times and I have to agree that those people are really inconsiderate. But luckily, when this has happened to me I've been able to get rain checks on the item so I don't think that my trip was a waste of time.
+1 for Rain Checks, my mom always gets them when she sees an item on special and the store doesn't have stock. I think that the whole strategy is to get the customer in to the store and then use the good ole' bait and switch where the customer comes in to buy something and there is no stock so he walks out with something else that they make more profit on.
Quite a few stores in my location are like this. Its very frustrating, but its always best to get a rain check if possible for the item your trying to purchase.
Such a thing deserves a complaint to the store, about opt adhering to Truth in Advertising laws. It is not right to lure people with fake sales.
I have experienced this at CVS quite a few times. Either they don't have the item in stock, or they don't properly post the sale stickers on the items. There are several CVS in my area, so I have quickly learned which ones have the best stock of items. I also try to get there early on the day the sale begans. I'm big on finding bargains!
When I worked at Walmart, I saw people do that a lot. People will clear the shelf just because it's on sale + they have a coupon, then they'll have a million bottles of conditioner sitting in their house for three years. Stores will also stock a limited amount of things purely to use the sale to draw people in. They don't really care about selling the sale item, they want to get people in there to buy regularly priced things on their way out. It works with a lot of people! It's a pain for the rest of us, and it's ridiculous, but it works as a sales technique.
Most of the stores I visit here in New York City, when I come across this problem. They're nice enough to give me a raincheck. Which basically means the manager signs the coupon with his or her signature. So I can return later and get the item for the sale price. Sometimes, douchey managers don't do this. But I have had that problem less times than more.
This has only happened once to me. I agree that it is quite frustrating to deal with. The fact that you put the effort to come over after learning about the sale, and leaving empty-handed because the store didn't put the effort to get it for you.
It's possible that those products don't sell well at the locations you visited. When drugstores have sales you have to go the very first day or you might miss out. Walgreen's restocks later in the week and you can usually ask after the availability of a product. Sometimes they can even find it for you at another store.
Or maybe they sold out. Sometimes they purposely stock very few of those items so they don't have to give too many discounts.
My local CVS said they don't do rain checks anymore. I guess it defeats the purpose of putting a limited amount of items out, if people can just come back later and get it at the sale price anyway.
Some brands and items are deemed 'too good' for sale. There is a brand I like which is rarely in the sale. The only times it is on sale is in huge sizes and the ugly colours. Ultimately the store loses out because you will take your money elsewhere.
Ugh I hate this the walmart here I have in town does this even when the things aren't on sale they are never stocked for the past 4 months they haven't had half quart milks who goes out of stock that long?
My local supermarket continues to advertise this brand of meat that I was buying for over a year. For the past two weeks I had been going to the store seeing that they didn't have the meat still in stock. I've been told previously in the past that the meat will be shipped later in the week. Well this time I finally ask the butcher where is the Clayton's beef that you have on sale. She tells me that the company refuses to send them. I just receive an advertisement from the supermarket for next week sale that begins Sunday and they still have the meat being advertise for that particular supermarket in that town. It is crazy.
