Making Wal-Mart restock (HS redistribution)

[Hogg]

I can't find wave 6 around here, but the toy manager at Wal-mart made a suggestion. She said if I buy all the wave 5 they have they will have to restock and then I can bring back the wave 5 figures or return them to another store.

My question is this: Will they restock with wave 6?

[netherspirit]

My question is this: Will they restock with wave 6?

Depends on whats in their Distribution WareHouse.

[Hogg]

How does the warehouse thing work? Is there one in each state or reigon? A Wal-Mart a few towns over had some wave 6. Is it likely that they both use the same warehouse and do the warehouses generally keep more than one wave?

[Ryougabot]

I call that method baiting. I have used it successfully on many occasions. The only downside id HS uses the same part numbers for each of the expansions. Emptying the shelves will send a signal to restock, but it is a roll of the dice which wave gets restocked. I have a complete set of wave 5 in my trunk right now waiting for Walmert to restock.

The distribution centers work on a pull system. When the shelf empties, they pull from the back. This makes the back empty and new things need to be shipped from the warehouse. This prevents each store from having too much inventory on the shelves.

The danger of baiting right after the wave comes out is that you have to clear both the shelves and the stockroom to force a new shipment to come in. You could get stuck with a small army trying to make this happen...and it may not even work due to Hasbro's numbering system. Good thing Walmart is good about taking stuff back. The customer service desk workers get real mad when you double their inventory though - watch out when trying this on the same CSR who cares.

[Tony Roman]

I am constantly amazed at the ideas, tricks, and tips that pop up on this site! This community could be a very dangerous tool in the hands of the corrupt. Heroscapers unite!

[SilverBlade]

How does the warehouse thing work? Is there one in each state or reigon? A Wal-Mart a few towns over had some wave 6. Is it likely that they both use the same warehouse and do the warehouses generally keep more than one wave?

Walmart distributes out of Arkansas. There are two possibilites. Marketing directors specifically allocate wave 6 to the stores to capitalize on the hype. Or allocations are auto filled based on inventory levels. I'm with Dollar Tree and we do about a third of our replenishment by direct order and the rest comes automatically.

Problem one: It's hard to justify moving in new product by direct order if your shelves are full of old product so they'll likely wait.

Problem two: Distribution likes to use a FIFO philosophy (First In First Out). They ship the oldest product in the warehouse out first. Each pack has its own SKU (Stock Keeping Unit number) which is used to order by but FIFO may play a part. We're still tring to get product out from a year ago even though we have newer SKUs the stores want more.

[Cavalier]

How does the warehouse thing work? Is there one in each state or reigon? A Wal-Mart a few towns over had some wave 6. Is it likely that they both use the same warehouse and do the warehouses generally keep more than one wave?

Walmart distributes out of Arkansas. There are two possibilites. Marketing directors specifically allocate wave 6 to the stores to capitalize on the hype. Or allocations are auto filled based on inventory levels. I'm with Dollar Tree and we do about a third of our replenishment by direct order and the rest comes automatically.

Problem one: It's hard to justify moving in new product by direct order if your shelves are full of old product so they'll likely wait.

Problem two: Distribution likes to use a FIFO philosophy (First In First Out). they ship the oldest product in the warehouse out first. Each pack has its own SKU (Stock Keeping Unit number) which is used to order by but FIFO may play a part. We're still tring to get product out from a year ago even though the stores don't really want it.

Wal-Mart has several distribution centers nation wide see this link (http://www.walmartfacts.com/wal-mart-distribution-centers.aspx)

[jcb231]

I'm really getting sick of not finding Wave Six, so I've launched an experiment at my nearest WM to try to get it on the shelf. I pass by the store nearly everyday, so it's not a hastle to drop in and check the shelves when something new is expected. Today I finally decided to buy all of the small expansion shelf stock. All of it. I plan on taking it back bit by bit to the two other WMs in my area when my travels take me in those directions. In the meantime, I await a restock. Fingers crossed.

[ricksta2232]

In the interest of the promotion of wave 6.

Go get a rubbermaid tub from the containers isle.

Insert Buku wave 5.

put lid on.

return to container isle.

Who knows, maybe it will work. When it does, return wave 5 to shelves.

[Cavalier]

In the interest of the promotion of wave 6.

Go get a rubbermaid tub from the containers isle.

Insert Buku wave 5.

put lid on.

return to container isle.

Who knows, maybe it will work. When it does, return wave 5 to shelves.nope, doesn't work that way, exactly. The computer system will still show that they are in stock. Any Dept. Manager who zeros out that much inventory is insane.

[jcb231]

Yeah you gotta buy it to trigger a restock. I tested this theory once or twice. :-P

[player_of_volleyball]

i dont kno if this helps but here is wut i kno.......

my uncle and his wife both work a wal-mart distrubtion center in sauton(he is a manger) and he told me that everytime you buy sumthin the scanner keeps note of it and then it sends it to the center where they get the name of the item and then ship it to that wal-mart.

[Cavalier]

i dont kno if this helps but here is wut i kno.......

my uncle and his wife both work a wal-mart distrubtion center in sauton(he is a manger) and he told me that everytime you buy sumthin the scanner keeps note of it and then it sends it to the center where they get the name of the item and then ship it to that wal-mart.That's a little over simplified, but basically correct.

It isn't for every one item purchased. You have acceptable shelf quantities (high and low). When enough of a product sells that it goes below its acceptable low mark, an order is sent to the distribution center for enough product to get it as close as possible to the high mark.

This explaination is also simplified, because also taken into account are things like movement history (how fast an item sells on average) and delivery time.

One may ask how I know this stuff...about 15 years ago I was a Dept Manager at Walmart :oops: :wink:

Of course all of my info is that old, but as far as I can tell nothing has changed that much.

[Hogg]

I'm still thinking of doing this, How long does it generally take for them to restock?

[Dennys]

I work for BRU (TRU's younger brother). If I go under minimum stockage, I can generally count on resupply in under a week to 10 days IF there is room on the truck (based on mandatory push packages and special orders), and the item is in stock at the DC.

If the DC is out of stock then it's anyone's guess.

[deadeyedan42]

[quote="Hogg"]I can't find wave 6 around here, but the toy manager at Wal-mart made a suggestion. She said if I buy all the wave 5 they have they will have to restock and then I can bring back the wave 5 figures or return them to another store.


Smells like :spam: To me.

P.S. not you Hogg, the manager.