It is. A lot of companies will have their own employees go around and stock, inventory, order and straighten their own product. This way they can ensure their product is getting properly stocked and displayed to their own standards. Frito-Lay is a particularly notable company that sends vendors out so all of their chips (Lays, Ruffles, Doritos, Cheetohs, etc.) are all getting to customers properly.
But there’s a problem with that. If I want Diet Dr Pepper, and the vendors don’t think it’s selling well enough to stock, taking it up with the store is an exercise in futility. “We don’t make those decisions, the vendor does.” And of course, customers have virtually no access to vendors and their input would go directly into the trash anyway.
She’s right. I was a merchandiser for American Greetings card company. I came in and did the card displays. I was paid by AG, not the store. But since I was working many customers asked me where things were. At first I’d tell them I didn’t work for the store, I worked for AG so they needed to find a store employee. Then since this was happening ALL THE TIME I decided to familiarize myself with the store to have a general idea of where things were. I couldn’t tell the exact location but I could tell them approximately where things were.
Vendors shouldn’t be allowed to run stock.
I disagree. When vendors do their own stock it takes some of that load off the regular employees to get their work done so this benefits everyone.
Is that actually a thing?
It is. A lot of companies will have their own employees go around and stock, inventory, order and straighten their own product. This way they can ensure their product is getting properly stocked and displayed to their own standards. Frito-Lay is a particularly notable company that sends vendors out so all of their chips (Lays, Ruffles, Doritos, Cheetohs, etc.) are all getting to customers properly.
Also Coke, Pepsi, 7-up, most beer, companies and Hallmark cards just to name a few more.
But there’s a problem with that. If I want Diet Dr Pepper, and the vendors don’t think it’s selling well enough to stock, taking it up with the store is an exercise in futility. “We don’t make those decisions, the vendor does.” And of course, customers have virtually no access to vendors and their input would go directly into the trash anyway.
“Merchandisers.”
My employer, a liquor distributor, also employs merchandisers.
She’s right. I was a merchandiser for American Greetings card company. I came in and did the card displays. I was paid by AG, not the store. But since I was working many customers asked me where things were. At first I’d tell them I didn’t work for the store, I worked for AG so they needed to find a store employee. Then since this was happening ALL THE TIME I decided to familiarize myself with the store to have a general idea of where things were. I couldn’t tell the exact location but I could tell them approximately where things were.