A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Empty shelves during Holiday Shopping
Managers Perplexed by Sales Decline, Employees Point to Self-Inflicted Mistakes
Who doesn't remember the last-minute holiday shopping rush and the inevitable empty shelves? Well, it turns out some of those desolate shelves might not be a result of other shoppers' greed, but rather store management's dubious decisions. In an intriguing tale, retail workers have spilled the beans on what really happens behind the scenes, honestly sharing their daily struggles between keeping customers happy and adhering to management's odd rules.
- The Unpaid Dinner Party: A worker who learned the hard way that they were expected to contribute to an impromptu dinner party, refusing to foot the bill.
- The Unsold Transfer Plan: A spectacularly botched employee transfer scheme when the boss refused to put up a fight, leaving one worker in tears to HR.
- The Bullying Manager: A manager attempting to intimidate a new employee, only to back off when they were outsmarted by detailed documentation.
Holiday shopping: a spectacle of bustling merchandise... or empty shelves?
The not-so-jolly sight of empty store shelves
"I don't believe in deception": a renowned customer service expert's perspective
With millions of people working in retail in the United States alone, navigating the sometimes precarious world of customer service and maintaining the bottom line can be a challenge. In light of the dilemma faced by the retail worker, Bored Panda reached out to customer service and experience expert Shep Hyken to get his insight on the matter.
As Hyken sees it, the employees did what they had to do. "The workers followed the instructions they were given. They informed store management, yet they had their hands tied due to upper management's decisions," Hyken told Bored Panda. "The issue isn't with the general store employees, but with management. Perhaps the store manager could have pleaded the case, including potential consequences, to get upper management's attention."
The customer service expert points out that there are other ways to handle the situation. "Often, upper management and leadership are driven by results. In retail, that means sales and $," explained Hyken. "Instead of asking to fill the shelves with alternative products, specify the potential loss of revenue if no action is taken. What does it cost to have empty shelves? When upper management understands the financial consequences, they may react differently."
Interestingly, the store worker's story brought to light the instruction to leave empty shelves intentionally to create the impression that items had been sold out. We asked Hyken if this was a commonly used tactic in retail...
"I don't believe in deception," he replied. "If there aren't enough products (because something is missing from a delivery from the supplier or manufacturer), change the display to make it look good, rather than leaving an unattractive void on a shelf."
Hyken refers to the promotions as "limited-time offers" (LTOs), which are tied to events, seasons, or other occasions. "It's expected the store might run out of stock," he added. "When done correctly, you can 'train' customers to look out for upcoming sales, giving them an opportunity to get in early on the deal. For the store, they will legitimately run out of stock."
There are numerous holidays and occasions throughout the year, each offering unique opportunities to boost sales. However, Hyken emphasizes, this can only happen if stores provide a positive customer experience.
"If a customer comes into a store to take advantage of advertised holiday or event promotions, only to find the store is constantly out of stock, it's only a matter of time before the customer chooses another store that isn't constantly out of stock," he warned.
The store worker offered more insights in the comments
"Best way to get rid of a dumb policy is to follow it": the buzz - and backlash
It seems that not filling empty lines is a recurring issue, with many workers sharing similar stories.
Poll Question
How do you feel about management's initial rule to not fill empty shelves during events:
It was a poor decision that hurt sales
I understand the intent behind the rule
It made employees' jobs harder
I think it was confusing and counterproductive
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- The customer service expert, Shep Hyken, argues that the situation of empty shelves during holidays might be a result of management's financial decisions, not just customer greed.
- Hyken suggests that stores could use alternative products to fill empty shelves, pointing out that withholding products intentionally to make it seem as if they've sold out can negatively impact the customer experience and sales.
- According to Hyken, the strategy of leaving empty shelves during events such as holidays, often referred to as "limited-time offers" (LTOs), can lead customers to seek other stores offering consistent stock and a positive customer experience.
