ASDA - empty shelves - is this now the norm?

Frugal_Foxy

I'm not sure what's going on. For the past 4 months or so Asda in Corby hasn't had enough stock and the shelves are empty of many items. It seems that something has happened to cause this but no-one seems to know in store at 'shop level'. The assistants appear to be fed up with it. One assistant said that it doesn't matter what they order, they don't get what they ask for and orders are very often short or don't arrive at all. Members of the public were literally queuing up to complain about empty shelves/no stock. One member of staff told me that they had sent staff home as they had used up their money for the month - even though goods needed to be put on shelves. One assistant yesterday was quite rude (unusual, as they are all usually very, very helpful and polite) when I said the shelf was empty - she said "that's because the item is on offer" - apparently if something is on offer the shelves have a likelihood of being empty.

When I asked to speak to the Manager he wouldn't come down to speak with me. Some other customers said they experienced the same, although I was informed by staff that he is supposed to when specifically requested.

I appreciate Asda appear to have very good prices and have really gone a long way to assisting people on a budget, but is that at the detriment of stock? It seems to make no sense if this is the case because people are then buying the items elsewhere.

Has anyone else any information? Is this countrywide or just Corby?

10past6

Have you spoken to head office?

Dormouse

My local Asda are always out of stock too, so may be a problem everywhere.

Lokolo

I think it depends on the time you go.

I have always done late night shopping when they are stocking everything and never see empty shelves except for bread.

However whenever I have gone late afternoon/early evening half the shelves are empty and I can never find what I want.

frugallass

yep - I went shopping yesterday afternoon (Asda) and noticed a lot of empty shelves - and another thing which really bugs me, is having to unpack/open boxes of fruit/veg/yoghurts etc cos the staff haven't noticed it needs doing.

Frugal_Foxy

Thanks, I haven't spoken to Head Office yet, which I will be doing, I just wanted to hear from you guys first. I've shopped there for a long time at all sorts of different times - in fact I moved there from Tesco because Tesco don't appear to stock anything any more nor do they have any interest in customers at all. I've never known this situation at Asda before - as I said, it was confirmed by staff that it's a fairly new problem at that store.

Thanks, I will see what you guys say and then investigate with HO!
x

Jo_F

When I worked at Asda, most of the stock went out over night, as the deliveries started coming in at teatime. So we worked hard over night putting it all out, with the exception of the bread, as that delivery came in about 7am.

Another thing you find is that they are forever pulling staff off the shopfloor to go queue bust on the checkouts, this is one reason why I always successfully evaded getting checkout trained. If they are on the checkouts, then they are not on the shopfloor.

We also found at our store, that the day shift tried to get away with doing as little as possible, knowing that us on nights would get the stock sorted!

PasturesNew

I've never wanted a job shelf stacking because I didn't think I could cope physically with very demanding work. But whenever I see shelf stackers they are not progressing at all in a speedy, methodical or efficient manner. In fact, often, you can get 2-3 in an aisle just mucking about and chatting.

Maybe the shelf stackers they are employing aren't as conscientious as those of years gone by and they're more prone to chatting and stacking slowly than shelf stackers used to.

Maybe the shelf stackers are just not good enough.

GlasweJen

Most of the "shelf stackers" work through the night when the shop is less busy, this is because we used to get complaints about shelf stackers getting in peoples way.

My store has lots of empty shelves in one area as it's being reserved for Christmas stock, before that it was hallowe'en and before that summer furnishings etc.

Also bear in mind that we can't order an infinite amount of stuff and if you're shopping after its all sold and before it's delivered (usually at night because people don't like lorries going through their towns all day) then you're not going to get the product.

The assistants appear to be fed up with it. One assistant said that it doesn't matter what they order, they don't get what they ask for and orders are very often short or don't arrive at all.

In our store colleagues actually don't order anything, it's all computerised so the computer orders when the stock gets low or we can enter that the stock is low to get more in so i'm not sure what your local stores colleagues mean by this as I was led to believe this is how all stores work now.

When I asked to speak to the Manager he wouldn't come down to speak with me. Some other customers said they experienced the same, although I was informed by staff that he is supposed to when specifically requested.

The store manager is not at your beck and call. They do deal with customers if necessary but that's the role of the customer services team usually. If something else is happening in store like an incident that requires a first aider then the manager has to be there at all times until that person is sent to hospital or returns home or to the shop floor.

jeannieblue

I shop ( or used to) at an Asda's near me after work on a Friday at 6pm.

Empty shelves......... no veg! No offers, as they had sold out and not replenished. I work hard all week and like to get the shop out of the way on my way home, saves me going out on a Saturday. But it is pretty useless as the shelves are so empty. You find alot of others just as frustrated - trawling thru the aisles and seeing nothing...

I now do an online shop for the Saturday morning, which means I get a bit of a break. But am very disappointed on the Friday night, i stop off for fresh bits and inspiration - useless.

Browntoa

sainsbury's "improved" their distribution network a year or so ago and had similar problems, wonder if it's the same thing