Aldi - incompetence and failure?

geordie_joe

robin58 wrote: »

I usually find if any shop is not run for the benefit of the customer, it is usually a local management issue, eg. not controlling their stock levels.

Do aldi really do that, allow the managers to control the stock level?

In my store, and the big supermarkets in a documentary I watched, it's all done at head office. It's cheaper, and better to have one computer doing it than all the store managers.

The computer has all the info from all stores and can use it to decide which store gets what. e.g. if they don't have enough stock of one item to fully stock all stores it can send more to the stores that sell a lot quickly and less to those that don't.

Similarly, if they have a surplus it can decide which stores to send extra to.

e.g. store A gets 30 items and sells 10 in a week, store B gets 50 and sells all of them in the first 3 days.

So the computer knows to send extra to store B and none to store A the following week. Whereas a manager of store A might order another 10 just to bring his stock level up again.

I can't believe aldi systems are that backward!

judderman62

no such issues with my Aldi or Lidl. Morrisons on other hand often out of stock on all sorts especially fresh bakery section - it's a ******* joke

lofielectronic

Maybe they need to sort out their distribution. We're getting fed up with our local one as there is so much stock and so many pallets being stored in the aisles its impossible to get to the things you want to buy or even pause to browse.

Morrisons certainly carry a lot less stock than they used to which does seem to leave them with empty shelves a lot.

amibovvered

robin58 wrote: »

You will not win on the car parking though. Aldi do not do large car parks like Lidl or the big 4.

Really? I have 4 Aldis that I can get to fairly easily and whilst I agree the car parks are not on the scale of Asda or Tesco etc, they are as large or larger than the 3 Lidls near me.

Sazzie23

Parking and stiock both OK at my local Aldi, do find the attitude off some of the newer younger staff is a bit lacking though, especially if you visit after 8pm.

I do generally walk though as it's free exercise, cheaper, better for environment blah blah ... and I can't carry much due to injury so keeps me to the essentials.

TravellingAbuela

I have been shopping at Aldi since our branch opened 22 years ago. Yes, it has got an awful lot busier in recent years but no way would I class it as providing incompetent service. The car park was extended a few years back and there is now nowhere left to extend to but we can always find a space somewhere. Plus, it's very, very rarely that I find the shelf bare of an item I am wanting. My only complaint would be that it takes me longer to shop there nowadays because it is so much busier but, for the money I save, I am prepared to put up with that.

Feral_Moon

PasturesNew wrote: »

I don't eat many items, so rarely go out shopping, but when I do go out I usually find that one of the 2-3 items I am after is sold out, no matter where I shop.

I went to Lidl the other early evening, for pie, mash and peas. Pies all gone, 90% of entire freezer empty. And this is typical. They often run out of eggs, bread, milk.

Mr T, Sains and other shops are often entirely out of the items I am after too.

It's annoying if you go out for just 3 items and can rarely get them as shops have empty shelves.

Maybe it's only just reached you.

Have never yet experienced a store running out of bread, milk and eggs unless there's a major incident such as bad weather or a public holiday looming. Most times they're trying to sell off bread in the reduced aisles.

AnnieMags

grumbler wrote: »

Now - after my last today's shopping - I am about to vote with my feet.

Not helpful to the debate in hand, I know - just thought I would mention that I think OP meant that he was leaving them, not about to stamp his feet and throw a tantrum, as suggested by another poster.

Mind you, after most supermarket trips, I am ready to do both!

WantToBeSE

Instead of ranting on here, why not write/email/call their head office so that the people who NEED to know, do.


So many people here in England complain to everyone else but the person/people that they need to.

geordie_joe

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Instead of ranting on here, why not write/email/call their head office so that the people who NEED to know, do.

Contacting head office is no guarantee the people who "NEED" to know will get to know. Most times when you contact a company head office you get through to someone who's job it is to deal with the public. They usually haven't got a clue about the company they work for except what is written on their script. If the people in charge of stock and the people in charge of the car parks have not been included in the script then you have wasted your time contacting them.

Also, do you not think aldi already know when their car parks are full and their shelves are empty. So if you were lucky enough to get through to those who "NEED" to know they would probably just think "Tell me something I DON'T KNOW" and ignore you.

WantToBeSE wrote: »

So many people here in England complain to everyone else but the person/people that they need to.

Because complaining to the right people is often impossible and for general things like empty shelves and full car parks you are only telling them something they already know.

I used to work as an IT Manager for a gov dept, and due to outside influences our network used to go down quite regularly. When it did I got dozens of phone calls that went like this.

Hello, is that the IT Manager.......Did you know the network is down?

I'm the IT Manager, of course I know the network is down!

Are you fixing it?

No! I was fixing it but had to stop, to tell you I'm not fixing it because I'm talking to you!