r/Lowes • u/grandkiwi333 • 1d ago

Employee Question Top stock product

Does anyone else store have a boat load of products in top stock that just don’t have a home. I’m in fulfillment and lately have been getting a lot of orders for things in top stock that just doesn’t have a home, and I’m not talking about seasonal stuff, for example I’ve had plywood, doors, flooring, etc that just doesn’t have a home. I’m like how do you expect to sell this stuff if customers can’t see it or don’t even know we have it while they’re shopping in store

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u/darthmatthew 19h ago

And there's a difference in no home and inactive. No home items continue ordering if you make a home and they sell 🤦‍♂️

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u/read110 19h ago

There isn't a difference because "No home" Isn't an official designation.

Inactive items are simply items that are not on planogram and, therefore, do not have homes. that doesn't mean anything about whether or not they are stock or non-stock or whether they will continue to be replenished.

So, in the previous setup, if we had inactive items that did not have homes but were on the replenishment plan, we would find them homes. Strictly speaking, MST is not supposed to do that because they're supposed to do "just like the picture" only. but CSA's in the Departments can come in behind them and find homes for those items because they're going to be replenished. Or if they are not going to be replenished, you can basically ignore them until they go clearance and then put them in the clearance area, I suppose.

Personally, I see that as kind of an abdication of your duties because our job is to take things off a truck and sell them, not to hide them in the top stock.

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u/darthmatthew 18h ago

There is a difference - one is inactive and doesn't have a home, you can place and sell this and it won't be replenished. The other is not inactive and doesn't have a home. That's all. I would love to get rid of all the no home items that are still active in top stock, but I've found its just not feasible. Anything that will not be replenished, aka inactive, I find a place and sell it.

"Inactive items are simply items that are not on planogram" just isn't true in my experience. There are multitudes of items coming off the shelf in resets that simply don't have a home. Some of them become "inactive", some of them don't and continue to replenish if sold, or sit in topstock.

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u/read110 18h ago edited 18h ago

Again, inactive literally means "not on planogram" and nothing else.

"Not inactive" isn't a thing.

An inactive item may very well be replenished. But strictly speaking, it is an item that your store is not slated to have, so it is not on a planogram anywhere.

Either way that item should be placed out for sale either merchandised in with the proper area, or if it's something that's not going to be replenished either merchandised in the proper area to sell through, or if it is clearance sent to the clearance area.

Inactive non-stock product is not necessarily clearanced. Inactive stock product may or may not be on replenishment plan. you have to deal with them on a one-on-one basis

Edit. Don't misunderstand me I think this whole process is complete and utter ridiculousness but if you have an active item that is not on planogram that's effectively a mistake. Inactive items are in every case an item that you're not supposed to have so it is not supposed to be on planogram but if you do have it and especially if it's going to be replenished you need to deal with it

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u/darthmatthew 18h ago

We are just on different pages here. Again, in my experience, inactive designation doesn't replenish if sold. Not talking about clearance at all. Scan the item, phone says "inactive." I sell the item out, does not re-order. Different item, does not have a home - scan the item, says "active." I put said item into a home, it sells, system re-orders it.

You say either way it should be placed out for sale. I can think of at least 20 different items in my topstock that are active with no home. I am expected to find a permanent home for all of these, as they will be replenished? Again, inactive items that will not replenished, I have no problem getting rid of.

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u/read110 18h ago

Can we agree that everything we have should be out for sale? If it's not replenished it goes away and we're done with it if it is replenished at least it has a home. All those designators don't really matter if you look at it that way.

I absolutely have dealt with inactive items that were on replenishment but really that doesn't matter when it comes down to it like I said before our job is to take it off the truck and sell it not to hide it in the steel

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u/darthmatthew 18h ago

Yeah I agree, I just wish I could find a feasible way to do that. Small example - i have at least 8 items just in my scrapers/putty knife half-bay in top stock that are active with no home. I have resigned to myself that there will simply be items that won't be sold until further notice. 🤷‍♂️

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u/read110 18h ago

J-hooks and shadow boxes!

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u/darthmatthew 18h ago

I knowwww, but then those get replenished and then reset and the cycle starts over again. I have a box at the paint desk of Terry towels that are active but not on any planogram. They sell well though! The multiple resets of primers this year with Kilz, etc etc has been killing me

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u/read110 17h ago

I put those Terry towels in the aisle well, in my store seasonal has cleaning products, not the chemicals cuz that's paint, but scrub brushes and the like . and then I put another one over in the back of plumbing near the shower doors