Shelf Clearer (n.)- A shopper who takes an item that is on sale and buys mass quantities of it. Most often to the point where they leave nothing else for the shoppers behind them to buy. 
I have to confess when I first started couponing I use to get 9 or more papers on Sunday! Yes, I said 9! After I saw how many times items ended up being FREE I figured buying them and getting FREE itmes way over paid for my newspaper and that I mine as well stock up. After a few months I settled down and took it down to 4 papers, 1 per person in my home.
I have to confess when I first started couponing I use to get 9 or more papers on Sunday! Yes, I said 9! After I saw how many times items ended up being FREE I figured buying them and getting FREE itmes way over paid for my newspaper and that I mine as well stock up. After a few months I settled down and took it down to 4 papers, 1 per person in my home.When I had 9 papers I was able to buy a TON of sale items. Many times I would walk up to the shelf and I would take everything from the shelf leaving nothing behind for anyone else. My family and I were using the items, but most times not as quickly as I thought we would.
I do remember that being able to stock up in mass quantity took a lot of work on my part. I had to pay attention to the sales, I had to try and get to the store when the store had the items in stock. I spent time clipping my coupons and I was paying for 9 newspaper subscriptions.
Sometimes when you see people walking around the store with the last of the item you wanted in their cart it can be frustrating, but every situation can be unique. I know a ton of readers were frustrated when they couldn't find the .25 Powerade a couple weeks ago because people were buying in in MASS quantities. At one point when I was at my store I saw a family pushing 30 plus carts around full of Powerade. Turns out they were stocking up for a Youth Conference activity. Another mom had probably 4 carts full, turns out she is a foster mom with 9 kids living at her home. Another dad was there buying a ton for the soccer team he coaches.
Yesterday as I read through the comments about the Quaker sale I learned that some Smith's stores were limiting the amount of items you could purchase. I found that interesting, so I wanted to know your thoughts
Do you think stores should limit the amount of items a customer can buy to prevent shelf clearing, or do you like to first come first serve rule?
Weigh in with your thoughts.......
17 comments:
I am usually OK with limits. There is almost always a way around them (having every one in your family get the limit and multiple trips) But mostly I'm OK with them because it gives a slacker like me a chance to get the deals too :)
I think it should be first come first serve. My store was limiting it so I just checked out loaded my van and went for a second time. My store was limiting to 1 $5 off, I only went twice. I am sure that bigger families did it many more times, just causing longer lines. I think the stores should be noticing the rise of coupon shoppers and start ordering larger quatities. Especially when they run great sales like the quaker one.
When an item is available to more customers, the store has more happy customers . Inevitably, as a customer I become upset with the store not able to keep an item in stock not with whomever took all the items. I talked to a Smith's manager about a month ago and she said she knew that customers don't care if one person took it all, they expect to find the item in stock and don't want to return for it. I think it is to the store's advantage to limit quantities because it would definitely cut down on the number of frustrated customers. I remember going to Albies to get the velveeta cups and the entire shelf was cleared, the cashier told me that one customer had filled up her cart with it and they were not getting any more in. Obviously, people that clear shelves have no sense of courtesy and only care about getting a free or dirt cheap item. I thought Kmart was very smart to limit its double coupons, although I would have preferred a higher limit than 5. Limiting quantities per day (easy to do when there is a membership card) allows more people to get deals and as a result the store has more happy customers.
Kat
I really don't think store should put a limit on quantity. If they feel like they should, because they know it is a deal people will take advantage of, why not order more of that item and have more on stock. I feel some store do better about keeping their shelves stocked when good deals are on then others, I wish all the stores could plan ahead and do that.
I think they should limit it because I think a lot of couponers clear the shelves just because they can. I know of a lot of people who get tons of stuff they don't need and then just donate it. Why don't we leave what we don't need at the store for those who do need it? I think there are exceptions, like the youth conference, etc, but for the everyday consumer I think there should be a reasonable limit.
I do think stores should set limits, but not too small of a limit. I don't like when they say you can only buy two, but setting the limit to 10 or something is okay. That way everyone can buy what they need, but nobody is clearing the shelf.
The first thing that comes to mind here is Rite Aid - they have never been fully stocked of anything on sale - I'm always missing out which is so disappointing! BUT, my Walgreens has a rule you can only buy one sale item which is extremely frustrating when you want to buy a couple packages of something important like diapers! So I can see both sides, but I say first come first served, isn't that why they have rain checks, etc? I think stores just need to stock up better (except for that powerade thing, that's just crazy!)
I just think it's rude to clear out the shelves. Yes it's a great deal, but do you really think your family can go through 40 boxes of oatmeal in the next few months? It's just common courtesy to take a few and leave some for others to share in this great deal. We all have our financial difficulties, but that doesn't mean that one family deserves the great deals more than another.
I don't mind a limit. I think it's a little more fair for those of us who are not quite as zealous of couponers. We still want the good deal, but we're not going to camp out the night before so we can buy 100 boxes of cereal for .50 each. Plus I think there aren't tons of reasons for a regular consumer to actually need/use that much. Either way though good sales tend to disappear quickly.
Wow, this is quite the discussion. Sounds like most of us want a limit, but one high enough that we can stock up! It also would be nice if the stores had more on hand! I agree!
Hmmm... tough one. I think a HIGH limit is good. My sister (I'm posting anonymous on this since I'm calling her out, lol) told me she had rounded up a TON of the $3/5 coupons from unused newspapers. I think she wanted to buy around 100 boxes (she has a large family that WILL go through it all). I told her she should probably talk to the manager about special-ordering instead of clearing the shelf. I don't think she took my advice. :-( It is soooo frustrating to feel like you have to COMPETE to get a good deal. It would be nice if no limits were necessary, but a nice, high limit of say 20 boxes in this case becomes almost necessary thanks to rude shoppers. The BEST situation would be if stores would just stock better to begin with when they know they have a hot sale. I've NEVER had a problem at Maceys. They ALWAYS have what I need in stock... even at the end of the sale week.
I have a little boy with cerebral palsy and practically all he eats is oatmeal...everyday sometimes every meal, so for me in this senirio I was glad my store didn't have a limit. However I only buy what I know my family will use within a 3 month period. I think if people really only bought what they will use couponing would be better for everyone!
It's very frustrating to go to a store, (Walgreens) and they never have enough stock regardless if anyone clears the shelves or not. My Walgreens is really unprepared. I can't even get into that one...
I just figure it's the store's responsibility to keep up with the shoppers. If it's a good sale then the manager needs to plan better. I feel the revenues look better at corporate. If people want to clear the shelf it's up to them. I just hope they use they're product wisely.
I have a little one with Autisim and he is a picky eater. Oatmeal is something he eats really well. I checked the expiration dates on the boxes I was buying and they don't expire for 18 months. I figured I should buy enough to last us until then too!
I just wish it didn't mean empty shelves for those of us who want to stock up and use coupons but who aren't out there the first day of the sale. It is frustrating when I've gone back to a store 2, maybe even 3 times during a sale time find the shelves wiped out of the awesome sales/items...maybe the stores I shop at are just too heavily-couponed and filled with college students though...maybe other stores further from my house would have more on their shelves.
Yes they should limit because:
1) more people have the chance to get the sale
2) the "avid" couponers know how to 'get around' the deals with multiple people helping, getting in and out of lines, etc...
3) Not all stores do rain checks anymore so you're out of luck if they don't
4) From a store's point of view, how do they know if an item on sale will merit a higher quantity of the item?
5) a compromise could be that if you would like to go higher than the limit (like the lady with a sister who wanted 100 of the item) they should HAVE to do a special order (that honors coupons/sale/etc.) so that us regular folks can still get the deal...
I agree with both. If their is no limit and the store you shop orders 300-500 of 1 hot item, it doesn't matter if you have 2 or 500. The first person their will buy it all. On the other hand, if their is a limit, the store orders what they feel is a good amount and the people that know how, get around it and still clear the shelves. I like my store that I shop at because they do both. The beginning part of the sales week they have a limit. The last two days of the sales though, it's unlimited. One down side to all of these wonderful coupons are that the store may have a really good sale on an item so they order more. They have no idea though what coupons are out their until the first day of the sale. They get their new stuff on Friday right now and even though they order more, sometimes their warehouse is out of the items. I found that by simply going in and speaking with the person that orders the week before the sale, they can always then get in enough for everyone. Really, their not mind readers or fortune tellers and who wants to end up with 300 extra items that didn't sell as well as they thought. How do they plan ahead when they don't have our plan.
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