LIDL - Please stop doing this!

eirator

My wife was queued up outside our local Lidl this moring about 10mins before they opened and there were 18 people in front of her for the Strimmer offer.

When she got inside the shop there were 6 Strimmers for sale and the managers reply when asked why was well its a high value item and we might not sell them all so we don't get many?

I know there is a limited supply of the Special Offer items but ONLY HAVING SIX on sale its taking the p!ss! How many other customers are going to be looking for them later in the day if they could have sold 19 before the shop even opened?

keithclancy

eirator wrote: »

My wife was queued up outside our local Lidl this moring about 10mins before they opened and there were 18 people in front of her for the Strimmer offer.

When she got inside the shop there were 6 Strimmers for sale and the managers reply when asked why was well its a high value item and we might not sell them all so we don't get many?

I know there is a limited supply of the Special Offer items but ONLY HAVING SIX on sale its taking the p!ss! How many other customers are going to be looking for them later in the day if they could have sold 19 before the shop even opened?

The idea is to generate interest to get people in the door and hopefully buy other stuff.

Thought this was wall known already.

saa

Yeah Lidl never stock a vast amount of their larger items in their weekly special, although its been an issue before and if they see a crowd the security gaurd should order the crowd into a line and only let so many in at a time, even the ones who get in when the stock run out may also buy other items so theyre not losing out.

So have you actually contacted lidl or are you hoping they'll see this thread and take heed?

eirator

saa wrote: »

Yeah Lidl never stock a vast amount of their larger items in their weekly special, although its been an issue before and if they see a crowd the security gaurd should order the crowd into a line and only let so many in at a time, even the ones who get in when the stock run out may also buy other items so theyre not losing out.

So have you actually contacted lidl or are you hoping they'll see this thread and take heed?

I won't bother contacting Lidl as I already have several of their standard applogy letters so having told them how I feel in the past with no result this time I'll tell anyone that wants to bother to read this thread.

I understand that they never have much stock of their larger items but there should at least be enough to cover the demand of of those that make the effort to queue up for them and say a days trading otherwise its quite cynical advertising. Just how few can they have in stock and use them as an advertising feature?



No security guard at the Local Lidl

darconio

The wisest thing was done by Aldi once they had a telly in the specials: they were giving a token to whoever was queuing and wanted to buy the item. Once by the till you would have shown the token, paid the amount and given your telly: no more rushing to grab 20 tv and no more disappointment after queuing for 30 minutes

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

A. No point appealing to LIDL to Stop by posting here. :rolleyes:

B. Were you not aware already that this is how LIDL and ALDI operate with their specials?

C. What is the consumer Issue?

dudara

Agreed - there really isn't a Consumer Issue here I'm afraid.

BostonB

Personally I don't bother with these sales (and in other stores) for this reason.

In Ireland the word sale is meaningless for the most part.

eirator

dudara wrote: »

Agreed - there really isn't a Consumer Issue here I'm afraid.

Feel free to close it then. I just think to run the type of advertising campaign that Lidl do each week to attrack customers they should have more stock of their featured items at least enough to statisfy a days demand.

I've queued up for a few specials in the past (it was my wife who did this time) and stock levels of their main featured item have never been that low before.

Mr Whirly

They're probably making a loss on the specials. Sell 6 and you make a smaller loss than if you sell 19. They still attract the same crowd in to the shop regardless of how much stock they have. They're not stupid.

Mr Whirly

Their probably making a loss on the specials. Sell 6 and you make a smaller loss than if you sell 19. They still attract the crowds regardless of how many they shift. They're not stupid.

pleasant Co.

eirator wrote: »

I just think to run the type of advertising campaign that Lidl do each week to attrack customers they should have more stock of their featured items at least enough to statisfy a days demand.

I'm sure on the day they'd love to have enough stock for everybody as they'd make more money, on the flip side of that they'd loathe to have surplus stock of an expensive item that didn't sell.

fishy fishy

if your wife had been one of the first six to queue would you be still complaining.

You said you had some apology letters from lidl sent to you already - so it seems that you know their policy, hence your wife queuing in the first place.

Either get up a little earlier or buy the item in a regular shop if you need it that badly.

What keeps LIDL prices low for EVERYONE is that they don't have a warehouse full of strummers (and other special offers) that they bought thousands of but that nobody wanted.

If you want to shop LiDL, ya gotta do it their way.

mkdon05

Haha, a warehouse full of strummers. For some reason I found that line hilarious. Sorry.

johndoe99

i went to lidl to get the Hand Lawn Aerator, i was waiting outside too. 15 minutes before opening time, i see 3 staff members queued at the checkout inside paying for Strimmers and other items. I get inside to find that there was only 3 aerators left.

Can staff have first choice over customers?

eirator

johndoe99 wrote: »

i went to lidl to get the Hand Lawn Aerator, i was waiting outside too. 15 minutes before opening time, i see 3 staff members queued at the checkout inside paying for Strimmers and other items. I get inside to find that there was only 3 aerators left.

Can staff have first choice over customers?

Thats a question for their Customer Service ask here.

jugger

johndoe99 wrote: »

i went to lidl to get the Hand Lawn Aerator, i was waiting outside too. 15 minutes before opening time, i see 3 staff members queued at the checkout inside paying for Strimmers and other items. I get inside to find that there was only 3 aerators left.

Can staff have first choice over customers?

if staff are buying then there customers that just happen to work there...
not haveing to wait out side is a perk

Procrastastudy

There was a great one in the states when the 360 was launched. Customer's were queuing for upwards of 24 hours and had organised themselves and agrees they'd go in number order - someone had even got some paper and written down numbers and given them to people.

Manager opens the door, first guy hands him his bit of paper explains - managers response "Oh no its first come first served."

I think about $25,000 of damage was done to the store in the ensuing stampede.

While I'm sharing my OT anecdotes two great ones here in Dublin for the Wii launch. A guy outside Dawson St GAME for 24 hours despite the store insisting they'd actually hold one for him for the sheer effort. Wouldn't move despite not a soul arriving to queue with him until a couple of hours before launch.

A guy outside Ilac who queued patiently for almost an hour to get to the till and ask "Whats this queue for?" - "Its for the Wii Sir" - "Oh I don't want one". This wasn't out side this was in the actual shop while they were being sold.

Sometimes I miss customers and the lols.

foggy_lad

eirator wrote: »

My wife was queued up outside our local Lidl this moring about 10mins before they opened and there were 18 people in front of her for the Strimmer offer.

When she got inside the shop there were 6 Strimmers for sale and the managers reply when asked why was well its a high value item and we might not sell them all so we don't get many?

I know there is a limited supply of the Special Offer items but ONLY HAVING SIX on sale its taking the p!ss! How many other customers are going to be looking for them later in the day if they could have sold 19 before the shop even opened?

Other stores will be left with dozens of them unsold!

mike65

Lidl don't do "unsold" they just leave them on sale.

eirator

foggy_lad wrote: »

Other stores will be left with dozens of them unsold!

No, same in at least 3 other stores as I've discovered a few other people that had the same experience with other stores.

eirator

mike65 wrote: »

Lidl don't do "unsold" they just leave them on sale.

Depends, they do sometimes get it totally wrong and take items back off sale how long have they been trying to sell those lazer level things. All the boxes have been on and off display so often now they are in bits.

Guy:Incognito

eirator wrote: »

. All the boxes have been on and off display so often now they are in bits.

They are in bits because of the intelligence level (lack of) of a section of the customer base that, despite them printing a picture of the product on the box, feel they should tear one open and pull it out to have a look for themselves. This is then repeated with 3 or 4 more despite the first one still lieing there in tatters. Loads of times I've gone to get stuff and all thats left is a few of them torn to pieces.

Procrastastudy

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

They are in bits because of the intelligence level (lack of) of a section of the customer base that, despite them printing a picture of the product on the box, feel they should tear one open and pull it out to have a look for themselves. This is then repeated with 3 or 4 more despite the first one still lieing there in tatters. Loads of times I've gone to get stuff and all thats left is a few of them torn to pieces.

People who do this should be made to clean the floor of the shop with a toothbrush. My pet hate as a retailer. Its not as it they just open it carefully to have a look. They tear at it like the monkey people from the begining of 2001: A Space Odyssey - then either pick up and actually buy a different sealed one it more likely reailse the dont want it in the first place.

As my best salesman always used to say: "I hate humans"

P. Breathnach

As I'm not a human, I once asked a sales assistant in a shop to open a box for me so that I could have a look at the product. He managed to tear the box in the process. The product suited, and I decided to buy. In jest, I suggested a discount for the torn packaging: he gave me €10 off a €79 purchase.

Procrastastudy

I'd have given it to you for cost just for asking!

Guy:Incognito

I'd have added a labour charge to the price :-)

Gran Hermano

* Only available while stocks last!

Yawns

eirator wrote: »

I understand that they never have much stock of their larger items but there should at least be enough to cover the demand of of those that make the effort to queue up for them and say a days trading otherwise its quite cynical advertising. Just how few can they have in stock and use them as an advertising feature?
l

If you could tell us all just how in the hell they know how many (if any) people decide that they will make the effort to queue up outside the store before it opens.

If they guess that 50 people will queue up and order 50 strimmers in, then it turns out that 100 people queue up for one. Would you still complain?

6 strimmers is more than enough stock for them to get in because a lot of the time items like that don't sell or don't sell quickly. They don't want a lot of their specials baskets full when it comes around to the next specials a few days later. Get in the low numbers and ship em out fast if they can. Last thing they want is getting in 30 strimmers and then only selling 20 and being left with 10 unsold and taking space.

How many Lidl's are in your area? If it's a small town probably 1. Then a short journey will bring you to another if you really need a special item. If it's a medium town, more than likely 2 lidls. In dublin you're not far from many by bus or car etc. If you try hard enough you'll grab a bargain

Procrastastudy

To be fair they know they're going to sell out. I'm afraid I've still no sympathy though - if you wanted one you should have rolled out of bed earlier. No such thing as a free lunch -and a cheap lunch is always going to be oversubscribed.

mdebets

Yawns wrote: »

If you could tell us all just how in the hell they know how many (if any) people decide that they will make the effort to queue up outside the store before it opens.

If they guess that 50 people will queue up and order 50 strimmers in, then it turns out that 100 people queue up for one. Would you still complain?

It's called market research, and LIDL and ALDI have to be quite good at it, otherwise they would be out of business long ago.

You just have to go to their shops in Germany, to see how it should be done. There they have to stock their special offers for at least 3 days, otherwise they can be fined, unless they have a very good explanation as to why they couldn't have predicted the increased level of interest.