A shopper enters the supermarket with a list. They reach the aisle, look for their product, and find an empty space on the shelf. They don't ask, they don't wait, they don't come back tomorrow: they choose another brand or go to another store.

That scene lasts only a few seconds, but the problem behind it began days earlier, far from the point of sale. Ensuring your product arrives on time isn't an operational issue. It's a market issue.

What does your customer do when they can't find you?

Only 15 out of every 100 buyers wait for your product to be restocked. The rest resolve the issue immediately, and almost always at the expense of your brand. This is what the global study by Gruen, Corsten, and Bharadwaj on stockouts in mass consumption found.fountain):

Two out of every three shoppers (who shop at another store, another brand, or don't shop at all) result in a sale that your brand doesn't make. And every time someone tries your competitor, you give them the opportunity to win that customer.

What you lose is more than a sale

An empty shelf costs money on four fronts at the same time:

• Today's sale. The cited study estimates that a retailer loses around 4% of its sales due to stockouts (fountain).
• Customer loyalty. Those who switch brands once may never return.
• Retailer confidence. Retail chains measure the service level of their suppliers. Repeated shortages result in penalties, less shelf space, or fewer orders.
• Investment in promotion. A campaign that brings the customer to the store with no product on the shelf is money working for your competition.

The problem starts before the shelf

The sale is lost at the point of sale, but the failure almost always lies in the supply chain. There are three points where it typically breaks down:

1. Slow reception. Merchandise that arrives at the warehouse but takes hours or days to become available for stocking.
2. Inventory that doesn't add up. Products that appear in the system but are not physically on the shelf, and orders that are shipped incomplete.
3. Uncontrolled distribution. Deliveries to distribution centers outside of the appointment window, poorly planned routes, or lack of visibility on where each order goes.

None of these mistakes are noticeable on the day they happen. They appear later, like a gap in the shelf.

How to keep your product on the shelf

Brands that rarely experience stockouts don't rely on luck. They measure and control every stage:

• Measure the dock to stock. It's the time from when the merchandise arrives at the loading dock until it's ready for shipment. The shorter the lead time, the faster you sell your inventory.
• Have a reliable inventory. Cycle counting and batch traceability to ensure that what the system says is what's on the shelf.
• Keep to delivery appointments. Arriving at the distribution center within the assigned window avoids rejections and rescheduling that empty the shelf.
• Being close to the market. Operating from the region shortens restocking times and allows for a quick response to demand.

Your customer won't wait. Neither should your operation.

At TZ Logística, we deliver your product to distribution centers and points of sale throughout southeastern Mexico, on time and in perfect condition, from Mérida, Cancún, and Villahermosa. We measure and control every stage, from loading dock to shelf, so that when your customer looks for your brand, they find it.

Let's design your operation. Write to us and let's talk about how to get your product on the shelf without shortages.

Sources

• Gruen, Corsten and Bharadwaj (2002), cited in Revista Brasileira de Gestão de Negócios
• Stockout, Wikipedia