But I need THIS one!

[Pixagi]

At my store, we have an issue with the inventory. 20% of it is wrong when looked up in the system's computers and in the computers of the other Circuit Cities. So, we get a lot of customers who come in looking for an item they were told we have in stock or come to to get an item they ordered for pick up and find we don't have it, or, in some rare cases, don't carry it.

Of course, there's also the times when the inventory is correct and the customer simply didn't get here on time. Sucks, but that's life.

In the cases where the inventory was wrong, I offer an apology and explain the situation to them, with an assurance that we're hoping to have the system fixed soon.

Some people, however, like to get pissed at me about it. Yesterday, I had the most dense of these customers:

SC: I'm looking for Memory Stick Pro card for my PSP.
Me: Okay, they're over here -takes customer to PSP rack.-
SC: I need the 4 gig.
Me: Oh, we don't have that over here. Perhaps you can try looking in cameras.
SC: No, I need this one -points to a 2 gig card made by Sandisk-
Me: We don't have that one, but we may have a 4 gig in cameras.
SC: No, I need this one.
Me: But they're the same thing, and the Sony one's are cheaper.
SC: But they're not the ones I saw on line!
Me: They'll work the same, as long as it says Memory Stick Pro or Pro Duo.
SC: But I need the SD one!
Me: Well, we don't appear to have that one in, sir.
SC: But when I checked online the site said you have five!
Me: Well, we could have sold out between then and now, or the site was wrong.
SC: But it said you have five!
Me: Yeah, we've been having problems with that lately, and I'm sorry you came looking for it, but we definitely don't have it.
SC: Check int he warehouse.
Me: We don't have it back there.
SC: How do you know?
Me: We don't keep anything smaller then a desktop computer back there.
SC: Yeah, right.
Me: Sir, I'm serious, we don't keep anything like that up there.
SC: Check anyway.
Me: >< -calls warehouse- We have any memory sticks in the warehouse?
Warehouse: -crickets-
Me: We don't have any.
SC: That's what they told you?
Me: Yes.
SC: -leaves-



Argh...

[BookstoreEscapee]

This is why we were trained never ever tell a customer you have a book unless it is in your hand (with the obvious exception of certain titles that we knew we had up the yingyang). B&N's computers in the stores have a link to see if the nearby stores (usually 5 or 6 of the nearest stores) have an item, but it doesn't tell how many, or if that stock is a customer order - You tell the customer "XX store may have it, would you like me to call and check?" The website doesn't give any indication of store stock, though that doesn't stop people from assuming that if it's on the website that means every store will have it.

[myswtghst]

I never trust the computer stock when I'm looking for an item - example, we got my Christmas present, a leather coat, from Carson's. We had the girl look it up on the computer, then she called around for us to verify that it actually was in stock, which was super of her.

And I *hatehatehate* it when customers don't believe you that, no, you don't have any "in the backroom." I work here, don't you think I know?

[HawaiianShirts]

Pixagi, I think our inventory program is fairly similar to yours. And I hate it, too. While ours is usually correct, it goes down at least twice a week during the busiest times of day, and it only updates itself every four hours. That leads to some of the same customer complaints you've got. I don't think the program's ever suggested I had something I don't carry, though.

The website doesn't give any indication of store stock, though that doesn't stop people from assuming that if it's on the website that means every store will have it.

I get that same assumption from time to time. Our website does give indication of store stock, but only if you click on the "check store availability" option. It's fairly accurate. But the pages that show descriptions of products will say "available in most stores" or "available in store" or "on-line only," depending on the situation. But of course customers don't see that.

One lady came in asking for a Yahoo! DSL modem. Not knowing if Yahoo! even offered a DSL service or modem, I answered: "Sorry, I don't carry those."
Her: Your website said you had them!
Me: Some of our stores might, but not this one. We don't carry equipment for services that are not available here.
Her: But your website said you had it. It said it was available in the stores.
Me: Yahoo! doesn't offer DSL in this area, so this store doesn't have their stuff. It would be a waste of space.
Her: Well, fine. I'll just call your head office and fire somebody for false information.

[smileyeagle1021]

Her: Well, fine. I'll just call your head office and fire somebody for false information.

wait, customers can fire people now... shit, it's a miracle anyone has a job still...
on that fine note every company on the planet has issues with computer inventory... at least once a day i'll get a call from a hotel complaining that we overbooked them... um no, the holidex reservations system overbooked you... if you like i can get you the number for holidex support.

[Kittish]

The closest I've come to having an issue with something like this was when I bought my current computer. I picked out the one I wanted after doing research and price comparisons online, then called the store I was going to to check if they had the specific machine I wanted. Store checked their inventory, said yes, they had one. I went straight over there to get it, but they couldn't find it. I wasn't sucky about it, just waited patiently while an employee (and eventually both managers on duty at the time) turned the store upside down looking for a machine their inventory said was SUPPOSED to be in the store. Some 3 hours later (during which time I waited quietly, reading a book), the manager offered to sell me something comparable for the same sale price since they could NOT locate the machine I had orginally come for. I wound up getting a MUCH better computer for the same price- a somewhat custom gaming system (memory upgrades mostly) that someone had ordered then never picked up. Just goes to prove that being a non-sucky customer pays off!