Pricer and OneStock highlight stock-outs and shelf gaps issues

Shelf gaps continue to pose customer experience (CX) issues for UK shoppers in-store, according to research from electronic shelf labels venture Pricer.

The company surveyed 2,043 UK shoppers and found that 61% are experiencing shelf-gaps and out-of-stocks.

Easy to use light-guided picking system in store helps the picker speed up the picking process, making sure that the right product ends up in the consumer's shopping bag.

Watch the video🎬#clickandcollect #ESL #retail #grocery #picktolight #digitization pic.twitter.com/StCK1BSb4E
— Pricer (@PricerAB) June 22, 2021

Whilst global supply chains have continued to recover from being upended by the coronavirus pandemic, ongoing issues with Brexit are still causing gaps on shelves.

49% of those surveyed said that the prevalence of shelf gaps in-store and stock-outs had got worse since Brexit.

Meanwhile, analysis of over 359,000 e-commerce SKUs across the UK’s leading retailers by OneStock’s Inventory Availability Index showed that, while out-of-stocks had fallen by 8% since the end of lockdown in April, unavailable inventory still makes up 18% of retailers’ ranging.

46% of shoppers would abandon their entire basket and leave the store without buying anything if the item they needed was out-of-stock or not available on the shelf.

And 54% are less likely to continue shopping with a brand or retailer where stock replenishment is often poor.

Duncan Potter, CMO at Pricer, comments: “The growing number and type of store journeys means that consumers’ shopping baskets will be less predictable, which demands a more agile approach to assortment, allocation, replenishment and picking strategies.”

“And that means the shelf has to be able to react quickly and continuously to events triggered by customers, store staff, merchandisers, suppliers and the wider market. “

“Bringing digital capabilities to the shelf-edge can drive operational efficiencies that optimise replenishment and inventory management so that shelf-gaps are reduced and customer experience in the aisle is upheld.”