ColtPythonElite
Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2011
- Messages
- 10,477
Quit shopping at Walmart if you don't like how they do business.
Must be nice to have that kind of time on your hands.I just got into 22 a few months back (now I have a Colt, 15-22, and ARX160) so I've been on an ammo hunt for a while.
I've been visiting the ammo case at Walmart for over 20 years - light on groceries this week? Think I'll just cruise by the ammo case and see what's on sale! (remember when ammo used to go on sale?).
Having no luck finding 22, I learned the rules of the Walmart ammo game, and showed up every morning just before the 7am ammo rollout for 8 weeks - got 22 ammo twice in that time.
Ye olde Spidey sense got to tingling, so I went to work - learned how to monitor their inventory, built a spreadsheet (looking for patterns / delivery schedules), etc. Since doing so, I've managed to get all the 22 ammo both I and two friends need in short order, but here are a few things I've found.
1. Was told the 7am ammo rollout policy did not originate with Walmart, but was suggested by LE (home office told me this).
2. 7 out of 10 stores I visit the system works as it's "supposed" to - inventory is tripped as ammo arrives, somewhere past 4pm or so, it goes from the truck to the locked cage in the back (along with guns), and is rolled out at 7am the next morning.
3. At least that's how it's supposed to work - in the other 3 out of 10 stores I visit, I find I have apparently crapped in somebody's sandbox! Ammo shows IN STOCK (did not yesterday, so something tripped inventory), yet no one in the store can find!
4. I've discussed this with Bentonville a couple of times - it has worked its way back down the chain, and I've been called by a few store managers - one has taken action to correct the problem - I steered her to ammo showing IN STOCK, but they haven't had for over 3 weeks when I went looking for it - she corrected the inventory within 2 hours. The rest of the managers are paying lip service to the problem, but are doing nothing about it.
5. One reason some Walmart ammo shipments may be lacking, is I have found many cases where they think they have 20 boxes on hand, but there is none (if they think they have 20 boxes on hand, would it be reordered?).
6. On my last investigation at our local store (there is a lot of ammo stashing for friends / flippers, etc going on), I happened upon the last box of Winchester 333 on the shelf - got home and checked online inventory, and it showed IN STOCK (meaning they have more than 5 boxes on hand). After a couple of hours of no change, I printed the sheet, took it to the store, had a manager use her handheld scanner on the barcode at the empty shelf, and she said they show 7 boxes on hand! After lots of gyrations and movement (but no action), they threw their hands up and said we don't know where it is! I told her it's on the premises "somewhere", and I have no doubt that inventory will update as somebody gets it out of its hiding hole and sells it to friends, etc.
The next morning, it had gone from IN STOCK to LIMITED STOCK, so boxes had been sold. I printed out the sheet, paid 'em another visit, and while at the customer service desk, got the gal to run the code on the printout - she said they showed 4 boxes in stock. I asked to speak to the store manager, and after a 45 minute wait, another flunky was sent instead (not the first time this has happened) - she punched in the code I gave her on her handheld, and reported there was 1 box on hand! I laughed and said in the 45 minutes I've been standing here waiting on you, 3 boxes of the missing ammo have been sold!
She had the gal at the customer service desk check her system, and sho' 'nuff, she now showed only 1 box on hand (she verified to the area manager that when I arrived at the desk, there were 4 on hand)!
Bottom line?
1. There is MUCH more ammo coming into Walmart than you think - it just depends on whether your store is operating per corporate policy (no stashing / hiding / holding ammo, and it's first come, first serve), or whether your store has a rogue employee or more hiding ammo for friends / flippers.
2. Walmart may not be ordering some ammo, as they think they have X number of boxes on hand, but do not. I find this most often with smaller (easily stolen?) boxes. I have pointed out to our local store on more than one occasion that they show ammo in stock, yet the shelf is bare and has been for some time - so far no one has been interested in correcting the inventory.
BTW - I actually caught one local employee bringing ammo from the back (no 223 in the case, was told there was none) - I could tell she knew the gentleman she was yakkin' with, and I overheard her tell him "give me just a minute".
Instead of leaving, I hung around the next aisle, and every 30 seconds or so, I made a pass by the ammo aisle and glanced down the aisle to see what was going on. On about the third pass, I saw her locking the ammo case - she had placed one box of 223 in the case, and was selling the 3-box limit to her buddy (remember, there was NO 223 in the case, and I asked).
I also went in one morning @ 7am after an inventory trip - same gal asked me what I was after - I flipped open my printout, and she reached under the counter and produced 3 boxes of Federal AutoMatch.
Both corporate and local management have told me it is against company policy to store ammo ANYWHERE but in the locked cage in the warehouse, or the ammo case.
Wonder how many times you folks have gone by your local Walmart's ammo case, didn't see anything there, and thought they were out?
BTW II - some of the BS I've been told is also stuff like "well, the inventory system doesn't update 'til (insert various times here)", but on numerous occasions, I've bought ammo, immediately come home, and the inventory has updated. As such, I'm assuming the inventory updates as they ring you up at the register!
If they're "losing" inventory, how are they handling the Federal Excise Tax on ammunition?
Have to admit I was thinking the same thing.How is it possible to know how to use emoticons but not know how to use punctuation?
I hate to nitpick , but +1 ^^^^How is it possible to know how to use emoticons but not know how to use punctuation?
Yeah, I get that a lot - it's amazing how simply asking questions can immediately put folks on the defensive, whereupon they launch into ad hominem attacks in an effort to throw you off track.I just hate when some cranky old retired person...
I haven't figured it all out yet, but I'm 95% there....who has no clue how our inventory works...
If you had read a little more closely (I know, it's difficult to see through the red mist sometimes) you'd have known that the spreadsheet is totally mine, based on my actual experiences - the data in it has nothing to do with what's on Walmart's or anyone else's site....and thinks a magical spreadsheet will find every box of ammo we supposedly keep from him.
Tried that - backorders on 22 are running around 8 months according the best site I could find.Exactly, maybe the OP should spend as much time just placing an order online...
Got a way to go before I have to worry 'bout that....the gas he saves will help pay his Medicare part B expenses
Conspiracy?What I am not fine with is you insinuating that there is some Walmart ammo conspiracy to keep you from getting ammo.
Again with the spreadsheet...for the third (and final) time, the "spreadsheet" has nothing to do with Walmart data, info, etc - it's simply something I tossed together to watch for patterns, delivery schedules, etc.I am not fine with the fact that you attack my place of work based on what a computer and spreadsheet as I have said the inventory system is wrong...
Once again, I see you're having problems seeing through the red mist.I am sorry you did not foresee this and stock up years ago when ammo was cheaper and more plentiful.
Well you should appreciate me (apology accepted)!Have you stopped and asked yourself how much fun is it to try and do my job when I can't get a thing done because I have people asking me do you have any 22.
Based on my experience, across various stores, I'd put that percentage at closer to 70% of the time.I will make it more clear 99 percent of the time if it ain't in the case we are out.
I guess one person's questions are another person's harassment....So no I do not appreciate being harassed because at this point that is what you are doing to the Walmart's you visit.
Well now I'm cornfused - do you mean not put up with me asking questions, or not putting up with employees not following company procedures?Would any other type of business put up with this I think not.
As stated waaaaaay back, I (and two friends) now have all the ammo we need, and it only took about 3 weeks to do so after we decided we were going to have to get systematic AFA buying ammo.I am sorry you haven't found as much ammo as you would like...
You got that right - it appears the managers are not interested in correcting the problem....but going to my boss and calling home office to whine and complain and that's all it is at this point doesn't help.