for example, our current store manager announces when we have received a shipment of food from outside sources, like the U.S..... he also announces when we have something in or out of stock.... If he announces that it's IN stock, it means it's been out of stock for a while.
here is today's announcement:
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Happy to announce that we now have the following in stock:
- Eggs
- Mince (ground beef)
- White/Plain Flour (obtained that tonight/Thursday, should be on the shelf/floor by 10AM Friday)
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Notice, he's not saying 'This just in, New Super Brand Lucky Charms with Wheat Bits!' He's saying eggs, beef, flour .... staple foods that you might be shocked if any grocery store in the U.S. were to run out of.
It's not a commentary on our store, it's just a commentary on our daily life style.
Also notice he had to mention that while it was coming IN STock, that it would take time to put on the shelves.
The reason he did that, was because there may be a mad rush to the store to by flour that isn't ready to be bought yet.... as someone may have seen the truck carrying the flour drive up....
It is not uncommon for word of mouth to carry so quickly that people arrive at the store before the staff is able to put it on the shelves.
"Did you hear, they just got a shipment of white flour in!... let's go, it's Friday, the store is closed all weekend, we should go now!"
OF course management of the store is a difficult task, and it affects everyone who lives here, so it's a highly public task as well. Thankfully we've had good management for a long time now.
Which means I've only heard stories and never lived through them.
Like "the great Detergent Drought of '97 " followed by a story called "The mad rush on detergent" which had the store manager standing over a pallet of laundry soap fending off people telling them 'only 1 bucket per family please!!!!'
Nothing like that has happened in a long while.
