Detail men replenish stock

Discount Store News, Oct, 1999

BENTONVILLE, ARK., MAY 21,1973

Detail men working for a manufacturer's representative but concentrating solely on Wal-Mart's stores have boosted volumes in some of their lines for that chain by as much as three times.

Under terms to an agreement reached about a year ago, Ernest Hall, the new Orleans-based rep, sends detail men into all Wal-Mart stores to replenish lines. The detailers concentrate only on Wal-Mart units and are responsible for keeping the chain stocked in those lines handled by the rep. Each man visits some five units each week.

"Naturally our volume has increased in those lines handled by these detail men since coverage in those areas is their sole responsibility", the spokesman said. "Volume in their radio lines has tripled since the plan was instituted and our picture-frame volume has nearly doubled."

The spokesman said that no accurate figures have been tabulated so far, but estimated that turnover rates have greatly benefited from the new system. "When your volume improves by three times, your turnover rate has to increase. The boost in volume is related to an increase in turns."

The detail men deal in bulk hard lines with high stockkeeping units and their categories include radios, picture frames, lamps and pictures. Stock replenishment formerly was the responsibility of store employees.

The program was so successful, in fact, that ...

Wal-Mart's drive to become a more efficient distributor of merchandise to consumers in 1973 took the form of using detail men from manufacturer reps who only served the discounter. Ironically, two decades later, this same concern for an efficient distribution operation would take a markedly different tack: the elimination of reps, with Wal-Mart striving to deal only with top manufacturer executives.