Tesco Lotus.....out of stock dilemma

[xylophone]

On many occasions I have wandered into the Tesco Lotus store in Phuket town looking for two of my favourite wines, the Muscat de Valencia and the Late Bottled Vintage Port, but to no avail as they haven't been in stock for some time.

 

So I ordered them online, twice over the past three or four months and just hours before I have been due to pick them up, I have been informed via sms that they are out of stock.

 

I have also gotten onto the Tesco Lotus website and tried to send them a message via their "Contact" page, but after filling out all of the details, there is a problem with the page, because it will not "submit/send".

 

So does anyone have any ideas as to how I could talk to someone who understands English and what I'm trying to investigate, i.e. when is the stock coming in?

 

Any ideas welcome.

[timendres]

Tesco manages stock like a newbie manages bargirls.

I seriously doubt there is a solution to your problem.

[Psimbo]

Stand by for Incoming about the Tescos in Nakon Nowhere- you forgot to put 'Phuket ' in the title even though its in the Phuket Forum, ????

 

I don't think you would get far with the call centers/online contacts- I would be tempted to go to the Customer Services Desk at the big Lotus on the bypass or see if you can seek out the department manager. Check out Supercheap or Villa for Port alternatives (or your go to place on Chao Fa road)

 

Stock control in all the big supermarkets seems to be inconsistent- Makro is bad for it as well. There seems to be a different concept to demand and supply.

Edited November 6, 2019 by Psimbo

[xylophone]

20 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

Stand by for Incoming about the Tescos in Nakon Nowhere- you forgot to put 'Phuket ' in the title even though its in the Phuket Forum, ????

 

I don't think you would get far with the call centers/online contacts- I would be tempted to go to the Customer Services Desk at the big Lotus on the bypass or see if you can seek out the department manager. Check out Supercheap or Villa for Port alternatives (or your go to place on Chao Fa road)

 

Stock control in all the big supermarkets seems to be inconsistent- Makro is bad for it as well. There seems to be a different concept to demand and supply.

Well I have to say Psimbo, that if a Tesco store in Nakon Nowhere had some in stock, I'd probably drive there to get all that they had!!

 

Seriously though, you are right about the stock control in department stores here, because it is absolutely archaic, yet there are so many stock control programs out there, specifically designed for fast moving goods/supermarkets, that it's a wonder these folks haven't installed one?

 

Been to the customer services desk at the big Tesco Lotus on the bypass, and their reaction is to ask you to write down the name of the product, then they get into the computer in front of them and tell you........ "no hab". And asking when any will be coming in stock, you get a blank look.

 

There are a couple of Port alternatives (as you have mentioned) but they are nowhere near the quality of the stuff that Tesco had in stock, and as for the sweet white wine, well.......

 

I was rather hoping that someone would have an English speaking contact here or in Bangkok or even elsewhere whom I could contact? Nevertheless, all suggestions I welcome.....

[Matzzon]

As I understand, you have some favorites. Not sure these places can help you with that, but they sure have a large selection where everyone can find good wine that they like. ???? 
https://www.wineconnection.co.th/buy-wine-online.html

 

https://shoponline.villamarket.com/shop-online/alcohol/wine

 

https://th.wine-now.asia/?___store=en&___from_store=th

 

https://www.wishbeer.com/en/lp/9-wine-lover

They all deliver quick and directly to home. ???? I´ve used them many times, as I love a good bottle of wine. 

[DrDave]

@xylophone I completely understand your frustration! The same has happened to me several times at large retailers in the US as well.  The problem is that there are many reasons why a product would appear to be in-stock online, but not available in the store. Pilferage and breakage are the most common, while there can be errors in logging in shipments, missing items in deliveries and not updating central (online) databases in a timely manner. That's part of the reason large retailers need to do periodic physical inventories.

When we owned a retail business, I built my own POS and store management system, which included inventory management. Our online (cloud) database was updated each day at close of business so that inventory visible to customers would be accurate at the beginning of the next day, but throughout the day.

 

I'd like to think that a large retail operation such as Tesco/Lotus has a sophisticated inventory management and supply chain system in place. Most likely, the full functionality of such a system may be available only to procurement employees at the company headquarters, which would explain the local store employee's inability to provide any sort of expected in-stock date.

[xylophone]

On 11/6/2019 at 1:35 PM, Matzzon said:

As I understand, you have some favorites. Not sure these places can help you with that, but they sure have a large selection where everyone can find good wine that they like. ???? 
https://www.wineconnection.co.th/buy-wine-online.html

 

https://shoponline.villamarket.com/shop-online/alcohol/wine

 

https://th.wine-now.asia/?___store=en&___from_store=th

 

https://www.wishbeer.com/en/lp/9-wine-lover

They all deliver quick and directly to home. ???? I´ve used them many times, as I love a good bottle of wine. 

Thank you very much Matzzon for taking the time to list some online places from which to buy wine, very kind of you and much appreciated.

 

I'd have visited the Wine Connection and Villa Market stores on a regular basis and to be honest I'm not that impressed with their prices, this especially as I can buy wines from a local small "supermarket type store" here for up to 20% cheaper. Not only that, Wine Connection have lost their competitive edge, with some quite hefty price increases on average wines, but that is not surprising because they kicked off here by offering wines much cheaper than other stores could, but they were cleverly disguised fruit wines, created in Vietnam, but now I believe that most people are wise to this.

 

What I have done is to give you a link to a supplier here from whom I buy quite a bit of wine (but unfortunately do not have the ones I am looking for) and they have agents and representatives in Pattaya, Phuket (Raya is the ladies name), Samui, Hua Hin and Chiang Mai and they will deliver.

 

At the end of their quite extensive wine list they have what they call "entry-level wines" which some folk might be interested in trying, and indeed at one time I bought perhaps a total of 200 bottles of one particular wine, because for the price it was quite spectacular and it served as my everyday "drinker".

 

Anyway here goes..........

 

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/8fdef1daf56a7e578e11b0ca2/files/e2127937-4daf-4370-81a4-09fea82178fc/Vinum_Lector_Private_Price_List.01.pdf    

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, xylophone said:

Thank you very much Matzzon for taking the time to list some online places from which to buy wine, very kind of you and much appreciated.

 

I'd have visited the Wine Connection and Villa Market stores on a regular basis and to be honest I'm not that impressed with their prices, this especially as I can buy wines from a local small "supermarket type store" here for up to 20% cheaper. Not only that, Wine Connection have lost their competitive edge, with some quite hefty price increases on average wines, but that is not surprising because they kicked off here by offering wines much cheaper than other stores could, but they were cleverly disguised fruit wines, created in Vietnam, but now I believe that most people are wise to this.

 

What I have done is to give you a link to a supplier here from whom I buy quite a bit of wine (but unfortunately do not have the ones I am looking for) and they have agents and representatives in Pattaya, Phuket (Raya is the ladies name), Samui, Hua Hin and Chiang Mai and they will deliver.

 

At the end of their quite extensive wine list they have what they call "entry-level wines" which some folk might be interested in trying, and indeed at one time I bought perhaps a total of 200 bottles of one particular wine, because for the price it was quite spectacular and it served as my everyday "drinker".

 

Anyway here goes..........

 

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/8fdef1daf56a7e578e11b0ca2/files/e2127937-4daf-4370-81a4-09fea82178fc/Vinum_Lector_Private_Price_List.01.pdf    

Thanks! I know what you write about Wine Connection and also the other ones. It´s just that the options we have here is very few. I rather spend a couple of hundred more on a bottle to get what I want instead of missing out on it. 

However, I will check your list out and probably try with an order from them as well. ???? 

[xylophone]

On 11/6/2019 at 12:45 PM, xylophone said:

On many occasions I have wandered into the Tesco Lotus store in Phuket town looking for two of my favourite wines, the Muscat de Valencia and the Late Bottled Vintage Port, but to no avail as they haven't been in stock for some time.

Many, many thanks to @madmitch who informed me yesterday that he thought he had seen some bottles of the Late Bottled Vintage Port in Tesco Lotus at Chalong, so first thing this morning I popped down there to see if the sighting was true............and lo and behold, it was, and not only that, the icing on the cake, as the saying goes, was that they also had two bottles of the Moscatel de Valencia on the shelf as well!!!

 

I bought four bottles of the LBV Port which was 2012 and from the well-respected house of Symington, well known worldwide for its superior ports, and of course I bought the two bottles of Moscatel.

 

For those interested in port, there are still a few bottles left on the shelf and the price is 699 baht a bottle, a steal for the quality which one is buying.

 

Madmitch, you are my hero!!!!!!!!!!

Edited November 8, 2019 by xylophone

[eezergood]

On 11/8/2019 at 3:59 PM, xylophone said:

Many, many thanks to @madmitch who informed me yesterday that he thought he had seen some bottles of the Late Bottled Vintage Port in Tesco Lotus at Chalong, so first thing this morning I popped down there to see if the sighting was true............and lo and behold, it was, and not only that, the icing on the cake, as the saying goes, was that they also had two bottles of the Moscatel de Valencia on the shelf as well!!!

 

I bought four bottles of the LBV Port which was 2012 and from the well-respected house of Symington, well known worldwide for its superior ports, and of course I bought the two bottles of Moscatel.

 

For those interested in port, there are still a few bottles left on the shelf and the price is 699 baht a bottle, a steal for the quality which one is buying.

 

Madmitch, you are my hero!!!!!!!!!!

brilliant - hopefully some left late this week

 

[xylophone]

20 minutes ago, eezergood said:

brilliant - hopefully some left late this week

 

Hopefully.........and if you are down there, please look out for any bottles of the Moscatel de Valencia, as would love to buy some more!

[madmitch]

@eezergoodPlenty of LBV in stock at Tesco Lotus Chalong today and for once I was there during selling time so bought one. I recently brought a supermarket brand port back here from the UK and that was also from the house of Symington so I have two different ones to try.

 

@xylophone No Moscatel, I'm afraid.

 

 

[xylophone]

Just now, madmitch said:

@eezergoodPlenty of LBV in stock at Tesco Lotus Chalong today and for once I was there during selling time so bought one. I recently brought a supermarket brand port back here from the UK and that was also from the house of Symington so I have two different ones to try.

 

@xylophone No Moscatel, I'm afraid.

 

 

@madmitch Thanks for looking MM.....much appreciated.

[eezergood]

21 hours ago, madmitch said:

@eezergoodPlenty of LBV in stock at Tesco Lotus Chalong today and for once I was there during selling time so bought one. I recently brought a supermarket brand port back here from the UK and that was also from the house of Symington so I have two different ones to try.

 

@xylophone No Moscatel, I'm afraid.

 

 

thanks buddy 

 

[Psimbo]

I decided to give tesco online a go after this. Order placed, order confirmed, Sat morning order cancelled- no stock. One would think they would have the means to say at point of order 'sorry no hab' but that's too easy. Other websites maintain stock controls so why not Tescos?

 

The quest continues. Sods law is that if I drive down to Chalong THEY will be out of stock. ????

[sammieuk1]

I think Tesco buyers are like Makro Home Pro and most of the rest of the chains buy one and declare its selling well then employ 10 more staff to stand in front of the empty shelves to say no have Mr ????

[xylophone]

1 hour ago, Psimbo said:

I decided to give tesco online a go after this. Order placed, order confirmed, Sat morning order cancelled- no stock. One would think they would have the means to say at point of order 'sorry no hab' but that's too easy. Other websites maintain stock controls so why not Tescos?

 

The quest continues. Sods law is that if I drive down to Chalong THEY will be out of stock. ????

Same thing happened to me Psimbo, with the order being put in on the Monday and I was due to collect my wine on the Friday at about midday – – – only to be told on late Thursday afternoon that they didn't have it in stock!

 

So I had been waiting "excitedly" for that week to pick up my wine and........they didn't firking have it, and why they couldn't have informed me when I first put my order in, I really don't know,  apart from TIT.

 

I was at Tesco Lotus yesterday in Phuket town, taking my daughter to lunch, and they have changed the store around quite a bit and the wine section is a lot smaller than it was previously, so I wonder what they have done with the other stock? Also they have filled up their wine chillers with a lot of Montclair wine and quite why they would want to waste electricity on keeping that <deleted> cool is beyond me.

 

I wonder if the above means that they are cutting back on their wine stocks? If so, I would hazard a guess that the combination of high government tax, poor exchange rate into baht and fewer farangs buying, could be the reasons!
 

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, xylophone said:

So I had been waiting "excitedly" for that week to pick up my wine and........they didn't firking have it, and why they couldn't have informed me when I first put my order in, I really don't know,  apart from TIT.

Order is 'picked' from the shelf shortly before delivery, so they don't know if it will be in stock or not.

They might sell the last 100 bottles ten minutes before your 'picker' went to the shelf.

I put the same 'one product' order in every week until it's delivered.

Seems to work after two or three tries.

[xylophone]

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Order is 'picked' from the shelf shortly before delivery, so they don't know if it will be in stock or not.

They might sell the last 100 bottles ten minutes before your 'picker' went to the shelf.

I put the same 'one product' order in every week until it's delivered.

Seems to work after two or three tries.

Hmmmm.........well it hasn't worked for me because the wine I was wanting has been out of stock for months and hasn't been on the shelf for months, so surely a look at the stock control list on the computer would show that, and I would be informed almost immediately.

 

So basically it boils down to <deleted> stock control and inventory management, along with the traditional level of service received here.

 

Quite how the Port and Moscatel ended up being available in Tesco Chalong is a mystery?

 

I know when I go to other shops to search for something, they will get onto their central computer and tell me that even though they don't have it in stock, another one of their stores at XYZ does – – so why can't Tesco be that up-to-date/effective?

[samsensam]

On 11/6/2019 at 1:23 PM, xylophone said:

Well I have to say Psimbo, that if a Tesco store in Nakon Nowhere had some in stock, I'd probably drive there to get all that they had!!

 

Seriously though, you are right about the stock control in department stores here, because it is absolutely archaic, yet there are so many stock control programs out there, specifically designed for fast moving goods/supermarkets, that it's a wonder these folks haven't installed one?

 

Been to the customer services desk at the big Tesco Lotus on the bypass, and their reaction is to ask you to write down the name of the product, then they get into the computer in front of them and tell you........ "no hab". And asking when any will be coming in stock, you get a blank look.

 

There are a couple of Port alternatives (as you have mentioned) but they are nowhere near the quality of the stuff that Tesco had in stock, and as for the sweet white wine, well.......

 

I was rather hoping that someone would have an English speaking contact here or in Bangkok or even elsewhere whom I could contact? Nevertheless, all suggestions I welcome.....

 

agree, years ago i worked in Ullambataar, with no coastline all goods had to come overland so it was normal and understandable to have some delays in supermarkets receiving goods. in this day and age it is simply not acceptable for an organisation as big as tesco lotus to be unable to manage their stock effectively.

 

i have seen 'western' manager looking types in a local tops supermarket in the past, the next time i see them i'm going to politely ask them about their over useage of plastic bags (and how pathetic their 'one day a month without a plastic bag' campaign is) and the fact that often price discounts displayed on shelves are not always honored at the cash desk until the staff have been advised of the discount by a customer(!), i'd like to know whether is it incompetence of deception.

 

rant over.

[xylophone]

26 minutes ago, samsensam said:

and the fact that often price discounts displayed on shelves are not always honored at the cash desk until the staff have been advised of the discount by a customer(!), i'd like to know whether is it incompetence of deception.

Often have that happen at Big C here in Patong and sometimes can't be bothered to raise the issue with staff, because of the hassle involved........should really I suppose!

[ChasingTheSun]

On 11/25/2019 at 11:23 AM, samsensam said:

 

agree, years ago i worked in Ullambataar, with no coastline all goods had to come overland so it was normal and understandable to have some delays in supermarkets receiving goods. in this day and age it is simply not acceptable for an organisation as big as tesco lotus to be unable to manage their stock effectively.

 

i have seen 'western' manager looking types in a local tops supermarket in the past, the next time i see them i'm going to politely ask them about their over useage of plastic bags (and how pathetic their 'one day a month without a plastic bag' campaign is) and the fact that often price discounts displayed on shelves are not always honored at the cash desk until the staff have been advised of the discount by a customer(!), i'd like to know whether is it incompetence of deception.

 

rant over.

I agree that Tesco online has major problems with inventory mgt systems , and I also suspect simple staff laziness/incompetence in finding and bagging items for orders. 
 

we have found that Tops online is much better and seldom has out-of-stock issues with items shown online.
 

[xylophone]

On 11/21/2019 at 6:03 PM, madmitch said:

@eezergoodPlenty of LBV in stock at Tesco Lotus Chalong today and for once I was there during selling time so bought one. I recently brought a supermarket brand port back here from the UK and that was also from the house of Symington so I have two different ones to try.

 

@xylophone No Moscatel, I'm afraid.

 

 

Happy days MM.........popped into Tesco Lotus today and they had 11 bottles of the Moscatel de Valencia in stock!!!

 

Bought 10 of them and left one on the shelf so staff could see that some were missing!!!!! (re-order perhaps?).

 

Already have some port so set up for Xmas.....now only need some Waitrose mini Xmas puds plus some vanilla custard from TOPS and I can watch the waistline grow (sadly I have the willpower of a tame rabbit).

[madmitch]

10 hours ago, xylophone said:

Happy days MM.........popped into Tesco Lotus today and they had 11 bottles of the Moscatel de Valencia in stock!!!

 

Bought 10 of them and left one on the shelf so staff could see that some were missing!!!!! (re-order perhaps?).

 

Already have some port so set up for Xmas.....now only need some Waitrose mini Xmas puds plus some vanilla custard from TOPS and I can watch the waistline grow (sadly I have the willpower of a tame rabbit).

Which branch?

[xylophone]

29 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Which branch?

Sorry MM.........the Tesco Lotus in Phuket, not far from Central and just by the by-pass road.