Why Doesn't 7-11 Stock Lipton Teabags Anymore?

[Theyreallrubbish]

I've been in a dozen 7-11s and no Lipton teabags!

When did they stop stocking teabags?

[seagull]

I've been in a dozen 7-11s and no Lipton teabags!

When did they stop stocking teabags?

Do you know how many brands of local tea they have here in LOS ? I couldn't fing them here in Nongkhai too. Protectionism. I don't know.

[Gravelrash]

Just a wild though here, but because they don't sell well for any number of reasons. To help put this in perspective foreigners are a small market percentage?

[Theyreallrubbish]

Just a wild though here, but because they don't sell well for any number of reasons. To help put this in perspective foreigners are a small market percentage?

They've had them for decades and have replaced them with other Lipton products. They had them just a couple of months ago!

[Theyreallrubbish]

I've been in a dozen 7-11s and no Lipton teabags!

When did they stop stocking teabags?

Do you know how many brands of local tea they have here in LOS ? I couldn't fing them here in Nongkhai too. Protectionism. I don't know.

Ah, so its not just a Chiang Mai quirk. I bought the biggest box I could find at Tescos, but even they don't sell the really big boxes anymore and I'M RUNNING OUT OF TEA!!

[Theyreallrubbish]

For the same reason you can't find tonic water at 7-11 - it doesn't sell well enough with the locals.

Another reason could be higher profit margins selling the fake lipton powder crap. Not a lot of tea in that stuff.

I don't buy the idea that's there's no local market as most of the hole in the wall tiny Thai mini marts stock it.

I do agree with the cost saving idea. 7-11 beancounters have probably done a spreadsheet that shows they can make more money selling crap on that particular piece of shelf real estate than selling real tea

[a2396]

I think this question is best asked of 7-11 management. I doubt if any Thai Visa members have an answer to this.

[JetsetBkk]

Since the price went up from 150 to 199 baht a box, maybe they think it's too expensive to stock - and too much of a temptation for thieves and pilferers.

[Briggsy]

They stopped selling Lipton tea bags in 7-11 in Bangkok about 3 years ago. I know because I asked in about 4 different 7-11 stores. Go to the little Tesco (Tesco Express?) instead if there is one near you.

[george]

Packs of 80, propably better than Liptons:

http://food.thaivisa.com/Imported-Grocerie...Tips-Teabags-80

[susquosh]

Packs of 80, propably better than Liptons:

http://food.thaivisa.com/Imported-Grocerie...Tips-Teabags-80

But a tad expensive.

[Cuban]

It is simply down to business factors - if I ran 7-11 I would know the cost/benifit of every product that had shelf space - these days very easy to manage such trends with computer stock control and POS tracking. Like the data gathered in the US that toilet paper, nappies and beer are sold together, as men are sent out at night to restock on nappies buy a 6 pack for themselves while they are there.

A 7-11 that I use on a regular basis has stopped stocking a particular flavor of soda I liked - the last time that had it in stock I bought all 10 bottles, the flavor was never resupplied and replaced with another brand.

Although 7-11 is well run (I believe) I am aware that each store has issues with both stock control and pricing (updating their local till/computer as well as shelf edge) as I have encountered mispricing (in my favor) a few times now. And that was weeks after other stores were charging the 'right' price.

[JetsetBkk]

... very easy to manage such trends with computer stock control and POS tracking.

Do you really think they use that in Thailand? I wouldn't have thought so since Big C have not had tins of corned beef for about 6 months, and they always run out of Scott 6 packs of kitchen paper while all the other crap brands fill the rest of the aisle. Anyone with half a brain could do better stock control than whatever method Big C uses.

One thing I noticed recently - in my favour - was the pricing of large Snickers bars: 25 baht for a 59g bar, instead of the usual 22 baht for a 35g bar. I put the whole box full in my trolley.

[steveromagnino]

... very easy to manage such trends with computer stock control and POS tracking.

Do you really think they use that in Thailand? I wouldn't have thought so since Big C have not had tins of corned beef for about 6 months, and they always run out of Scott 6 packs of kitchen paper while all the other crap brands fill the rest of the aisle. Anyone with half a brain could do better stock control than whatever method Big C uses.

One thing I noticed recently - in my favour - was the pricing of large Snickers bars: 25 baht for a 59g bar, instead of the usual 22 baht for a 35g bar. I put the whole box full in my trolley.

Big C is a foreign chain running SCM software FOR SURE.

7:11 most definitely have electronic inventory mgt and SCM. The tea bags would be less profitable than something else; no doubt there are some 7:11s still stocking them if it made money.

[JetsetBkk]

... very easy to manage such trends with computer stock control and POS tracking.

Do you really think they use that in Thailand? I wouldn't have thought so since Big C have not had tins of corned beef for about 6 months, and they always run out of Scott 6 packs of kitchen paper while all the other crap brands fill the rest of the aisle. Anyone with half a brain could do better stock control than whatever method Big C uses.

One thing I noticed recently - in my favour - was the pricing of large Snickers bars: 25 baht for a 59g bar, instead of the usual 22 baht for a 35g bar. I put the whole box full in my trolley.

Big C is a foreign chain running SCM software FOR SURE...

Why are you so sure? I ask because I regularly see the same popular items out of stock, e.g. Scott 6 packs of kitchen paper, corned beef, TGM Bacon, Moccona Duo Roast instant coffee...

I think it is quite possible that some items are hoarded by people as soon as they are re-stocked, e.g. corned beef, and other items have supply problems, e.g. TGM Bacon. Maybe the Moccona Duo Roast coffee has been "de-listed" - no longer sold, but I cannot understand why they don't allocate 5 times as much shelf space for Scott kitchen towels, because they would then sell 5 times as much product.

Maybe the guy pushing the buttons on the PC needs more training.

[Cuban]

Do you really think they use that in Thailand? I wouldn't have thought so since Big C have not had tins of corned beef for about 6 months, and they always run out of Scott 6 packs of kitchen paper while all the other crap brands fill the rest of the aisle. Anyone with half a brain could do better stock control than whatever method Big C uses.

Yes I do - based on the resupply process that we all have to step over when the van turns up at 7-11 during the evening (always seems to be evenings!) - the crates delivered are bar coded for stock control from warehouse - van - shelf as there is no (little) stock room storage at many 7-11s, they are using a 'just in time' inventory control strategy and to do this they must know what is being sold by each store. I would expect that each store manager has a pre printed order form that he/she is allowed to vary based on local knowledge (school nearby so reduce stock of sugar snacks during school holiday time but if near beer bars increase stock of POS condoms) but otherwise based on the last week's sales data.

I expect that 7-11 limit the number of product lines they carry to keep shelfs filled with products - looks better than empty shelves - and I would expect that the products that get the best spaces 'pay' for that privilege shelf location.

I notice that around the shelves that carry DVD/CDs is normally a wild card shelf that carries misc hardware, toy or novelty items. I guess a 7-11 buyer somewhere is getting a selection of goods inported from China from time to time.

As for Big C - I am tempted to guess that the items in question are not part of their mainstream product range, the price of corned beef seems to make it a luxury item here maybe there is not enough sales turn over to encourage better stock control. Some products lines they will do a stock check to confirm what the computer thinks is on the shelf is really there, others they will not bother as the supply chain is not able to provide a just on time service. Typical of an imported line. You see this with European imports sold at Tops frequently - there is little pattern (that I have seen) to the items that appear and tease you with nice chocolate and then disappear when you try to buy more.

I would think stock control by feeling is only carried out by the smalller mum & pa stores these days.

[Cuban]

...but I cannot understand why they don't allocate 5 times as much shelf space for Scott kitchen towels, because they would then sell 5 times as much product.

Part of the marketing of a particular product is to fill the entire visual range of your target customer so if they are looking to buy kitchen towels - when they enter the kitchen towel row they will see only Scott's Kitchen towels with whatever color and packaging display logo set out to clearly promote and commincate that brand.

Also the allocation of shelf space is down to the supplier not the retailer - the retailer will sell the shelf locations based on how profitable they are. Easy to reach shelf space costs more than reach up high or too low spaces. People are lazy and will tend to buy from just above waist height when in supermarket shopping mode. You will see this much more in the farang countries - but as Carefour, Tesco etc move in the ideas will be put into practice more and more.

[steveromagnino]

...but I cannot understand why they don't allocate 5 times as much shelf space for Scott kitchen towels, because they would then sell 5 times as much product.

Also the allocation of shelf space is down to the supplier not the retailer - the retailer will sell the shelf locations based on how profitable they are. Easy to reach shelf space costs more than reach up high or too low spaces. People are lazy and will tend to buy from just above waist height when in supermarket shopping mode. You will see this much more in the farang countries - but as Carefour, Tesco etc move in the ideas will be put into practice more and more.

Yep. According to Tesco, far from teaching when they came in, in fact Lotus taught them a lot about Asian style retail/merchandising... for quite a while Tesco Lotus had a major lead in terms of consumer preferance thanks to merchandising with Thai consumers, and that was down to their local expertise; not so much to do with Tesco early on. That lead has eroded, but most Thai people still would rather live near a Tesco Lotus than a Big C or Carrefour.

There are a ton of reasons for shelf allocation; in addition space allocation and inventory management is reliant on SCM with the suppliers themselves; corned beef supplier may be unable or unwilling to replenish supplies; who knows whether Tesco Lotus use a warehouse for that product (my guess is not, it is direct from the supplier to the shop).

In general, 7:11 runs with zero warehousing out the back of shop, everything in inventory is on the shelf; some of the newer Tesco Lotuses, particularly Express, run with much the same concept. This is similar to the way Japanese make cars (batch of 1) vs. how the Americans and the British used to do it (massive batches with WIP and inventory all the way down the chain). Japanese way is better.

BUt of course....if there are run outs for staples like toilet paper, then somehow the chain is falling over; my guess is almost 100% it is not Tesco Lotus/Big C causing it.

[mistresserika]

Lipton tea bags? Let's face it folks, how many English people in England drink Lipton tea? It's more likely to be PG tips, Typhoo, Yorkshire, etc., but for some reason Lipton tea seems to be available all over the world. Not my choice, but there we go. My local Tesco used to sell Heinz salad cream, when I didn't see it for a while, I asked the manager, who replied that it sold too quick, so they don't sell it anymore. I guess to a Thai person there is a logic to that remark, but I fail to see it.

Edited April 25, 2008 by mistresserika

[Cuban]

Liptons seems to be a popular choice for hotel room tea/coffee sets - are they bought from Makro?

Not sure if there is a 'Aro' brand tea bag yet.

[JetsetBkk]

...I asked the manager, who replied that it sold too quick, so they don't sell it anymore. I guess to a Thai person there is a logic to that remark, but I fail to see it.

I heard the exact same story some years ago about another product, but I can't remember what the product was so didn't post about it. I was told it was something like "they don't like to see gaps on their shelves" - because all the product has been sold!

But, maybe it's a Thailand urban myth

[JetsetBkk]

Thanks steveromagnino and Cuban for your obvious great knowledge on the subject. Very interesting.

BTW, I noticed today that Big C still hasn't any "cheddar" cheese, but plenty of Edam and Gouda. This has been the case for about a week.

Maybe I should try Tesco Lotud.

[burman]

Packs of 80, propably better than Liptons:

http://food.thaivisa.com/Imported-Grocerie...Tips-Teabags-80

They should be at 7 times the price of Lipton.

[thomast]

You should be grateful they no longer do. If you are keeping up with science, aka 2007, you will know tea contains phloridzin, that degrades the pituatary gland, chlorogenic acid that degrades the hypothalamus, and gallic acid that degrades the pancreas. The degraded parts circulate and keep uncontrollably releasing hormones. These three parts are the essential base for the cancer nucleus. They need then a cancer complex, to which to attach ,and then an inflamed organ, for easy penetration to create the malignancy. Organs are inflamed by a speficfic antigen, often a plant chemical. Tea has ASA (aspirin), which inflames 8 organs, and caffeic acid, which inflames another 8 organs. Add to that, the fact the tea leaves are the highest in toxic fluoride of any plant, and then dont wonder that the Japanese, who drink green tea, (which does contain health giving polyphenols) by the bucket, are dropping dead of every known ailment. Looks like the polyphenols are outscored bout 20 to 1. And, dont let your quack tell you there is no cure for the little c.

[bendix]

You should be grateful they no longer do. If you are keeping up with science, aka 2007, you will know tea contains phloridzin, that degrades the pituatary gland, chlorogenic acid that degrades the hypothalamus, and gallic acid that degrades the pancreas. The degraded parts circulate and keep uncontrollably releasing hormones. These three parts are the essential base for the cancer nucleus. They need then a cancer complex, to which to attach ,and then an inflamed organ, for easy penetration to create the malignancy. Organs are inflamed by a speficfic antigen, often a plant chemical. Tea has ASA (aspirin), which inflames 8 organs, and caffeic acid, which inflames another 8 organs. Add to that, the fact the tea leaves are the highest in toxic fluoride of any plant, and then dont wonder that the Japanese, who drink green tea, (which does contain health giving polyphenols) by the bucket, are dropping dead of every known ailment. Looks like the polyphenols are outscored bout 20 to 1. And, dont let your quack tell you there is no cure for the little c.

Oh for the love of God.

In related news, scientific research has shown that life causes death. New research emanating from Toomuchtimeonourhands University has shown that life - if lived for 70-80 years - increases the risk of dying within the next 20 years.

[Briggsy]

In addition, I thought the Japanese and the Chinese had two of the world's longest life spans.

Once again, if you want this tea, and I drink it by the bucketload, go to Tesco (any size store) or Foodland.

[thomast]

Once again, if you want this tea, and I drink it by the bucketload, go to Tesco (any size store) or Foodland.

Good luck to you, you`ll need it. Also dont forget coffee, (now that you have decided to live dangerously). That has all the same plant chemicals as tea except for ASA and fluoride. Re longevity. These stats dont consider how healthy, just for how long they live. By age 55 most Chinese and Japanese are pretty shot physically. They are full of parasites, heavy metals, bacteria, virii, dyes, their livers and kidneys blocked, arteries narrowed, lens calcified etc. Their diet is crap. Modern medicine has not helped them, as it is only designed to treat, not to prevent, not to cure. Preventing and curing is NOT profitable. BTW What has the love of an imaginary god got to do with your health?