Advanced Optimal Shelf Availability (AdOSA)

Fighting the Out of Stock Battle

Out of stocks are an annoying and expensive problem for retailers. How they develop and how customers react to them was examined in a research project that is one-of-a-kind to date. In the AdOSA (Advanced Optimal Shelf Availability) project, science, retailers and industry have teamed up for the first time, taking a new integrated approach to uncover the root causes of the out of stock phenomenon. Twelve companies from different industry backgrounds and the Kühne-Institute for Logistics at St. Gallen University as well as the Foundation Chair for Sales, Marketing and Trade at Jena University were involved in this project. The goal of the undertaking scheduled which was completed in 2007 is to increase the reliability of product availability in stores, without having to incur the additional expenses caused, for example, by larger inventories.

SAF brought data and know-how to the table that assists with the composition of comparable baskets of commodities for the systematic survey of out of stock shelf items. Being familiar with store-typical sales patterns of items turning more or less quickly, as well as its already profound know-how in this newer research discipline, have proved very helpful: SAF AG was in a position to provide interested platform participants from industry and retail with a solution that measures out of stocks automatically – or rather, ensures that they don’t even happen in the first place.