One of the most compelling aspects of a Byte Technology store is the ability to view transactions and inventory in real time through Byte’s Dashboard. This data allows you to sell more of what your customers want and less of what they don’t. In this post we’ll cover five tips to ensure you’re restocking your Byte store like a pro.
1. Use The Right Tags
Proper selection and application of tags is the cornerstone to accurate inventory counts. What type of tag do you use on each product?
- If the tag is likely to be microwaved with the product, use a microwave safe tag.
- If the tag will be placed on a liquid-laden, metal, or foil lined product, use a metal safe tag also known as drink tag.
- For all other products, use a regular tag.
Once you’ve selected the appropriate tag type for each product, make sure the tag is correctly applied following best practices.
Here are a few tips:
Metal safe and drink tags should be folded at the dotted line and oriented towards the top of the product, like in the video below. The RFID chip is under the folded portion of the tag, and the ample air space and orientation away from the metal and liquid ensures it is read by the antennae.
Orient tags on the product in a way where they will be “seen” by the antennae. This means tags should not be placed on the bottom of products, or end up smushed between products that are stacked. In order to do this, you’ll need to think about how products will be merchandised in the store.
2. Merchandise for Success
Merchandising is the art and science of presenting products in a way that appeals to customers and encourages them to buy. It is an important part of any retail business, as it can have a significant impact on sales. A study by the National Retail Federation found that 70% of shoppers are more likely to make a purchase if a store is well-merchandised.
Consistent merchandising also makes restocking predictable and easy. After all, if you’ve defined where a product is to be placed you eliminate that decision from needing to be made by the restocker.
What are some general merchandising principles that have helped Byte customers succeed?
- If you’re selling drinks, integrate them throughout each shelf. This not only encourages customers to purchase bundles (ex: a sandwich and a drink), but can improve the readability of inventory. Too many drinks on a single shelf can sometimes cause readability issues.
- Mealtimes can guide merchandising as well. For instance, group breakfast items on a top shelf, lunch/dinner items on the middle shelves, and snack time items on the lower shelf.
- Use baskets or merchandisers to orient small snack items upright. This makes the store look more appealing and has the dual benefit of orienting the RFID tags toward the antennae – ensuring inventory is always visible to the store’s antennae.
3. Set Par Levels
Once you’ve determined how products will be merchandised in the store, it’s time to set pars. A par is the quantity of product that should be in a store when fully restocked. When you set pars, you make every restock repeatable and predictable.
To set pars, navigate to the Stores > Restock page. Click the pencil icon on the far right. Edit and save your pars. Learn more here.
4. Use a Pick List to restock
A pick list is an itemized count of the quantity of each product to pack for a restock. Using pick lists saves time, maximizes the effectiveness of each delivery, and ensures a store is well stocked. The Byte Dashboard allows you to export a pick list to CSV or PDF.
Many Byte clients print out copies of the pick list to enable them to easily pack delivery bins. The pick list also includes the address of the store. A store’s address can be updated on the Store > Details page.
To download a pick list, navigate to Stores > click Export icon > select Export Restock as PDF.
5. Always log in using the restocker panel
Now that you’ve updated your store’s pars and printed a pick list, you are set up to make restocking a quick and predictable process. But don’t forget! Always use the restocker panel when performing a restock.
How do you access the restock panel? Hold your finger on the bottom left of the menu screen for three seconds. Then enter your restocker login information. Did you know that under Settings > Users you can edit your restocker username? Make the something short and easy to remember.
By following these tips and tricks, you can ensure that your restocking process is efficient and effective, leading to happy customers and increased sales.
