"We run out quickly, and the new stuff doesn't come in," U.S. CEO Bill Simon said, according to the minutes of the meeting. Simon said "self-inflicted wounds" were Walmart's "biggest risk" and that an executive vice president had been appointed to fix the restocking problem, according to the minutes.
Once a paragon of logistics, the world's largest retailer has been trying to improve its restocking efforts since at least 2011, hiring consultants to walk the aisles, and track whether hundreds of items are available. It even reassigned store greeters to replenish merchandise. The restocking challenge emerged as Walmart was returning more merchandise to shelves after a previous effort to de-clutter its stores.
