# Is this normal? (Dick's \[refuses to reorder item\]) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 23, 2008, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481 "2008-04-23T01:04:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/1 "2008-04-23T01:04:33Z")
I was over at **DICK’S** sporting goods. There was a tan rifle case for an unscoped rifle, and right next to it, a long metal rod on which should have been hanging the scoped version of the very same case. I ask the clerk, “so, you’re all sold out of the scoped case?” “Yeah.” “Well, could you have that case ordered for me then?” “No, we don’t re-order stuff like that.” Is this normal? It seems like a giant sporting goods outlet like **DICK’S** should be able to, you know, call up their big warehouse and have some of those cases ordered. Or at the very least, take down the metal rod and tag for the sold out cases, or put a different product there. Right? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/2 "2008-04-23T01:23:16Z")
**Argent Towers** likes big dicks. Who knew? ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/3 "2008-04-23T01:43:56Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] **Argent Towers** likes big dicks. Who knew? [/QUOTE] Big green ones even. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/4 "2008-04-23T01:48:06Z")
Just a little FYI here: the website for Dick’s Sporting Goods is not, I repeat not dicks dot com. If you go to dicks dot com at work, you may have to talk to your HR rep. ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/5 "2008-04-23T01:49:07Z")
The warehouse probably already knows they are sold out and are making arrangements to get them the next batch. But yeah, they are a bunch of douchebags for not finding out when the next shipment should be arriving. Customer service is **hard**. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/6 "2008-04-23T02:35:56Z")
Perhaps the guy was just being a DICK. You know the type “I don’t order stuff, that’s someone elses job”. Real DICK’s. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/7 "2008-04-23T02:45:21Z")
[QUOTE=Bobotheoptimist] Just a little FYI here: the website for Dick’s Sporting Goods is not, I repeat not dicks dot com. If you go to dicks dot com at work, you may have to talk to your HR rep. [/QUOTE] I discovered this when trying to research rollerblade options for my 5th grader. ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/8 "2008-04-23T13:16:32Z")
That item is probably caught in the Catch-22 of retail inventory management. Inventory is probably controlled by a computer, and the rules are made up by a drone at company headquarters. The system probably says that the store has some on hand, and so never orders more. The items in question may in fact be in the store, hidden in some forgotten storage area, or perhaps never made it on to the truck when the last order was generated and shipped by the distribution center, or stolen by someone somewhere in the replenishment chain. It is nearly impossible to get a count changed unless it gets changed at the physical inventory, usually once a year, because changing your counts is BAD, VERY BAD. You cannot order more because THE SYSTEM SAYS YOU HAVE IT, NOW WHY ISN’T IT SELLING?!?! Then inventory time rolls around and, by golly, YOU’RE OUT OF STOCK!!! OMG!! Eventually the counts get changed during Inventory Reconciliation, usually 6-8 weeks later, and then they will have some. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/9 "2008-04-23T13:48:56Z")
If it work’s there like other big box retailers operate then the employee really has little control over reordering. The entire store is on a computer controlled auto-replenishment system. It has a max or optimum quantity of that item to keep on hand, and it has a min level at which the system will automatically create a re-order (from some regional Dick’s warehouse) to get it back to the optimum level. If the regional warehouse is out then the regional warehouse reorders from the manufacturer. Why is the hook empty then? 1. they may have just sold out recently and are awaiting another shipment from their regional warehouse. 2. the regional warehouse is out and waiting for the manufacturer to produce more to resupply them. 3. the product is no longer being produced. 4. Dick’s has decided not to carry them any longer and is phasing them out. 5. They actually do have some in the store but they are sitting in a back room or on a top shelf somewhere. 6. The computer count is off saying they have some but really have none. Caused by shipping errors, theft, etc. Contrary to what **Cheez\_Whia** says stores really don’t want that number to be off (lost sales and all that) and can manually correct that number on the spot rather than waiting for physical inventory. What the employee should have done is to check the computer to make sure it really said they had -zero- in stock. If not he should have informed a manager to correct it. After that it is pretty much out of their hands. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/10 "2008-04-23T14:14:02Z")
[QUOTE=Bobotheoptimist] Just a little FYI here: the website for Dick’s Sporting Goods is not, I repeat not dicks dot com. If you go to dicks dot com at work, you may have to talk to your HR rep. [/QUOTE] I found that out the hard way. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/11 "2008-04-23T14:35:54Z")
Meh, it’s Dicks Sporting Goods. When it comes to things like that they’re the absolute bottom rung of sporting goods suppliers. Either order from a mega-box like BPS or Cabela’s or find a local business to support. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/12 "2008-04-23T14:48:58Z")
Dick’s has bought out another sporting goods firm named Chicks. The merged firm will forever be known as “Chicks with Dicks”. :smack: [Cite](http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/stories/2007/11/26/daily9.html) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/13 "2008-04-23T15:35:32Z")
[QUOTE=Bobotheoptimist] Just a little FYI here: the website for Dick’s Sporting Goods is not, I repeat not dicks dot com. If you go to dicks dot com at work, you may have to talk to your HR rep. [/QUOTE] :raises hand: Yep, I’ve made that mistake, too. Went ahead and told my boss so that if she got a call, she could tell them it had already been dealt with. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/14 "2008-04-23T18:31:02Z")
I’m glad I’m not the only one. I too told my boss immediately, and being a sportsman himself he just laughed, but I was kind of worried there. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/15 "2008-04-23T18:56:14Z")
1. Edited thread title. 2. Moved from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion. **Gfactor** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Stringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Stringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringer)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/16 "2008-04-23T19:20:42Z")
[QUOTE=Bobotheoptimist] Just a little FYI here: the website for Dick’s Sporting Goods is not, I repeat not dicks dot com. If you go to dicks dot com at work, you may have to talk to your HR rep. [/QUOTE] My roommate in college found that out the hard way looking for foosball table prices. I couldn’t stop laughing when he got an eyeful of cock. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/17 "2008-04-23T19:28:02Z")
[QUOTE=Bobotheoptimist] Just a little FYI here: the website for Dick’s Sporting Goods is not, I repeat not dicks dot com. If you go to dicks dot com at work, you may have to talk to your HR rep. [/QUOTE] I just went to [dicks.com](http://dicks.com) and all I saw were boobies. Plus a bunch of links. Not at all what I expected. ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/18 "2008-04-23T20:40:24Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] \ Contrary to what **Cheez\_Whia** says stores really don’t want that number to be off (lost sales and all that) and can manually correct that number on the spot rather than waiting for physical inventory. \ [/QUOTE] You obviously haven’t worked in the same places I have. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/19 "2008-04-23T21:01:05Z")
[QUOTE=GaryM] Dick’s has bought out another sporting goods firm named Chicks. The merged firm will forever be known as “Chicks with Dicks”. :smack: [Cite](http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/stories/2007/11/26/daily9.html) [/QUOTE] I thought it would be called “Dicksey Chicks” ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481/20 "2008-04-24T03:36:01Z")
[QUOTE=Euphonious Polemic] I thought it would be called “Dicksey Chicks” [/QUOTE] That’s better! Almost. :dubious: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-dicks-refuses-to-reorder-item/446481.md?page=2)