Why I can't understand how stocktale sales still exist

From a warehousing and logistics perspective, I can't understand how stocktakes could still be required in 2014 with all of the technology, computers, security, advanced systems and processes that we have at our fingertips.

Stocktake sales should be redundant.

I can understand that 30 years ago, before computerised stock records were common and when manual paper-based systems were used, there were be record-keeping mistakes resulting in the requirement for cyclical stocktakes.

Some small businesses still do stocktakes to ensure there is no inventory shrinkage or theft. But the right technologies exist to be able to track this constantly, rather than at intervals throughout the year.

However, the fact of the matter is that the modern warehouse and shop floor is equipped with RF technology, systems and processes that capture stock movements such as stock entering a warehouse, stock being put away into a warehouse location, stock being replenished to a pick face (storage front) and stock being fulfilled for a customer order.

Stock-keeping records should always be highly accurate.

Businesses running a stocktake sale are either using the legacy stocktake sale term to promote just a "sale" with no actual stocktake occurring, or the business genuinely has internal stock-keeping record issues and has the requirement to perform at stocktake.

The latter is certainly inefficient use of business resources, and often results in ongoing inventory management inefficiencies, a poor customer experience, and higher prices for shoppers.

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