Shelf Stock Replenishment SOP Template

1.Purpose

To keep shelves and fixtures stocked, faced, and correctly priced throughout the day so customers can find and buy what they came for.

2.Scope

Applies to replenishing everyday stock from the stockroom to the sales floor. New display builds and full planogram resets are covered by the visual merchandising SOP.

Definitions

Facing

Pulling product to the front edge of the shelf so labels face the customer.

FIFO

First in, first out. Rotating stock so older inventory sells before newer inventory.

Out-of-stock report

A system report showing items that are at zero or near-zero shelf quantity.

3.Responsibilities

Stock Associate

Pulls stock from the stockroom, rotates it using FIFO, and keeps inventory counts accurate.

Sales Associate

Faces and fronts shelves, checks shelf tags, and reports damaged items found on the floor.

Store Manager

Reviews reorder flags and spot-checks shelf conditions at the end of the shift.

RACI matrix

R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed

4.Materials and PPE

Materials, tools and systems

• →Out-of-stock or low-stock report
• →Handheld scanner or inventory app
• →Restocking cart or U-boat
• →Box cutter
• →Price label printer

Personal protective equipment

• →Closed-toe shoes for stockroom work
• →Back support belt for heavy lifting where required

5.Procedure

1. 5.1

   Review the out-of-stock report

   Stock Associate

   Pull the current out-of-stock or low-stock report at the start of the shift and prioritize high-selling items first.

2. 5.2

   Pull stock from the stockroom

   Stock Associate

   Locate and pull the needed cases from the stockroom using the location system, checking case labels against the item needed.

3. 5.3

   Check dates on perishable stock

   Stock Associate

   For items with expiration or sell-by dates, check the date on the new stock and confirm it's later than what's already on the shelf.

   Warning: Never place new stock in front of older stock with an earlier date. This breaks FIFO rotation and increases waste.

4. 5.4

   Rotate stock using FIFO

   Stock Associate

   Move existing shelf stock forward, place new stock behind it, and rotate front-to-back so the oldest stock sells first.

5. 5.5

   Face and front the shelf

   Sales Associate

   Pull product to the front edge of the shelf with labels facing out, and straighten any bent or leaning packaging.

6. 5.6

   Match the shelf tag to the item

   Sales Associate

   Confirm the shelf tag's item number and price match the product being placed, and flag any mismatch to a manager before continuing.

   Checkpoint: Every replenished item has a shelf tag with the correct item number and price.

7. 5.7

   Break down empty boxes

   Stock Associate

   Flatten empty cases and boxes and take them to the designated recycling or trash area rather than leaving them in the aisle.

8. 5.8

   Update the inventory count

   Stock Associate

   Scan or manually adjust the system count for the quantity moved from the stockroom to the sales floor so on-hand counts stay accurate.

   Checkpoint: The inventory system reflects the quantity actually moved to the sales floor.

9. 5.9

   Flag items nearing reorder point

   Stock Associate

   Note any item where stockroom quantity is also running low and flag it to the store manager so a reorder can be placed before it goes out of stock.

10. 5.10

    Report damaged stock found

    Sales Associate

    Set aside any damaged, leaking, or defective items found during replenishment and log them instead of placing them on the shelf or returning them to the stockroom.

11. 5.11

    Do an end-of-shift shelf walk

    Store Manager

    Walk key aisles at the end of the shift to spot-check facing, pricing, and any remaining out-of-stocks before the next shift starts.

6.Quality checks

• →Out-of-stock report items are replenished within the shift they're flagged.
• →Shelf tags match the item and price on every spot check.
• →Stock rotation follows FIFO on all dated product.
• →System inventory counts match physical shelf and stockroom counts within tolerance.

7.Records

• →Out-of-stock and low-stock reports
• →Inventory adjustment log
• →Damaged goods log

8.KPIs

• →On-shelf availability rate
• →Time to replenish flagged out-of-stocks
• →Inventory count accuracy rate

9.Common mistakes

• →Placing new stock in front of older dated stock.
• →Forgetting to update system counts after moving stock.
• →Leaving empty boxes and packaging in the aisle.
• →Restocking a damaged item instead of logging it.

10.Revision history