Less stress for small grocers...

CRISP systems in participating stores track inventory and automatically print shopping (reorder) lists in the sequence grocers can find items on the shelves of an Independent Wholesale Distribution Center (IWDC).

Less time is wasted hunting for products. Fewer sales are lost by being out-of-stock. Grocers can also transmit reorders to an IWDC to have goods:

• delivered
  
  
• ready for pick-up
  
  
• redistributed (orders are coordinated with the IWDC’s reorder to major suppliers which gives grocers access to a full product line and eliminates two handlings — putting stock on IWDC shelves and pulling it off again).

With CRISP, merchants have the advantages of an enterprise system that has been specialized for grocers. IWDCs help grocers’ improve their businesses by exchanging data with these systems. By exchanging data, the Centers can:

• anticipate demand to better stay in stock needed by merchants’ shoppers
  
  
• introduce high margin, digitally deliverable products, such as cash advances and bill paying, that build traffic and raise margins
  
  
• suggest better selling, higher margin products to replace slow moving, low-margin items
  
  
• use Sarvis Inventory Service to optimize grocers’ product mix
  
  
• give merchants access to the manufacturer deals they never see
  
  
• introduce the Xtra card and help tune inventory to Diamond and Platinum shoppers
  
  
• share products, promotions, and ideas that work for one grocer with other, similar stores
  
  
• improve check service while cutting check losses as much as 80%
  
  
• bring additional shoppers to grocers by using participating grocers as pick-up or home delivery staging areas for Internet and call center orders.

CRISP handles the nuances of taxes, cigarettes, returns, and credit issues peculiar to the IWDC business. Charges, statements, and payments are handled automatically. So are different price and privilege levels for different classes of customers.