In-Store Logistics Processes in Austrian Retail Companies

This paper reports on a study of in-store logistics processes conducted at two market-leading Austrian retailers. The paper's aim is to investigate how retailers manage their replenishment operations and which factors they consider important in the design of their replenishment processes. The study was exploratory and used a qualitative case study approach. The data collection method comprised interviews from several employees at different hierarchical levels in each retailer and in-store researcher observation. Interview data were analysed using content analysis. Replenishment operations differ between the two retailers and are determined by their individual strategic and operational requirements. This paper shows how components from the demand and the supply side – such as shopping patterns and product characteristics – are incorporated in the retailers' considerations.