Ok, just got back from my Jewel - where for the 3 days all the shelves are bare. I have tried various times and also have been to various Jewels. I went to the service desk intending to ask about broth and ordering it as well as my previous special order for paper towels. The CS lady is annoyed - said "as soon as we put stuff out, it's gone". Then she says, "here comes the guy in charge". A very nice man comes over and asks what I want. I tell him I need papertowels and broth. He tells me he has only been at this Jewel a week, but he was at another Jewel and he was starting to recognize what kinds of sales triggered the stampedes. He said everyday he looks at the rain checks & special orders to adjust his warehouse order (before another argument starts about how this is not true, this is the guy in charge of stock at MY Jewel, so maybe your Jewel does not work this way. He then takes me to the paper towel shelf, scans in the tag with his 'gun' puts in the qty I want, then we go to the broth shelf where he does the same thing. He takes my name and number, says he will personally put these items aside for me tomorrow morning when the shipment comes in and call me. We had a small chat about keeping stock on the shelves, he tells me he is trying to learn how to anticipate better but as soon as he sees empty shelves he tries to figure out how much more to order (this is where the rainchecks & special orders come in - he DOES see them every day). He then mentions sometimes the warehouse is empty, but he will eventually get the items to the customer. I mention that if it is after the sale, the catalinas don't print. He then tells me there are ways to get around that so I WOULD get the $15 (or whatever) That is AWESOME!!
So for those of you still finding empty shelves, go in and talk to the guy at your store in charge of stock. Hopefully he is as great as my guy is! Now I know I don't have to rush around to multiple Jewels at every hour trying to get a deal....I just have to go talk to 'the man' and I know I will get everything!