ACE Hardware Sale Plan Preparation & Execution

  1. Ad layouts available in the ACE Monthly Promotion Guide mailed three months prior to the ad month. Ad layout also available on ACENET.
  2. Print Desert Region layout from ACENET.
  3. Using the bulletin listing (sent from Hilo office), review each item’s sale plan sales history and determine quantity to order.
  4. View item on Eagle inventory management (IMU)
  5. From the History tab, view promo units sold.
  6. After determining sale quantity to order:
  7. Enter quantity order on bulletin listing spreadsheet.
  8. Write order quantity on ad layout.
  9. Using the bulletin listing notes column, enter notes and necessary action items needed one month prior to the ad month.
  10. Replacement items needing to be ordered from the RSC.
  11. Items not ordered on bulletin that may need to be ordered from the RSC.
  12. Items repeating on sale from the previous month.
  13. On hand amount intending to be used for the sale plan.
  14. Item has a Z Flag.
  15. Item is new with no history.
  16. Similar ACE item’s sale history used.
  17. Etc.
  18. Print the Sale Month’s Sale Item (MIP) file on the first week of the prior month of the ad.
  19. Using the MIP listing, perform a physical count of all (sale) items on the list and update corrected count.
  20. Upon receipt of, immediately open the sign kit and store copies of the ad.
  21. Check all sale signs.
  22. Compare all price signs and posters with ad for accuracy.
  23. Sign kit should include two signs for each item and posters for best buys.
  24. Determine how signs will be used.
  25. Side counter.
  26. End counter.
  27. Bulk display.
  28. Register impulse.
  29. Determine if additional signs are needed.
  30. Merchandise displayed on an end counter will also need a sign at the staple home.
  31. Schedule a portion of the monthly store meeting to review and discuss upcoming ad.
  32. Hand out store copies of the ad to all employees and have a discussion of the upcoming sale plan.
  33. Review and discuss the Best Buys.
  34. Review and discuss special marketing items.
  35. Contests.
  36. Special giveaways.
  37. Children Miracle Network charity “specials”.
  38. HHC.
  39. Rebate offers.
  40. Etc.
  41. Review and discuss how the signs, posters, and banners will be utilized.
  42. When and where posters will be put up and taken down.
  43. When and where the banner will be put up and taken down.
  44. When and where the signs will be put up and taken down.
  45. Merchandising sale items for the sale plan.
  46. Determine which items will be displayed on the end counter.
  47. Determine what related staple items will be displayed along with the sale items.
  48. Print signs showing regular retails.
  49. Determine which items will be bulk displayed.
  50. Print signs showing regular retails.
  51. Determine which items will be only available at the staple home.
  52. Determine and make a list of staple items that will be used to fill end counters as sale items are sold out or down.
  53. Seven days prior to the sale start date.
  54. Print a MIP of the sale id.
  55. Using the list, identify items that you have a quantity on hand of zero.
  56. Items with zero on hand, call for store transfers from other stores on the island.
  57. Update your list of items not available for the sale plan.
  58. Post the list of items not available.
  59. Provide the list to every cashier.
  60. Prepare rainchecks.
  61. Prepare equal or better value list of substitutes.
  62. Night before the sale start date.
  63. Neatly hang all sale signs and posters.
  64. All signs “returned” should be for items that will not be available for the start of the sale plan due to zero on hand.
  65. Item signs should be cross-referenced to your list of items not available.
  66. During sale week, monitor sale items displayed on the end counters and bulk displayed.
  67. Prepare all sales clerks with blank raincheck forms to issue to customers for any sale item out of stock.
  68. Issuing rainchecks on the sales floor will minimize cashiers having to write rainchecks at the point of sale.
  69. All sale end counters and bulk displays should be kept neat, well signed, and full with stock.
  70. Merge (related) sale items together to make full end counters when stock is low.
  71. End counters should be kept full, replacing sold out sale merchandise with designated staple items.
  72. Bulk displays should be taken down or replaced with designated staple items.
  73. Night sale ends.
  74. Print a MIP for the sale (MIP will not be available to print on the day after the sale ends).
  75. A SER should be printed for all sale ids at the end of the sale week…including best buys and super coupons, which may end on the last day of the month.
  76. Another SER should be printed for only sale ids…best buys and super coupon items that end on the last day of the month…at the end of the last day of the month.
  77. Day after sale ends.
  78. Tally rainchecks issued (so far).
  79. Record number of rainchecks issued per item on the MIP.

Accessing Advertising Schedule (ACE Hardware)

  • Log on to the MVL intranet site.
  • Click on the Advertising tab.
  • Click on the Store Documents link.