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Handwritten price tags are out at the Kaiserslautern-Landstuhl Spouses’ Association thrift stores on Pulaski Barracks and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.
Replacing this time-consuming method is a new computer system making it easier and quicker for bargain hunters to get “a real deal.”
“I like it a lot better because when they scan the items there’s never any questions on the price,” said Rachel Burton, an Air Force spouse, who regularly shops at the Pulaski Thrift Store. “It’s a lot easier and faster because the cashier doesn’t have to read and tear the tickets off anymore.”
Fully operational in October at both stores, the system involves barcodes on all donated and consigned items for sale, scanners at cash registers and state-of-the-art computers.
As the test site, Pulaski Thrift Store employees have been using the scanner at the register and placing barcodes on Thrift Store Property – items donated by customers – for nearly two months, said Linda Lachmann, Pulaski Thrift Store manager. Standardized barcodes are placed on TSP items.
“We can implement sales much easier – no more figuring out sales prices in our brains. You just scan it and the computer does the work for you,” said Ms. Lachmann, who added that it works for last-minute as well as set sales because they just program it in that morning.
Consignments – items sold by customers – are also so much easier, said Chris Jung, Pulaski Thrift Store retail assistant, who is responsible for consignments.
Before, she explained, customers had to fill out and place tags on their items, and fill out itemized lists in ring binders – 15 of these took up space in the rather small consignment office.
“All they have to do now is bring their pieces and itemized lists with prices, and then they can go – a very quick process for customers now,” said Ms. Jung, who will be responsible for loading the information into the computer, and printing and placing the tags.
Very detailed barcodes are on the tags for consignment items. These tags are specific to the consigner and particular item.
This new system is actually a modification of a consignment program used in stateside thrift stores.
“We are a unique store from those in the states because we sell both donated and
consigned items,” explained Ms. Lachmann,
on why modifications were necessary.
She calls Mark Meyer the brain behind this new program.
“He had to implement these two processes (donations and consignments) into one program – basically creating his own along the way,” said Ms. Lachmann.
Mr. Meyer is the store’s bookkeeper – a paid position; however, his work on these systems at both stores was as a volunteer. He’s been working on this operation since last May.
Actually, it was Mr. Meyer’s idea for the stores to go computerized.
“Initially, I was called in to assist with fixing their old computers because they kept shutting down,” said Mr. Meyer. “Then I looked at their program (handwritten tags and lists), and we started talking about making it computerized.”
New consignment rules and instructions had to be put in place to work with the new system. For more information, visit the Pulaski Thrift Store, Bldg. 2901 on Pulaski Barracks or call 0631-51605, or visit the Landstuhl Thrift Store, Bldg. 3818 on Landstuhl Regional Medical Center or call 06371-86-7313.
Hours for the Pulaski Thrift Store: 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Friday, 1 to 6 p.m. Thursday, and 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. the first and third Saturdays of the month. Hours for the Landstuhl Thrift Store: 1 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. the second and fourth Saturdays of the month.
