As we have reported earlier, Wal-Mart has experienced some difficulties in keeping its store shelves fully stocked. To combat this problem, the retailer recently implemented a “green dot” program.

Renee Dudley, reporting for Bloomberg News, notes that: “The effort Wal-Mart  is expending to fix its stocking issues is notable for a chain that became the world’s largest retailer in part by gaining mastery over its supply chain and logistics. ‘It’s like Tiffany’s falling down on quality,’ said Wallace Hopp, associate dean of faculty and research at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. ‘It’s the core of their essence. If you can’t manage inventory in retail, then you can’t manage retail.'”

Click the image to see a video clip on the green dot program.