Surprising facts

It is little more than a passing reference in a Guardian article about Marks & Spencer's website:

Items ordered online for collection in store, meanwhile, will be delivered from the warehouse, even if that item is already on the shop floor. Although it is more costly for M&S, the retailer's outdated IT systems do not have an accurate enough picture of stock levels in stores to cope with the demands of online shoppers. The system is due to be updated later this year.

To say the least, I find it surprising that the company is unable to keep close tabs on the levels of stock in its stores.  I would have thought that this was a fairly basic requirement of a retail operation.  Little wonder that the stores are filled with unwanted items, while best-sellers are prominent by their absence.  Lord Sieff must be birling about in his grave.