Absolutely. If the algorithm were perfect, shelves would be empty moments before the restock arrives. But I wonder how the endless bounty effect of fully stocked shelve affects customers' shopping habits. For example, I might not buy the pineapple if it were the last one on the shelf, because surely there must be something wrong with it. Then again, three rotting pineapples that no one would buy is better than three cases of rotting pineapples in the back room.

That's true, but the system seems to be a lot more controlling than just that:

> "Out of 400 boxes in your cooler, if you have one of those boxes facing the wrong way, you are penalized," said one employee, who described the system as "militaristic."