At least when I worked there, stock was never in the "store room". The back was merely for stock that they hadn't got around to unpacking yet. The company was

At least when I worked there, stock was never in the "store room". The back was merely for stock that they hadn't got around to unpacking yet. The company was legendary for logistics in the 90s and early 2000s. Part of that came from having most stock in one of two states: In transit, or on the shelves. Stock in the back is a cost center. Most stores do not operate this way, their Just In Time delivery system isn't up to the task. And so customers used to this inefficiency liked to ask you to check. They don't really want an explanation on JIT or walmarts inventory management so pretending to check was best for all involved.