an apparatus that displays alternative items for items that are out of stock in a store or the like . a request for an item is entered into a sales computer . the computer determines from a database whether the requested item is available . if the item is unavailable , the computer determines alternative items that are available for sale . these available alternative items are interactively displayed for the customer . the alternative items are determined from an alternative item database wherein each item is categorized with alternative items . a mass data storage device stores an image of each alternative item . a method of determining and displaying alternative items includes the steps of : inputting a request for an item ; determining the availability of the requested item and alternative items for the requested item if it is unavailable ; and interactively displaying the alternative items . an electronic monitoring apparatus for a store includes : a sales computer for entering sales requests ; a database for storing the request and associated information on each item ordered ; a stock area computer , wherein the request is transmitted from the sales computer to the stock area computer ; and a report generation system capable of generating a report selected from the group consisting of items requested , items delivered , items returned , items sold , requests by sku , sales person report , sales person summary report , time of requests analysis , and time of sales analysis .