To perform management of a stock of merchandise in a unit equivalent to one layer by a method wherein merchandise loaded in a plurality of layers on a pallet contained on a containing shelf is picked in a unit equivalent to one layer.

In an automatic warehouse wherein a picking shelf 2 is arranged in a frontmost row on a containing shelf 1, merchandise B loaded in a plurality of layers on a pallet A is contained on the containing shelf 1 and merchandise equivalent to only one layer of the merchandise B contained on the containing shelf 1 is contained on the picking shelf 2. When the merchandise is delivered from the picking shelf 2 and the shelf is brought into an empty state, the empty shelf is replenished with the merchandise equivalent to one layer taken out from the containing shelf 1. When the merchandise B on the pallet A contained on the containing shelf runs out, an empty shelf is outputted from the shelf. The merchandise B loaded on the pallet A is contained on the empty containing shelf, and input and output of the merchandise B and the pallet A and management of a stock are automatically effected.