Store owners handling on case of KBS...

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by RayOhioFelton, Feb 24, 2013.

?

What is the best way to handle limited quantities of rare releases?

  1. Lottery

    12.7%
  2. First come/first serve

    55.0%
  3. Waiting list

    16.8%
  4. Who ever spends the most gets priority

    9.1%
  5. Other

    6.4%
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  1. RayOhioFelton

    RayOhioFelton Initiate (0) May 24, 2011 Ohio
    Deactivated

    I am located south of Cleveland, OH and am lucky to have 4-5 really solid beer stores surrounding me. They all have there pros and cons but between them all it isn't hard to find what I am looking for.

    Upon discussing the upcoming release of KBS with one of the store owners he informed me that he gets one case a year. I asked him if he had a waiting list or how I could get some. His response was that he only sold to certain customers that spend "boo coo bucks" and makes more customers angry than happy with his distribution of the case.

    I understand he has to take care of his top customers but I probably spend around $100 a month in that store, sometimes way more depending on the season, and feel like I was told I don't spend enough. This was about a week ago and have stopped shopping there. The only thing they get over the other stores is Three Floyd's so that s all I plan to purchase in the future significantly cutting down the amount I spend with this store.

    I feel like a waiting list, lottery or first come/first serve would be a more fair response than spend the most money and maybe you'll be considered. I'm waiting for the KBS release to see if he will sell it to me but until then thoughts on this store owners mindset?
     
  2. kzoobrew

    kzoobrew Initiate (0) May 8, 2006 Michigan

    IMO first come first serve with a staggered release is the best way to release a beer.

    If we're honest here, most peoples idea of what is fair is also the option which they are more likely to get the beer they want. If you really want the best way to release a beer it has nothing to do with fixing the store, it has more to do with fixing the customer. Until the customers get it through their head they don't need the beer and stop being upset when they don't get the beer, we will be dealing with more whining and complaining with every release.
     
  3. ChefHopMeister

    ChefHopMeister Initiate (0) Aug 3, 2010 Virginia

    A retailer can distribute to customers as they feel fit for their business but there is no easy fix. With that said, I would want to make as many customers happy as I could and recognize the regulars, whether they spend $25 or $100+ a month. Why shut out the guy who has a thinner budget but still frequents and buys regularly from the shop?

    If I were only allocated 1 case/24 bottles, I'd make a list limit 1-2 bottles to regulars. This way more customers get some and are recognized. It's better to get at least one bottle of highly allocated, great brew than nothing at all, plus develop good will amongst regulars.
     
  4. RayOhioFelton

    RayOhioFelton Initiate (0) May 24, 2011 Ohio
    Deactivated

    I completely understand the store owners side but why tell me he is getting it if he doesn't think I spend enough to get it. I felt like he was saying, hmm, buy some more beer and maybe I'll consider you. It was an odd approach.
     
    SammyJaxxxx likes this.
  5. michaeljstraub

    michaeljstraub Initiate (0) Oct 6, 2012 Georgia

    I'd be fine with the first come first serve release if distributors bowed down to my work schedule. What, are you too busy at 6pm to deliver beer?:stuck_out_tongue:
     
  6. ChrisMon02

    ChrisMon02 Pooh-Bah (1,611) May 2, 2010 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I too live in Cleveland and have a good idea of who you are referring to. I asked the same question and got the same answer. If it is in fact the same shop, he needs to carry WAY more than he currently does to get me to spend more. I am not interested in 50 bottles of Pumking and limited supply of everything else. If it is not the same store than somehow I got the same answer. Either way, I will seek out KBS when it ships and if I don't get it, I will live.

    As far as shopping at this particular store, I will stop while in the area but their are others that offer more.
     
  7. HeadyTheElder

    HeadyTheElder Initiate (0) Nov 3, 2012 Louisiana
    Trader

    Anything but lotteries. A local store did a lottery for Westy 12 and it allows people to come out of the woodwork and get special things instead of regular customers.
     
    gwdavis, BigBarley and ChefHopMeister like this.
  8. JoeBloe

    JoeBloe Pooh-Bah (1,977) Nov 16, 2007 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society

    My local place has a first come first served policy, however they apparently allow the same two guys, time after time, to buy ALL of their limited release stock - no limits - I'm talking multiple cases - (bwaah!)
     
    Holsie likes this.
  9. Steimie

    Steimie Maven (1,404) Jan 7, 2012 Michigan

    Know why you felt that way? Because that's exactly what he's saying.

    Now, you can decide if and how you want to deal with this store in the future, but make no mistake, he was telling you that you need to spend more money to get KBS from hm.
     
    victory4me likes this.
  10. RayOhioFelton

    RayOhioFelton Initiate (0) May 24, 2011 Ohio
    Deactivated

    Buehler's on 303 in Brunswick and Circle A on Sprague and 130th are far superior! Not going to call out this particular store and won't pitch a fit if I don't get KBS.
     
    jaywz and ChrisMon02 like this.
  11. ipas-for-life

    ipas-for-life Initiate (0) Feb 28, 2012 Virginia

    I have no problem with this approach as long as you know where you stand. If they had a point system and every time you make a purchase it says on your recipe your total points and rank then I'm cool with it. In this case it sounds like the people who get the good stuff probably kiss the owners ass more than you.
     
  12. kzoobrew

    kzoobrew Initiate (0) May 8, 2006 Michigan

    Here is my issue with customer loyalty systems, it exacerbates the sense of entitlement. Entitlement is one of the biggest problems with releases. There are many way to reward loyalty, limited releases is not to only one.
     
    thenamestsam, Orca, Vav and 16 others like this.
  13. jrman1386

    jrman1386 Devotee (392) Oct 22, 2011 Illinois
    Trader

    The best way I have found that a bottle shop can handle limited releases.

    Only their beer manager can sell rare bottles. He sells them on a first come first serve basis with discretion. If he doesn't recognize you, he won't sell to you. This has nothing to do with how much you spend. I might only buy a bottle or two from them monthly, but I talk to him, and he knows I appreciate the beer. It stretches their stock further with their regulars, while only pissing off people late to the game.
     
    codasnap52 likes this.
  14. ipas-for-life

    ipas-for-life Initiate (0) Feb 28, 2012 Virginia

    Does he tell them that he doesn't have any? Or does he tell them he won't sell it to them?
     
  15. taxman

    taxman Initiate (0) Feb 22, 2012 Illinois

    First come first serve sucks. Deliveries are during the works day when most people work. So, I would have to take time off and follow the delivery truck around to have a chance. Waiting lists suck because if you're not there within ten minutes after they start one, you're screwed. Lotteries are probably the best choice, but only if the they only let their regular customers enter and NOT random people who only buy limited releases.
     
    Willbfun and YogiBeer like this.
  16. FEUO

    FEUO Initiate (0) Jul 24, 2012 Canada (ON)

    There is no perfect system. Can we all acknowledge that?

    Lottery: flaw - people come out of the woodwork, does not reward loyalty or persistence
    First-come-first-serve: rewards persistence and nothing else. I could drop $1k per month at a store, which is paid for a busy work schedule, but doesn't allow for getting in line in the middle of the day, or at 4am on weekends, etc.
    Rewarding-loyal-customers: makes sense in some ways, but freezes out potential long term customers or those customers who may already be loyal but aren't all up in the beer guy's face kissing ass everytime they are in and thereby go unnoticed.
    List: works in most cases unless there is little supply. No one wants just 1 12oz bottle. 4pack minimum.

    Again, nothing is perfect. The store needs to do what they think is best for them and their customers. Invariably mistakes and missteps will happen along the way.
     
    MichiBrew, tlh1005, PeterJ and 9 others like this.
  17. seakayak

    seakayak Pooh-Bah (1,757) May 20, 2007 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I imagine most beer stores need hundreds of regulars just to stay in business, so handing them out to regulars doesn't seem feasible. I've been going to my beer store weekly for 15 years, but I wouldn't count on the manager thinking I'm special.

    If it's really a special limited supply then limit it to one, sign a sheet to track it, and then first come/first served takes one home. Everybody's happy.
     
    thenamestsam likes this.
  18. krl2112

    krl2112 Pooh-Bah (1,682) Nov 10, 2012 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    So this is a very interesting conversation/debate to me as I have a couple of views. Ultimately I voted for first come, first served. However, I think it is nice when a store will hold a bottle for you if you are a regular customer. I somewhat feel that this is the benefit for consistently goig to that store. However, I think the most fair and unbiased way is simply first come. That puts less "stress" on the store. Just my opinion.
     
  19. Bung

    Bung Pooh-Bah (2,515) Nov 5, 2007 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah

    Basically no need to post after this. Thank You.
     
  20. nc41

    nc41 Initiate (0) Sep 25, 2008 North Carolina
    Trader

    The place I go to does a call list, it rewards return customers, but they also allow guys who know about a release to be on the list too, so the list is kinda 1st come 1st serve behind a few always busy customers.
     
    Pecan likes this.
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