How to Properly Address Outrageous Overpricing

Laws of supply and demand. Capitalism. My 4 pack was $21.00. Was I going to complain about the extra $ 2.00, nope. The 1 case that the store received was not on the shelf yet. My beer guy" Jim" told me about this limited release. I thanked him and bought the 4 pack. You should get a better beer guy(or gal) or store. Related note, new craft beer cellar open in Westford.

 

paid $5.27 at Deciccio's Armonk just to try it. I would not pay the $19 for the four pack. good beer. not great. keep in mind this is ultimately an otter creek beer.

 

Why do you think 35% is an appropriate margin? Most retail operations need to get a 50% margin to cover salaries, rent, utilities, and the like.

Edit: I am speaking from my experience in public accounting. Have worked with many retailors, none that are package stores, so I am truly asking if it is different.

 

With the exception of a handful of breweries, where the pricing is more realistic already (think, Bruery), most breweries' beers (thinking more in terms of MSRP rather than where certain stores actually set the prices) tend to fall in the range of $0.10 per ounce (year-round sixer) to $0.80 per ounce (barrel aged, anniversary etc).

So when I say I think prices should go up, I'm not suggesting across the board, only on the more limited releases. For example KBS works out around $0.60-0.65 per ounce. I'd rather pay $1.30 per ounce and have the opportunity to buy one bottle, than miss out on buying one for half the price. Not sure if that makes sense - just my opinion. But like everyone else, my opinions are based around what would work best for my situation.

 

Capitalism is a hell of a drug.

 

Yea that doesn't really make sense to have these pricey beers going bad on the shelf. That sounds like the store's problem and hopefully they will correct it. Regarding high prices in general though, I can say that there is an upside in that a high priced thing incentivises other people to start making more of that thing because there's obviously money to be made. But eventually that increase in supply causes a decrease in price and the added bonus of greater selection for us

 

Point, laugh, then ignore. Can't think of any beer store I've been to where I haven't done that at one point or another - usually happens everytime I'm in one.

 

Shop elsewhere. Do people really understand what price gouging is? On a side though ...would anyone have a problem finding a beer cheaper than it usually is? No...no one would say I'm sorry shopkeep...this needs to be priced higher. It's capitalism to find things more expensive and cheaper on occasion...gotta take the good with the bad.

 

There's a beverage here man.

 

I just wouldn't buy it. These over priced bombers are the same thing around these parts. I guess one way to get your point across would be.....purchase it, open it in the store, and dump it out all over the counter with big grin on your face, then return the bottle.

 

Don't buy it. Easy.

 

Steeeaal

 

Whenever I pick up something for which I either can't find a price or misread the shelf labeling and the person at the register is ringing me up I ask if an unexpected price is correct. If he/she says that it is, I apologize and say that I need to return the product to the shelf and get something else. At least that way I've given some feedback. Like most of the others here I let my wallet do my talking.

Re: bottled water after natural disasters, I read a compelling argument for selling gasoline at $25 a gallon after Superstorm Sandy. Basically people would only buy the gas they need, instead of filling up their SUV to the gills and then stuffing a couple spare gas cans inside it. People would buy less until the supply chain restored itself and other people wouldn't be stranded on the side of the road when they go to buy gas and find there is none available.

 

Stadiums charge $8 for a bud light and people buy it and add on a tip.

For an extra dollar you could be drinking an awesome Beer in your home.

It's almost a deal.

 

I understand 100% where you are coming from.

Semibaked, you are lame and uninformed.

To the people defending 100% increases over other stores reasonable rates because this is a free market system and you can, you are the kind of people causing awful problems for America.

I say chat with the person in charge. I think you will be able to figure out very quickly what kind of owner you're dealing with, and it shouldn't be hard to make a decision after that.

 

Beer is not a very expensive beverage to make. Beer should be about community, drinking, good times, camaraderie, sharing your passions, etc.

Strictly for profit businesses are eroding the middle class and widening the gap between the wealthy and very poor. If the Sam Adams guy is worth over a billion dollars and still selling his beer at reasonable prices, I don't see all of these "beer is too cheap" arguments being valid.

 

Ask the shop owner point blank (but without rancor) why the beer is so much more expensive than what you have seen it priced for elsewhere. If you don't like the answer, tell him nicely that you'll be shopping elsewhere. Then do that.

 

I know a store here in California that is sell HT for $8.99 a can because it's all on the DL (the beer not being officially available here in CA). I paid it a couple of times because I wanted to try it and I don't trade.

If I were to want that beer (or any beer form out of distro area) on a regular basis, I'd find a shop willing to ship to me. After shipping, though, the beer would be closer to that nine bucks a can than I'd like to admit...

 

When I get cases shipped to me it comes out to about $5 per can, and I think that's pretty solid for living in Louisiana and it's such a great beer.