Victory Dirt Wolf - Why 4-packs??

Also enjoying an FIS, Cheers!

 

“Pearl Necklace.. The Truth.. both $9.99, both 6-packs.”

Ah, the beauty of the 6-pack format: reasonable pricing!

Cheers!

 

You keep throwing around terms like "exploiting" and "price gauging" (I assume you mean price gouging) really loosely. Just because a retailer charges slightly more than you want to pay doesn't mean they are exploiting or gouging anyone.

 

“Just because a retailer charges slightly more than you want to pay doesn't mean they are exploiting or gouging anyone.” You are correct, gouging is the right word.

The situation in Pennsylvania is that the law limits the number of licenses for retailers to sell beer by the 6-pack (or 4-pack). In most of PA (geographically) you can only purchase beer by the case. Because there is limited competition (due to poor laws) to sell beer by the 4/6 pack those retailers feel like they can charge whatever they want. Needless to say but you can avoid this by buying the beer by the case for a reasonable price (there is more competition in the retail beer distributor realm). It could be argued that retailers like Wegmans, etc., are simply pricing the beer at what they can command. If I can travel to a neighboring state (New Jersey where there is competition at the 4/6 pack level) and buy the beer at $8 vs. $10 a 4-pack then I consider the PA retailers as price gougers.

Needless to say but you may have a differing opinion.

The ‘challenge’ is that when it comes to the beer industry we don’t really have a free market economy due to the overall three tier distribution system (which every state needs to follow by federal law) and the restrictive legislation in each individual state. The liquor and beer laws in PA are very restrictive and archaic. There have been many attempts to modernize the state laws but there are many special interest groups who benefit by the existing laws and fight modernization. The only ‘group’ that gets screwed in this whole process is the consumer/constituent.

Cheers!

 

You've yet to make a cogent argument as to how some retailers charging more than you want to pay is price gouging. New Jersey has some archaic and silly alcohol laws just like pretty much every other state, and I guarantee you that some store in NJ is charging $10 a four pack for dirtwolf. Retailers are free to charge what they want and that's part of the beauty of the free market, not part of the problem. For instance a beer store near my house sells pretty much everything for 20-30% more than other stores in the area...you can get rare beer X there for much longer than at other stores, you just pay a premium.

 

I didn't wanna say it but that's the main example I had in mind when I said that. Plus when founders was gonna release Breakfast Stout in 6 packs for the same price but decided not to later on

 

I know, in favor of all pay IPA.

 

Does no one in this thread understand the concept of volume discount? Of course the more you buy of something, the better the deal will be. It is stupid to calculate what a bomber would cost if offered as a 4-pack, or how a 4-pack price translates to a 6-pack price. Buy more total product, and you get a better deal. Simple.

 

Dirt Wolf in four packs, and the move of Storm King (and eventually Yakima and Golden Monkey, I think?) puts the price of those packs in-line with the rest of the Victory sixes they're sitting on the shelf next to.

I think it's a good move on their part, and it looks neater on my shelves (even though we do Dirt Wolf for 8$ and everything else is at 9$!)

Most of my customers don't want to spend more than 10 bucks on anything, no matter how great I tell them it is, which is a shame, because they'll spend 9.99 on a bomber just as fast as they'll spend it on a six pack

 

I am not sure that a bomber isn't a good value depending on the beer. If a pint at the pub is between $6-$8 then a bomber can be a relative value. When that price starts to top over $10 then it's no longer a value but "valuable."

 

Can you explain how "ridiculous taxes" contribute to higher 4/6pk prices in PA than neighboring states? PA's state excise tax on beer (which is paid by the brewer or "importing distributor") is 8¢/gallon, lower than NJ's 12¢ or NY's 14¢. And that low PA ET adds less than a cent to a bottle of beer - $.0075 - for a total of 3¢ per 4 pk.

Likewise, sales tax paid by the consumer in PA is lower than NJ's 7% and NY's variable 7-8-up%.

Do bottle shops pay some additional tax on B-to-B purchases from wholesale distributors? That would be an unusual situation.

It's always been my understanding that the higher prices on bottle/sixpack prices in PA was the result of PA's case law that, in effect, creates a "Fourth Tier" of bars/bottle shops.

 

I like the 4 pack. No need to buy 6 if you are just sampling for the first time, and if you know you like it, you can always buy more than one.

 

Easy economics, the beer now costs the consumer more money per ounce. That 4 pack looks enticing for say $9.99 vs a $13.99 6 pack. From a marketing standpoint the cheaper price tag might influence someone to buy on price alone without burning up a lot of money on a sixer. It's why bombers exist and why they are popular, even though the cost per oz is more.

 

Golden Monkey probably, but Yakima is no longer being produced.

 

There is no fourth tier. In PA, beer goes from the brewery, then the wholesaler, then the retailer, just like everywhere else. Wholesalers are importing distributors (ID's), that sell to distributors (D's - beer by the case only), restaurants (R - beer, wine, and liquor) ie: bars and taverns, and eating places (E - beer only) ie: deli's, pizza shops. D, R, and E are retailers all the same, and getting their beer from the ID. R and E licenses can buy from a D, but they'd be foolish to do so. And yes, PA has one of the lowest beer taxes in the country, save for the philly and pitt additional 10% drink tax. The limit of R and E licenses per county population gives the holders a self entitlement to command 50-100+% margins, whereas retailers in most other states can get by with 20-30%.

 

As was posted by ClockworkOrange

“The limit of R and E licenses per county population gives the holders a self entitlement to command 50-100+% margins, whereas retailers in most other states can get by with 20-30%.”

As far as I am concerned a differential of 50-100+% margins vs. 20-30% is price gouging.

Cheers!

 

I prefer 6 packs but understand the 4 packs for higher ABV beer. I would say 8% and up is good for 4 packs.

 

Well damn, that's a shame, I'll miss that, even more than Hop Wallop!

 

Nice, but $60 + Uncle Sam in Ohio..........Nice to know, as Erie is just over an hour away. Case price PA beers ALWAYS MUCH CHEAPER in PA...........rest of the world? You gotta pay to play..........

 

Speaking of DW, just opened one up today and drain poured it. Holy shit have the mighty fallen. Ive never seen such a falloff so quickly. It was completely undrinkable.

Good thing it was a 4pk and not a 6pk or I'd have 3 more to drain pour instead of just the 1.