Are these gimmicks that some Craft Beer Shops doing legal?

Could you a bit more specific about what this means? I am curious.

 

Please fill me in, as I was already an aging paranoiac when everyone started getting on social media: What practical substantive difference is there between getting info via one versus the other?

 

lame

 

Biggest things is do they charge you for the chance? If the answer is no, then more often the not it is legal... Is it it fair? Nope, but it is legal

 

I bet you could find someone to literally do it. Just how far would someone go for some whalez, bro?

 

Have you seen what snapchat is? Looks like the average user is 17 years old. I'll pass on having to download that for beer.

The release hype on Facebook pages is more than enough.

 

I will voluntarily buy 4pk/6pks of beer that I might not have bought, or that I know I could've gotten less expensively elsewhere, to help out my favorite bottle shops, because I know that their allocation on rarities is directly tied to their sales of "regular" beer.

So when I need a sixer of Deschutes or Founders (for example) I'll often spend $2 or $3 more there than I would've by going to Whole Foods. Or I might buy a sixer of an IPA I might not care to have 6 of because it's a brand I know has a rarer beer I want to ensure they get plenty of.

I'm never coerced into these purchases by the shop, but I'm completely aware that these purchases help not only by buying more beer there overall, but because of the way allocations are handled, so I'm happy to do it.

 

I can dig that.

 

I should implement these policies at my store!

Actually, I think I'll just keep being the nice guy that puts shit on the shelf. Or counter. I would not want a bunch of beer guys sending me random snaps to my store snapchat.
I felt dirty just saying store snapchat. That's odd.

 

Yeah both are very much illegal in TX. The first implies some form of membership in order to purchase alcohol which is a no no here in TX, which is also why anyone can walk into costco to buy beer or wine in TX.

The second one requires you buy one beer to get something else. Also a no no here.

thanks tabc..........for once

 

This cannot be overstated, nor should it be forgotten. We've dug this absurd grave for ourselves, and now we're wondering why we're six feet shorter and holding a dirty shovel...

 

Completely legal. Ammo vendors have insider emails as well.

Their ball, their court.

Same thing with guys willing to pay exorbitant prices for M855 right now. They are the problem.

 

Both practices you mention are complete dick moves, and I wouldn't shop at any store that does things like that.
The first one might be legal unfortunately, depending on state law. I do believe in some cases however that it is illegal to require a membership in something to purchase a product.

The second practice is known as a tied sale, and they are illegal in most cases (and also an extreme dick move).
Report those stores to the breweries whose beer they are doing those things with, stop shopping there, and make sure to tell the store why you're not giving them your business anymore. If you're the vengeful type, feel free to blast them in reviews online as well. If they're going to treat customers like that, they deserve it.

 

it sounds like you need to find another store to be a frequent at ...>>> where in CT are you I could point you in the right direction

 

I've never used snapchat, but you can only view pictures for a few seconds and they're gone. While that's great for dick pics, I'm not sure how good it is for giving info about items that are for sale.

 

a little off topic- but............ RELOAD

 

Some people would rather compound the problem I guess.

I personally won't do business with anyone that has ethics issues or demands something from me just to sell me something.

 

I cannot understand why beer is almost the only product where people will put up with this kind of behavior from retailers (I say almost because if I say it's the only product where this happens, someone will come up with an obscure example to prove me wrong).
If you walked into a clothing store and tried to purchase a pair of pants, and the cashier said "sorry, in order to be allowed to purchase those, you have to buy three shirts and two ties first" the store would immediately be crucified all over the internet, and their business would suffer greatly. Yet any time we see a beer store hiding beers, doing tied sales, or other such douchebaggery, we shrug and say "that's how the game works."
Well, the people who have put in the time and money to get into those inner circles say that. Obviously they'd feel stupid if their effort was for nothing, so they have the attitude of "I had to deal with it, everyone else should too" which just condones and perpetuates this kind of thing.

 

haven't radio stations been doing this kind of thing for decades? like in Christmas Story when what's-his-name gets his decoder ring to solve the puzzle "Drink more Ovaltine" ... or listen from 7-8 p.m. for the secret word and call in for free tickets to whatever?

that's the way commerce go ...

 

Our "now now now" society is the primary reason. People will sell their souls for any reason these days. Then they rationalize it with the statements you already mentioned. Probably even some cycle of abuse issues in there somewhere.

Pretty much any exclusive item will be that way. Ferrari and Porsche do it. Ammo vendors do it.

I feel the same way you do. It is NOT the cost of doing business; it is just plain old baggery and the people that are willing to take the abuse to have the current cool-guy product perpetuate it.