Shopping but not buying?

He certainly treated you poorly. But, I do feel bad when I do it, and I almost always end up buying at least something, particularly at the smaller stores. There's always a local 6/12-pack I can grab for myself/friends/extras.

I think the problem is that a liquor store is a shop where 99.9% of customers don't leave without buying something - right up there with a convenience store. It's also at high-risk for theft. So you put the two together and I do perfectly understand why an owner/employee might be a little skeptical.

 

You arent walking in there with a North Face jacket on in 80 degree weather and skulking around the aisles are you?

In all seriousness though, that is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard. As was mentioned already, if he was going to say anything to you, it should have been to find out what it was you were looking for and to see if he could stock it in the future. I've done this plenty of times not only in my local bottle shops but in stores of all types. If you go into a store looking for Tylenol and they dont have it, should you buy Advil even though it doesnt work for you, just because you feel bad?

 

Most stores if I don't see what I want I will at least walk out with a cheap bomber or just buy a bottle of soda. It's nice living in a state where beer doesn't have to be sold in a liquor store because it's easy to check for new stuff while buying other things.

 

I do random store inventories almost daily. I used to feel self conscious about it, but I've since gotten over it. I usually keep an impossible request in my back pocket, just in case an interrogation ensues. "Did you get any _____?" Make it a extremely limited release or something discontinued, that way even if they offer to order it for you, you can politely inform them it is not possible. They get the satisfaction of trying to help you out, and you can walk out without eyes on your back.

 

I'd say that I go into most shops knowing either A) what I want to by or B) open to trying something I haven't had before. About 20% of the time neither A or B are met by the current selection and I move on....but do feel a bit of guilt in smaller stores vs. gigantic wholesalers.

Still to be treated in a manner by the store owner is unacceptable. I'd tell him he was out of line, demand an apology, and take your business elsewhere.

 

I'll occasionally do this, but because I generally don't keep a stock of beer at the house, if I'm at the store, I'm going to buy something, even if it isn't exactly what I was looking for. I've never had any issues with the staff over not buying, though. In fact, I've found that employees are generally pretty accommodating if they see you leaving empty-handed: "Were you looking for something specific?" "Maybe we can order it for you" etc.

That said, I can understand store managers getting annoyed during special releases. "Do you have X. No? Do you know when you're getting it? No? Any general idea? Oh, okay. I'll come back some other time." [Walks out of store, passes someone coming in] "Do you have X. No? Do you know when you're getting it? No? Any general idea? Oh, okay. I'll come back some other time." I don't think any of them would bar anyone from coming back, though.

 

Leaving a beer store empty handed is a concept I am not familiar with. They carry 1000 beers, and I haven't tried them all.

 

The guy sounds like a total jerk. I do this all the time and no one has ever said anything to me. You should get a bunch of your buddies to repeatedly go in there and not buy anything. Just to piss him off.

 

I did this yesterday. Went to a local grocery store that always has a great selection, but when I didn't find anything particularly interesting I left. No big deal.

Smaller shops are a little different just because it's usually the same staff and you get to know the people. Less anonymous. Still, there's absolutely nothing wrong with browsing as long as you buy something every once in a while. For every time I walk out of a store empty-handed there are two times I walk out with more than I intended to buy.

Maybe the owner suspected you work for a competing store or something? I used to frequent a certain store's beer department often enough that the beer guy there asked me once if I was with a distributor or something...

 

This has nevwr happenned to me at a liquor store / bottle shop. I have about half a dozen stores I frequent, the people there mostly know me by sight if not name. If I don't get something today, I will next time. It did happen once at a guitar store, though. I was walking in, never been there before. The guy working didn't even look up from the magazine he was reading, says, "trying or buying?" I stood for a second, couldn't believe he asked that. I replied, "neither." and walked out. Never went back.

 

i browse all the time without buying. newer clerks sometimes look befuddled if i leave without anything but they get to know me eventually. sometimes a shop doesn't have what i need, or the price isn't in line with what i know, or i'm literally just browsing while waiting for my lunch to finish being prepared a couple of doors over ~ whatever.

unless they're tied up with customers or doing stock, i generally make a point to talk with a salesperson, let them know i was looking for ? or curious if they stock ? or in the area & thought i'd check out their stock etc. still, even if you don't have any people skills or vocal chords & left light-handed, it is America & what OP described is simply bad business. he's upset today you left without, so he guarantees you'll never leave with. that's genius.

based on the described conversation, my reaction would have been "why are you repeating yourself with redundant sentences"? after all it would be pretty self evident his dumb ass wouldn't need to tell me *not to come back*, it's not like i'd ever be back to help his challenged ass stay in business anyway. seriously.

aside from that, i would have thanked him for taking the time to walk all the way out of the store + his effort spent formulating his redundant sentences. i'd also tell him i'd save him some trouble by letting all my friends know too, including the ones that recommended his shop so that he doesn't have to keep repeating himself. but i would ask as a favor -- could he repeat it one last time just for me... that way i can quote it, cause i'd hate to misstate his position on Yelp, Beer Advocate, Rate Beer, my blog, Angie's List etc. etc. and i'd definitely have my phone out with the camera rolling by then so i could get whatever else transpired correct for YouTube so on & so forth.

 

the one time i told someone i was looking for Bigfoot they looked at me like i was crazy.

 

I would post your story on every review site you can find.

 

I do this as well. I always feel weird when I leave w/ out buying, so whenever I'm asked I'll ask about something limited (Abyss is my current go to), if they pull some out of no where then I get some Abyss, if not they're apologetic and let me leave in peace.

 

Unless there's more the OP isn't saying, the above does not apply and he got treated badly.

That being said- I bet Sneers nails it with the bit above. I know my local is entirely and completely sick of people coming in, asking for some special release, or even more annoying, just asking "what's in the back room". And then leaving. No purchases, no nothing other than trying to find the latest whale. And I seriously doubt my local is the only beer store that's entirely sick of that behaviour.

In those cases, I'd entirely side with the store owner.

Otherwise... OP now should have a slightly shorter list of places that will get his money.

 

what an assdouche

 

I'm not sure which surprises me more...his lack of customer service skills or the fact that this happened in Kansas.

 

I've never been 86'd by a liquor store owner like that. You must have been surprised.

I've gone into stores just to look before but I think I may only have left without purchasing something once or twice. All those pretty bottles with their big eyes wanting to go home with me...

 

I do this fairly often with 2 stores that i go to. One has a fairly nice selection but never has limited editions so i go there because it is closer. If i see nothing then i leave. They dont ask and they dont seem to mind.

The other place i go there for a bigger selection and special releases and i sometimes dont get a thing. I have a good relationship with the guy so he has my number and calls me if anything i want has come in. Doesnt ask questions if i dont buy anything and even shows me stuff that was given to him as gifts from breweries.


Sounds like the guy at your shop is a jerk. Take your money elsewhere and write reviews of the place