Employees buying up limited releases

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by cactusleon, Feb 4, 2013.

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  1. cactusleon

    cactusleon Initiate (0) Mar 4, 2006 New Jersey

    i wasnt expecting it to be there, i already stated in the thread i shouldnt have waited the extra day, i just figured i would ask while i was in the store and he said he had it, then pretty much said its gone, i understood completely, its a good store that i visit frequently, i just wanted to know opinions on how others feel sabout situations like this that are even probably much worse than mine, that happen more often
     
  2. cactusleon

    cactusleon Initiate (0) Mar 4, 2006 New Jersey

    my main problem isnt with employees buying the beer, while i would be against hoarding, i am just against the employee holding it if u have a paying customer ready to buy it
     
  3. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Having read all nine pages of this thread, I have completely changed my position on this issue.
    As of this moment I no longer give a flying fuck.
     
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  4. megamass

    megamass Initiate (0) Oct 30, 2008 New Jersey

    I agree with this 100%
     
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  5. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    That's because it's an undeniable fact. But it changes nothing. The beers we're talking about are going to sell 100%.
    This isn't about where the money's coming from, it's about where the beer is going.
     
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  6. raynmoon

    raynmoon Initiate (0) Aug 13, 2011 Colorado

    I work at a restaurant actually, for 3 years. It has never happened where I work. BUT I am fully aware of terrible employees out there. It's one of the reasons why I only go to "mom and pop" restaurants.

    On the occasional blue moon, we get have a bite or two of a special for dinner. That is about it.

    Having said all of this, If i worked at a Bevmo that only got 2 cases of Sucks, I'm sure I'd attempt to at least get a six pack. Probably on my off time though.

    Good thing It's in abundance here in Nor Cal =}
     
  7. channels321

    channels321 Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2012 Texas

    Nobody, customer or employee, should ever be able to buy a limited release beer until after I have had the opportunity to buy it first. I am entitled to get everything.:wink:

    No but seriously I have no problem if an employee wants to buy a limited beer before it hits the shelves. As long as they are paying the same and following the same allocations as I am I do not see a problem, they love beer and want to try things just like I do.

    And this as well vvvvvv
     
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  8. MinnesotaMoon

    MinnesotaMoon Initiate (0) Jan 15, 2013 Minnesota

    Working at a bottle shop has to have perks: get the jump on delivery dates is one of them. I have no problem with that. An owner has to keep the balance of happy employees and happy customers-not an easy task sometimes. As a customer if there is a bottle you really want you have to have many sources scouted out and better your odds of getting one. You cannot and should not ever feel it is your right to have first dibs b/c you are the customer. World does not work like that. Sometimes you get it sometimes you don't... It's just beer and there are a ton of great ones out there. My humble suggestion is either trade for the stuff you could not get or hope your buddies will share with you or apply for a job to get the beer perks.
     
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  9. YogiBeer

    YogiBeer Initiate (0) May 10, 2012 Illinois


    Yes, a brewery is definitely a retail establishment.
     
  10. megamass

    megamass Initiate (0) Oct 30, 2008 New Jersey

    I am against employees buying all/hoarding special releases but they are customers too. Employees have ever right to get these special releases but also the stores should have a responsabilty to get them special beers to customers. Employees have an inside edge but thats just how it is some might not think its fair.
     
  11. TheSaboteur

    TheSaboteur Initiate (0) Sep 20, 2010 Nebraska

    You know why I work part-time at a bottle shop? Here's a hint: It's not for the $8.50 an hour.
     
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  12. cactusleon

    cactusleon Initiate (0) Mar 4, 2006 New Jersey

    its debatable, but they are the manufacturers of the beer, they ship it out to retail stores or wholesalers, now if that brewery has a retail shop on premis, thats a different story, but technically the brewery itself isnt retail, i guess also it depends on which brewery
     
  13. YogiBeer

    YogiBeer Initiate (0) May 10, 2012 Illinois

    Most beer nerds who work in beer stores are just that... beer nerds. To follow this beer nerd logic, they (probably) spend way more money than people who cherry pick bottle shops for special releases. Should they buy up all special allocated releases? Hell no. Should we hate on them for dedicating their working lives to helping us find, and appreciate great craft beer? No. Should we love them for throwing themselves passionately into the pursuit of the best beers (that they, USUALLY, do a great job of informing the general public on flops?) Yes.
     
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  14. YogiBeer

    YogiBeer Initiate (0) May 10, 2012 Illinois


    It isn't debatable. Why is one perk okay, while the other isn't?
     
  15. Smurf2055

    Smurf2055 Initiate (0) Nov 12, 2011 Washington

    No, but it has to do with the policy debate. It should be in a shops best interest to allow employees to have an allocation. They shouldn't be entitled to more than any other customer, and they shouldn't get privileges that regular customers don't get. They should be treated as just another customer.
     
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  16. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Wow, I had no idea this thread contained something as elevated as a "policy debate." :wink:

    I'm all for stores allowing their employees to buy a certain percentage of these sought-after beers as a benefit of working there. And as I mentioned at 9 o'clock this morning, I think it could even be used as an incentive for better customer service, productivity, etc. But I oppose (and I think you do too) what the OP and a few other posters described: when employees buy up a majority or all of a given beer before customers ever get a shot at it. I think that in reality this is probably pretty rare, but it must happen occasionally (or people wouldn't talk about it on the interwebz).

    But here's the rub. As a practical matter, simply saying employees "should be treated as just another customer" doesn't work. They're in the store all day, they know when the beer is delivered, they have co-workers to look out for them even when they're off. So they inherently get privileges other regular customers don't get. There's no way around that. Life's unfair, that's just the way it is. But it serves no purpose to pretend otherwise.
     
  17. WhiteJordan

    WhiteJordan Initiate (0) Sep 6, 2012 Washington

    I work at a bottle shop and I pay full price for my bottles. If we get uber limited bottles I can assure you I don't go outside the allocation. We only got 1 case of Logsdon Peche and Brett and I was only able to get one bottle. To me employees buying bottles is not different than bottle hunters hitting every shop in town. If you had the chance you would exploit it to.
     
  18. Smurf2055

    Smurf2055 Initiate (0) Nov 12, 2011 Washington

    I do like the idea of rewarding hardworking employees, but it's kind of hard to judge that sort of thing. Another idea I had is to share a single limited bottle at an event where all employees are present, so the all get to taste it.

    Yes they do get an edge on the rare releases. There's no denying that. It seems that a few of the people in the thread (myself included) chalk it up as one of the "perks" of having the job. It's when those "perks" become greater than that of any other customer that it becomes a problem, and that is what I was referring too. They shouldn't get treated any better or worse than a regular customer as far allocations. The advantages they get from "knowing when the shipments arrive" are somewhat negligible. It's usually not hard to figure out delivery schedules for stores, and you can usually call stores to ask when a certain beer gets in (or when the distributor says they should get it in).

    But yes, completely agree the situation OP described is unfortunate. I would be upset as well.
     
  19. Nectar

    Nectar Initiate (0) Jan 17, 2013 New Jersey

    I think a lot of people are forgetting that its just beer. Resorting to name-calling on the internet doesn't help to prove your point any better...
     
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