Bad Bruery Trustee Thread

+1 I'd do exactly the same thing.

 

[NoSignsofPain]
[and I cry evertiem; get nuffin' from some guys I trustee for they just send me empty styros to fill (though some of my friends hook me up, and I love you guys! You know who you are)


I didn't ask for anything going into it, but driving out there (about an hour trip out and back), organizing all the beer, and packing does take a lot of time, tape, and space. I guess I don't mind it, but I want to know that I'm appreciated every once in a while.[/quote]]

I can't believe that shit. They should be ashamed. You of all people too, who is always offering to to favors and pick things up for people or help out in any way. We should start a "Frowned Upon" list as well as the Bad Traders list so people learn manners.

 

Yeah, I've trusteed for 20+ people that last several years and while most of the people I muled for were pretty good I've had some that are for what ever reason considered good traders around here and dont send shit. Without naming names here are a few of the worst examples:

-Guy from Massachusetts who came to me a week before the deadline in 2012 to get all his 2011 stuff. He had 8 or so cases to pick up. I made arrangements with the Bruery to get his stuff after the deadline. He was insistent that we set a "price" per case that I ship out. So I said fine, 1 750 of lambic per box (because he's a friend of a friend). I also trusteed his 2012 stuff. Grand total of somewhere around 11 cases shipped out and not a single bottle or even a thank you email received. By the way, his Grey Monday, Black Tuesday, and BA 4 Calling Birds are now officially for trade.

-Guy from Arizona, who actually isnt active on this site (mostly on RB), had a similar situation as above, just with less beer. I know the guy and I've seen him since, we're still on good terms, but seriously? I pick up 2 cases of beer last minute and ship it and what do I get in return? A $10 bill and a note saying "buy your own lambic"...

-And my personal favorite: guy from Chicago that sent 3 boxes in 2 years, the first 2 of which contained (by his description) random stuff he had lying around. That stuff included multiples of the same expired IPA and some of the very same Bruery beers I had sent him. Then in the second year I got 1 decent box and a bunch of Uline shippers delivered. In September I get an email saying not to ship for a little while because his credit card expired and he needed to update it with FedEx. 3 direct emails to him between September and December go unanswered as do half a dozen mass emails (I Bcc the whole group with updates about pickups, what is here for everyone, and when I'll be out of town and unable to ship/receive boxes). In January I send out the ultimatum that by March 15 anything not claimed from 2012 is getting traded away, which at that point was close to 20 cases. March 14 more Uline boxes show up.

-There was another guy I'd put on this list but his friend took over the RS membership and made things right, so I'll spare him.

I'm down to 3 people I still trustee for and thats because I know that they will claim their beer right away, and they're friends of mine. I'll continue to mule online BT orders because that moves quickly. I just dont understand the people that continually order $300 full allotments of everything but cant spend the $40 to get the beer back to them.

Also, I'm confused by the sentiment that trustees have to be reading beermail at all hours. I and several of my people have been kicked out of this site multiple times. It's actually surprisingly easy to do, a year ago all I had to do was offer to trustee and I got the boot. Anyway, I do everything through email. All my people have my email, phone number, address, and know that I spend more of my time on RB, so if they can't email, call, BM me on a site I spend more time on, or failing all that, write a letter, then I have no sympathy for them.

 

Good god what a royal pain in the pickle.. You Bruery trustees are saints!

 

You can't get in over your head and trustee for 20 people though. I trustee for 3 solid guys. We did our share talking and going over details prior to everything so everyone would be happy. In fact all 3 guys I ended up making trades with or even just sent a "fun box" to and have developed great and future trade relationships with. That's what it's about.

 

Obviously you know better than I do how this works. What about my post says that I got in over my head? At the end of last year I told everyone that I'm not doing this anymore and gave them several months before the renewals came up. I also finished the year for everyone. NOW if I were to take on this many I'd be in over my head since I'm working 50 hours a week, but not then.

 

Must be nice to only have to work 50hrs a week!

Hey buddy, I didn't reply to your post or mention you. In fact i only read a small portion of your post. I just made a blanket statement of my opinion and what has worked for me. That's it. Cheers!

 

You should have been clearer about that up front and/or not mentioned 20 people, then. I know I assumed it was in response to t0rin0.

 

"I should have?" I don't give a fuck about hurting anyone's feelings. Just "to be clear" as requested. I said what I meant. 10-20ppl. Whatever.

 

i upped my trustee count to 6 this year. i only trustee for people i've traded with multiple times.

there's only really 1 person i trustee for right now that has been pretty crappy with me, and has been the only person i've ever debated on dropping. after more than a year of promising a certain beer, when its released says he's too broke to buy one for me (but buys 3 for personal trading purposes). bummed me out quite a bit.

i guess i'm a masochist because i still keep him on :/

 

Pretty much this, though thanks for the tip on just getting the fedex account numbers. I've just been having them email me 3-4 labels at a time, and requesting more when i'm printing off the last one. The account number makes it much more convenient to ensure quick turnaround.

Also surprised we havent had any humblebrag's about the most awesome thank you boxes people have received.

For me, the expectation of compensation is dependent on how much work each trustee is causing me. The guy(s) that max every allocation, and order regular bottles for onsite pickup should (and do) compensate me more than the guy who only has 8 bottles so far this year (including initiation package).

 

Literally nothing, sometimes we don't even talk-- I send a mass email and/or BM and say that I need X from so and so and get those U-Line shippers. No offers of a BT or two, no locals. It's like I don't even feel free to ask them?

I don't even know if I have the heart to say no either

I try to help out when I can! Beer advocacy! Does take a toll on the pockets though

Some of my guys haven't re-upped.. but I have picked up two more... I don't know, we'll see how this year goes

 

Seriously, you guys need to drop the cheap-o's, you're being taken advantage of! If I can afford to send a bomber of harder to get Cantillon for roughly every 2-3 boxes (plus offer up my HS allocations here and there as I find it's way too much, plus other random goodies,etc) even with shipping being $12/bottle at my end (I'm in Canada), others who are within the U.S. have no excuse.

NoSignsOfPain - If my current trustee ever quits I'm hitting you up to take over...

 

Make the lazy bastards fill out their own labels and send them to you as a Microsoft XPS file that you can open and print. They just need to select "Microsoft XPS Document Writer" when they go to print the label after they've completed it on fedex.com, then send you the file.

(Edit: Or, if they have Adobe 9 Pro installed, they can output the label into a PDF file and send you that instead)

 

Now this is a fucking trustee box! This is what developing a good relationship, having good communication and sending great extras along with their allotments gets you. thegoon55 mentioned in this thread that I was a BOSS. He's straight fucking Tony Danza!
http://imageshack.us/photo/photo/189/imagenjum.jpg/
Also not shown is the new Hunahpu snifter.

 

Gratitude...nice touch, I give him extra points for the 'theme' beers!

 

I though of doing it this way and I did it for a few months last year but I think I is easier with me doing it. for one, the shipping info is saved in my fedex account, and second, I dont have to wait for a label to be sent before I ship.

 

Fedex mobile labels also work great as well.

 

I just made this to cover my ass. Constructive criticism is welcome!

 

that is fantastic, I might need to steal it and modify lol