Mystery Barrel Aged box

I would bet my bottom dollar Moe makes this right.

 

Bet your bottom dollar, that tomorrow...

 

You folks in Illinois enjoy such a wide distribution of beers that I think it would be difficult for any vendor to find something that is not already available to you. You may have to do a little searching for some if you choose to take the time and spend the money for gasoline, so it would seem like this is where the vendor's service can justify some of the cost for the box.

 

Well, that settles that one...depending on how this works out I might email them about timing on another...

 

We get a lot of good beer in Illinois, and I'm very happy about that. But there is still some stuff that doesn't reach us. We don't get Cigar City, De Struise, Alesmith, Russian River, some Mikkeller, some Bruery, or Hair of the Dog. Plus Chicago is such a giant beer town that every liquor store I go to hides the sought after beers in the back room and limits 1 per customer.

I've spent at least $1000 at craftbeerkings, and I always buy the hard to get stuff. I don't mind paying for shipping (even though it costs more than gas or sales tax) because of the scarcity. So I agree that craftbeerkings provides a valuable service and I'm happy to pay a premium for beers that aren't available in my area.

But with the mystery box, I can get all but four beers in my area, and the four I can't get I don't really want. Especially since I paid more than they're worth (even more so when shipping is factored in).

Bottom line: if Moe makes this right, I'll continue to spend lots of money at craftbeerkings because they provide a needed service. But their service only provides value if they can sell me things I can't find on my own, or sell me things cheaper than I can get them for. In the case of the mystery box, I paid too much for too little. And though people have disagreed with me in this thread, I don't see anyone offering me $240 for the box I got, or offering to trade me $240 worth of their beer.

 

That is not the vendors problem. He did not promise to send you a mystery box of beers not available to you in Illinois.

 

Please stop defending the box!!!

 

LMAO

 

If the customer is very unhappy, it is most definitely the vendor's problem.

 

Frankly, I'm confused why there is still a conversation. The business owner chimed in apologizing and vowing to make it right. This is a very public issue now among a decent slice of the craft beer world. He has, I assume, a fair enough amount riding on making this right publicly that I imagine it will be fine. If not, the OP will respond and keep us posted.

 

Definitely let us know how he makes restitution. I've been eyeing up those boxes as well and haven't gotten one because I was worried about what might be in there. If you get tossed a few beers that are more in line with what we can expect from one of the mystery boxes, I'll definitely be interested again.

Also, thanks for being a guinea pig for this. I think it really helped a lot of us make decisions on this box!

 

Any beer is only worth what you are willing to pay for it. That said, when craftbeerskings listed cantillons for $35plus,i decided that i was not really intereted in sending them my money.

 

I agree 99% with this post.

Not defending the quality of beer in the box, I agree it is rather poor. However, the only obligation that the vendor has in this case, based on the message stating they would send $200 worth of beer, is to make up the difference between the cost of the beer that was sent and the $200(+) that was promised.

The disappointment over receiving beers available in one's area is tough noogies. This was touted as a mystery box, not labeled as a "BA beers not available in your area" box.

To the OP's point that it is the vendor's problem when the customer isn't happy, that it partially true. However, you also admit to only buying the hard to get stuff, which is likely the kind of inventory that the vendor can move easily. So, in that sense, losing you as customer makes it easy for them to replace you.

In the end, I'm extremely curious how this will be handled, and if it would have been handled any differently if the OP contacted the store privately instead of publicly on BA.

 

Dude, give it a rest. You bought a mystery box and did not like the contents. You bash the vendor publicly before contacting the vendor and giving them a chance.

The vendor publicly apologizes and offers to make i right and you continue to bash said vendor complaining that the beers he sent were easy to get in Illinois. Not his problem.

If I were said vendor and saw that you continued to publicly berate my business, I would send you a big box diddly squat.

But it is not my business, am I am done commenting.

 

I agree. That was the risk I was willing to take. And even if I got common beers, I wouldn't have complained if I'd gotten a good value.

Think of it this way. You go to a bakery every day because they have great apple pie. One day you go there, they have a mystery box, promising $10 worth of baked goods for $5. You buy the box, but it turns out there was only $2 worth of baked goods in it. On top of that, there's no pie in it. Which makes it even harder to take. Especially when you know they have lots of pie available.

Just trying trying to explain part of my disappointment here, but I agree that the common beer part is indeed tough noogies. However, it isn't a smart way to treat your loyal customers.

 

Like I already mentioned, the prices he paid for those bottles are less than what I pay in stores.

 

As soon as I saw the Indian Wells and Shipyard beers, I would've thrown the box out the window.

 

Actually, I contacted them first. And they didn't respond. They still haven't responded via my email to their website.

Moe responded because I posted here.

Can you show me where I'm bashing anyone?

I was responding to some BA's comments, and also further explaining my disappointment.

Can you point to where I'm berating? Is expressing dissatisfaction with goods and services considered berating? Is defending why I'm dissatisfied somehow equal to tarnishing a company's reputation?

I worked in the customer service industry for years, bartending and waiting tables. I think it should be mandatory for every person in the world to do that for a week, to understand what it is like. Because once you understand, you treat your servers better.

I'm now self-employed, and I understand the importance of maintaining good customer relations. That means you grease the squeaky wheels, even the ones who are being overly dramatic.

I don't think I'm being over dramatic here (though no one who is actually over dramatic thinks they're being over dramatic). I didn't start this thread. I promised I'd reveal the contents of the box when I got it. And it makes sense to warn others against what I considered a bad deal (and it seems the majority of posters here agree.)

I'm now working with the company who disappointed me, and it looks like they're going to make me very happy. If that happens, I'll be back in the thread, singing their praises, and I'll certainly continue to spend a good amount of money at their store.

Also, as a consequence of this thread, it appears craftbeerkings are going to make sure that their mystery boxes will never disappoint anyone again. In fact, to any BAs reading this, now is probably a good time to buy a mystery box, because I bet they'll make sure it is awesome.

Actually, I should probably buy another one...

 

Actually, I should probably buy another one... [/quote]

What? And risk having TWO Indian Wells! Oh the humanity......

 

Haven't heard this expression in a long time, love it!