Buying/Selling empties

Discussion in 'Breweriana' started by sybian, Dec 8, 2015.

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  1. sybian

    sybian Devotee (360) Aug 30, 2010 New Jersey

    I've noticed a lot of people selling empty bottles on E-Bay and other places. Most of the bottles are priced higher than the beer sells for in the first place. Do people actually buy empties, or are sellers continually putting up the same bottles until someone eventually buys it? Someone is selling an empty bottle of Bourbon County Rare for $150. The box is cool and all, but $150? I would never have thought to save my empties to sell.
     
    #1 sybian, Dec 8, 2015
  2. surfcaster

    surfcaster Initiate (0) Apr 20, 2013 North Carolina
    Trader

    PT Barnum said it best. (or was credited for it--still holds)
     
    #2 surfcaster, Dec 8, 2015
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  3. tylerstravis

    tylerstravis Pooh-Bah (2,487) Feb 14, 2014 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah

    I thought they were advertising as empty, but actually aren't... I've never purchased from ebay.
     
    #3 tylerstravis, Dec 8, 2015
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  4. CraftFan5

    CraftFan5 Pooh-Bah (2,264) May 14, 2013 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Very cute, OP. So naive. Adorbs.

    It's illegal to sell alcohol on ebay, so unless the empty is being auctioned for pennies, it's safe to assume that it's a full bottle, and the seller claims it's empty to avoid the authorities.
     
    #4 CraftFan5, Dec 8, 2015
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  5. nicholasofcusa

    nicholasofcusa Initiate (0) Jan 14, 2006 Florida


    Because alcohol sales are against their rules. So selling "empty" bottles is how they get around it.
     
    #5 nicholasofcusa, Dec 8, 2015
  6. jimmypa

    jimmypa Initiate (0) Nov 15, 2012 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    There are some actually empty for sale and some "empty" for sale it seems. Saw $1.99 for a 2014 bcbs empty bottle and $25.99 for an empty 2010 Rare box and bottle. I would be worried about buying an "empty" bottle you are thinking is full at a higher price because they could just send you and empty and say that's what they advertised...
     
    #6 jimmypa, Dec 8, 2015
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  7. Friar_Rabbith

    Friar_Rabbith Initiate (0) Dec 30, 2014 North Dakota

    And when an empty bottle shows up at your door...? I find it hard to believe any people are trusting enough to do this.
     
    #7 Friar_Rabbith, Dec 8, 2015
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  8. Iamjeff6

    Iamjeff6 Initiate (0) Sep 9, 2013 Virginia

    Hell if that's the case I got a shelf full of empties!

    I know I wouldn't want to gamble if it is in fact empty or not at such high prices.
     
    #8 Iamjeff6, Dec 8, 2015
  9. Beef_Curtains

    Beef_Curtains Initiate (0) Oct 14, 2013 Ohio

    Do people actually buy these? I'm half tempted to put actual empty bottles on ebay for full prices. It's the scam that's technically not a scam, because it is as advertised.
     
    #9 Beef_Curtains, Dec 8, 2015
  10. Iamjeff6

    Iamjeff6 Initiate (0) Sep 9, 2013 Virginia

    But would you feel good about it at the end of the day lol
     
    #10 Iamjeff6, Dec 8, 2015
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  11. juke_cleveland

    juke_cleveland Devotee (325) Sep 12, 2014 Indiana

    Do you think people get ripped off doing this? Like pay $300 for a bottle of rare that is "empty" only to find out it really is just an empty bottle?
     
    #11 juke_cleveland, Dec 8, 2015
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  12. Iamjeff6

    Iamjeff6 Initiate (0) Sep 9, 2013 Virginia

    Oh I guarantee it, and as shitty as that would be, the person listing did nothing wrong.
     
    #12 Iamjeff6, Dec 8, 2015
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  13. brother_rebus

    brother_rebus Pooh-Bah (2,512) Jul 28, 2014 Maine
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    The antique ones are for sure empties.
     
    #13 brother_rebus, Dec 8, 2015
  14. bluehende

    bluehende Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2010 Delaware

    Check completed auction to see if they are actually selling.
     
    #14 bluehende, Dec 8, 2015
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  15. nicholasofcusa

    nicholasofcusa Initiate (0) Jan 14, 2006 Florida

    I've never bought beer online so I've never thought about it, but this is interesting. Obviously their user rating would suffer and would likely include scathing customer reviews if they had done it in the past but as you say they provided exactly what was advertised.
     
    #15 nicholasofcusa, Dec 8, 2015
  16. Lamnic

    Lamnic Initiate (0) Mar 1, 2012 Connecticut

    If I needed a beer badly, and were going to purchase on Ebay, I'd just send a message to the seller first (confirming the *empty bottle Wink Wink)
     
    #16 Lamnic, Dec 8, 2015
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  17. pat61

    pat61 Initiate (0) Dec 29, 2010 Minnesota

    I actually saw someone selling an empty Westie bottle on ebay for $10.
     
    #17 pat61, Dec 8, 2015
  18. Hop-Droppen-Roll

    Hop-Droppen-Roll Initiate (0) Nov 5, 2013 Minnesota

    I have lots of bottles that are actually empty that I'd be very happy to sell if you guys are interested LOL
     
    #18 Hop-Droppen-Roll, Dec 8, 2015
  19. Ranbot

    Ranbot Pooh-Bah (2,463) Nov 27, 2006 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    And check buyer feedback of similar sales. Anyone paying over a hundred dollars for a bottle would probably have a very negative review if the bottle was actually empty.... just a hunch...
     
    #19 Ranbot, Dec 8, 2015
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  20. Fahmie25

    Fahmie25 Initiate (0) Jan 2, 2008 New York

    there are websites entirely dedicated to this. they also call them empty. and "any contents are incidental" or something like that. but PLENTY of people buy them.
     
    #20 Fahmie25, Dec 8, 2015
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