Have You Ever Told Off a Beer Store?

To the folks who have simply stated "don't shop there anymore": if NO feedback is given how can anyone get better? Each owner/manager is not likely to be running around having customers fill out surveys, so how else do they receive feedback if no one is willing to give it? Its what makes any business better.
Then it comes down to tact.
No need to "tell off" anyone. This way you can still go there occasionally (if you want) and not seem like a total dick.

 

damn..

 

Golden monkey for $7.99 a six ?

That's less than at the brewery or buying it by the case. If its really $7.99 then your store is losing money.

Enjoy

 

I let my dollars do the talking; there is a spot near my work where nice beer (Sucaba, Love Child and the like) just sits and sits and sits. This store is mainly geared towards customers who enjoy wine but they have a nice craft selection as well. Anyway, the staff, save one, is not only negligent towards the beer crowd but even rude at times.

In the past I've reached for a four-pack and also asked about special releases which they keep behind the counter only to be told I don't buy enough "regular" beer. Other than that most of the them have no idea what they are talking about when it comes to beer and try to steer customers towards the stuff that has been sitting on the shelf for far too long.

I'm guessing this is why all of the limited release goods sit there for weeks after other stores have sold-out.

They do not get my business anymore....

 

Don't Burn Your Bridges Behind You...

There are plenty of times the 7 or 8 beer stores I frequent will have the same beer at different prices (usually within $1 or $2, but sometimes as much as $5 or $6).

If one of the owners tells me he still has beer X at a much higher price than others who have had and sold out of beer X, I just tell him, "thanks but I already had/have a bottle, I'll leave it for those who haven't tried it yet."

That same guy just may have a 6 month old sixer of Celebration Ale that he'll sell you for $5 someday...

True Story, that sixer of Celebration was probably the sixer of Celebration I enjoyed the most in my 7+ years of making Celebration a holiday ritual (I'm a sucker for Christmas spices!).

 

I prefer to embarrass them if they piss me off. Anything scientific will do.

 

There's a store here in south burlington selling a 4-pack of heady for 19 bucks. I had almost 100 dollars for of beer Becuase we were heading to our softball game. When I asked at the register how much the 4 pack was and the girl said "19 dollars plus tax and deposit" I said no thanks and put the heady back. She gave me the new price and I said "no thanks, I won't support a store that gouges prices like that when I can get the 4 pack across the street for 13.49." She then told me someone else will. And the sad part is. They still sell out

 

told off = no longer show up. words aren't necessary

and yep, I have. my fav shop has gone downhill... most of the goodies are hoarded by the staff.... none for us, so I'm outa there!

 

I thought about it but no. With my luck I would and they would be selling Heady Topper and Pliney the next day and I would be assed out.

 

I just want to second this. If you want the shop to improve, then give them feedback. Simply not shopping there anymore won't teach them a lesson unless they why you stopped shopping there.

Try saying something politely, and if that doesn't help, politely let them know why you won't be shopping there anymore. Getting pissy will just make them get defensive and ignore what you say.

 

From a store clerk's perspective, if a customer tells us off, in 9 out of 10 cases we don't change anything.

The biggest complaint I see is not having such in such in the fridge when truly we can't accommodate everyone's wish as we have limited space in our fridges.

 

If the owner doesn't have any respect for his customers or community than he deserves none in return!

Go with your gut feel, I just recently swapped stores because of something like this and the place down the road has staff that talks to me about anything and everything beer related, not too mention they have a better selection.

By the way love your avatar picture man!

 

No, but I have told off a brewpub staff fo sho.

 

At least you know when you're getting conned. I bet they sucker poor novice beer drinkers all the time.

 

Being a beer buyer, the upmark on the singles is because of the fact that singles dont sell as fast as six pack, I charge a low mark up (200% is wayyyy to high) but I understand why he is doing it. Expired product (if he is taking it off the shelf) needs to be accounted for some way. As for repeat customers, I tend to either give free glassware or give a certain percentage off of purchases every once in a while to say that i really do appreciate their business. Just my 0.02.

 

It's about $14-15 and change almost everywhere in MD.

 

i did, i told a couple asian cats that they could blow themselves if they think i was going to pay 10 bucks for a Pliny, i told them they could also kick rocks, ya i did

 

i never found myself in a position where i was so heated that i would have to really tell anyone off, if i think a price is too high i just wont bother with it, either go some where else or just check out if they have anything else worth buying. nothing to break a sweat over really, sure there were times where i may have missed out on getting something because it was sold out pretty fast and i missed it, but again nothing to write home about.

if someone blatantly insults you then by all means tell them off, but i doubt that ever happens anyway...because they would definitely get the boot. unless it was provoked by you