How to Properly Address Outrageous Overpricing

Possum ain't half bad, 'specially if you get it fresh from underneath yer car. Seems like everytime I go to the store, beer jumps up at least 50 cents a sixpack.

 

Seems like only yesterday, but Torpedo was $7.99 a six pack. Now it's $9.99. Jeesh....

 

Double Dose was available in Virginia legally. I paid $6.50 for it.
All bottle shops and restaurants pay the same price from wholesales here. So those jacking up the price are pretty obvious. Take to social media. I do it sometimes. For example, on place in arlington sells Troegs Perpetual IPA for 0.67 cents per ounce more than a place across the street. Makes me livid. When taking to social media, make sure you have your facts straight before posting.

 

Unfortunate that so many BAs apparently do not bother to read the whole OP post before commenting. He did say don't bother to reply if "don't buy it" is your only reply.

One might argue that there is a pretty good reason for savvy beer retailers to overprice Double Dose, since it is the only brew with Sean Lawson's hand in it that you can get outside of north central Vermont. Also, if it is true that Double Dose is now just about sold out everywhere (I saw plenty of fourpacks at Brookline NH convenience store on Oct. 5, for about $15. And last weekend Yankee Spirits in Sturbridge Mass. had a full row of Double Dose fourpacks out at the same level. A hike for you, and they both may be out now, but at least as of a week ago no store in Chelmsford had a friggin' monopoly on the leftovers within what might be considered reasonable driving distance), you have to consider that you are coming late to the Double Dose party and might have to tolerate paying a big premium if you want to try it bad enough. And eventually, even as an ex "shelf turd," Double Dose will probably be pretty good trading material if you are into that. But I hear you, nobody feels good about being ripped off.

Given the way you posed your question at the start, I'd ask for the store manager, and after confirming that the price was not a clerical error, tell him or her in as nice a way as you can how you feel, that you are unhappy with what you consider their price gouging, you will tell other beer drinkers in the area that you know, post on BA about it, and consider never coming back there again unless you absolutely have to. Then walk out. If you are not so good at verbal expression, you could write a letter, or if they have one, email their website "contact us" or comment on their Facebook page or Tweet 'em. Rather unpleasant to do, probably wasting your time and risking putting yourself on their spitlist, but you have to get your message out, and you may just be doing a good service to others who come in that store in the future looking for the latest and bestest.

 

Confused.... See link.

http://www.vtbeer.org/2013/08/01/ot...quids-announce-double-dose-ipa-collaboration/

At the bottom of the page it says, Update: Otter Creek Brewing said “This will be a very limited series but distributed through Otter so more widely available through our network”

Also, on Otter Creek's FB page they specifically talk about the beer being distributed outside of VT.

 

I have no idea about the registering of labels, but i do know that the distributors get their beer directly from the breweries. I am also in frequent contact with the sales rep from Long Trail/Otter Creek and he was the one who made sure i got some.

 

This is a discussion forum, I never really understood starting a thread by limiting discussion. A number of us had read the OP in its entirety however felt that "don't buy it" and "shop elsewhere" are the most appropriate answers. It may not be the answer he wanted but it does not mean the answer has no value with in this conversation.

 

Just grab a magic marker cross off the price and write in what price you think it should be.

 

True as this is I am not looking forward to the day when it becomes common practice to price beer to demand. It's going to be a shock to a lot of people used to drinking the beer equivalents of 20+ year single-malt whisky for the beer price equivalents of Jack Daniels. I hate the thought of prices going up but the reality is that compared to other alcohols we're all pretty spoiled.


We're already seeing it with the likes of Bruery, 50-50, and lately Goose Island. And personally, it's why I pretty much completely avoid Bruery and 50-50.

 

Couldn't agree more. We're currently spoiled, and I like your whisky analogy.

I've wondered if maybe we were already reaching some of those price levels but my speculation was wrong. Here in AZ the Firestone Walker special releases still sell out within days and they're upwards of about $20/bottle for (roughly) standard pricing everywhere. Also, we're not exactly a beer mecca like many metros are of the same population size. I was wrong because I thought that people would have bought much less, or not at all, and it would become easier to find. Nope. DFH 120 in the 12 oz. bottle for around $10/each sells out too.

 

Take your indignation and outrage elsewhere... I agree, shop someplace else. The business owner can price how he wants to price. If people BUY that beer at that price, then he has a market. If not, he's learned a lesson for next time. Walking up to anyone other than the owner of the store and saying anything is a waste of breath. Telling the owner probably has little impact. The bottles are probably gone, he's smiling, more money in his wallet.

 

New to the internet? If I had allowed you to get away with your request for no "don't shop there" responses, then you would have forever thought that it was a reasonable thing to ask or expect. I can think of a lot of crude responses I've seen in other threads like this and I'm amazed they're not also turning up here (yet).

 

This thread reminds of the one were the OP asked how not put on weight when enjoying lots of craft beer and he stated "and please don't respond with the predictable 'exercise more' response."

 

Gouging is an unfortunate side to craft beer and capitalism. As long as people fork over the money, it will never change. Working at a shop that gouges fairly bad on limitted releases I constantly get to deal with the complaints, but people keep paying. However, one shouldn't harp on shops too much with the high mark up private citizens apply. Whats the going rate for BCBS Cherry Rye? 50, 60 dollars? Original retail was 19.99. A Rare goes for around $70 and we pay it. We've done this to ourselves.

 

Capitalism is simply when the means of production are privately owned so i don't think it necessarily goes hand in hand with gouging. Actually i don't even know what gouging means so maybe i wrong. I think it just means any price that someone somewhere thinks is too high lol. It's used the same way like "greed." Just a subjective term with no concrete meaning that gets thrown around and morphed to fit any arguement.

 

I properly address overpricing by underbuying...

 

uhhhh, the typical response is still correct. if it bothers you, complain to the manager or whatever, but if they don't give you a discount and you decide you'll vote against your interests with your dollar ("because this beer is special"), enjoy being part of the problem that you claimed bothered you to begin with.

either you'll pay the price or not. if you think the price is unfair, don't shop there...

 

I am fairly new to this web site, but feel that I can help. 1st thing it is hard to find good beers here in Alabama, it has been a little over a year from us being able to sell beer over 6%ABV, or have bottles of beer over 16oz. So the stores that carry it are charging high prices. The good thing is people like me can find and buy these beers. The bad thing is I know I am having to pay 2x what I should.
In the USA if someone is making too much money then people will notice and want a share of it. I know many of the managers/owners of the stores I walk in. Because I speak, ask questions, and ask what they can get. I also stand around reading labels and looking things up on my IPhone, so they might think I am going to shoplift or rob them. So by talking it makes them feel better I am there. By doing this they sometimes give me better deals, because if they buy a case of something I ask for then they do not have to worry about selling the whole case. Sometimes they mark things to high and do not know it. If I owned the store I would want to know what my customers were thinking. So do ask and tell him what you paid for it somewhere else. If he says he will sell it for that, open a store right next door and under cut him.

 

I had an arguement going until I figured you HAVE to be messing with me. So no worries, happy hunting