Product that doesn't move

Ugh. I would buy the ever-loving shit out of those 765s of Pepe Nero and Sofie. $5 is insane.

 

I have an enemy in mind

 

Boulder Brewing, Stone, Full Sail, and Eel River Brewing all sit and collect dust.

I remember turning a 6pk of Eel River bottles around to hide the neck label (to see if theyre moving) and dammit, they're still sitting. It's been 5 months! Absolutely untouched. The crazy part to me is that they are located in a small end cap refrigerator wasting space AND energy.

 

Ditto. I remember grabbing about 3 four-packs and 2 singles. It was a fun afternoon.

 

A lot of things sit here in Kentucky but it also has to do with where you shop. Places like Liquor Barn usually have a variety of beers that just sit, while another small bottle shop here in Lexington is continually getting new beers in and selling them.

Also I think certain styles will sit longer than others, case in point IPAs, because most people know that the hop flavor fades out after a certain date. Once that date is passed, the only people that will end up buying it is some unlucky and unknowing consumer.

 

One of my friends always seems to be that unknowing customer. Every time he's opened a DIPA with me it's been at least 8 months old, never refrigerated. I'm not even sure he knows what a fresh one tastes like.

 

You have to have DIPA intervention. This has the potential to create apathy towards a fragrant and delicious beer style that has plenty to offer in the way of fresh and exotic flavors.

 

I became the beer manager of my store recently and the first project I undertook was making shelf talkers for every single bomber in the store. I usually only put 90+ on the talker using RB cause they're a few points higher than here. Basically finished up today and I think it looks pretty awesome. I think it makes shopping for new beers a little easier.

 

Sculpin.

 

I believe that I remember some "fixed" retail pricing, maybe Ohio? Anyway, where it's legal, moving product along at reduced retail is an honorable trait amongst good merchants- especially with perishable goods, no?

 

I see this as the solution, as I'd be glad to pick up 1/2 price 6 pack, bomber or older singles every now and again. Does this work for your profit margin (mark it down and move it vs. let it sit and collect dust for 6-12 months and still sell it at full price?) Seems like common sense to me but I'm not a store owner.

 

You're overinterpreting--it's not going to be 1/2-price, just a notch lower than original retail (and, I presume, if the margin get too thin, it doesn't get ordered again, so you lose in the long run).

No store can make a profit banking on overcharged whales. They make a profit by squeezing an extra dime from BMC. And the rest comes from moving existing inventory. So if inventory doesn't move or its margin gets too thin, it gives up space to more profitable items.

 

I guess profit margin wasn't correct business term. I guess trying to minimizing your losses by moving inventory quicker at a reduced price. I guess each individual craft beer consumer buys a little differently, but cost really influences my buying habits. This has been a very interesting forum post that I enjoy reading much. I think what many have mentioned is that alot of the beers aren't moving mostly due to pricepoint and competition. Most any stout lover really enjoys Ten Fidy but at $16 a 4 pack its an infrequent buy for many. I've never even bought a 4 pack but only 2 singles on 2 different occasions over last 2 years at $5 a single can. If it were priced at $8.99-$9.99 a 4 pack, I'd probably buy a 4 pack of it at least 2-3 times a year.

And don't get me started on the high price point to buy local beer. I know its a distributor issue, but I think that is really messed up to pay equal or more for a craft beer brewed down the street vs. an equivalent craft competitor offerring shipped cross country.

 

My beer store has all three of those beers (Flying Horse, Taj Mahal, Kinfisher) sitting in the cooler, rotting away. I rescued one of each a while back, and they weren't terrible by any means.

 

Very cool! Giving people some information when they're overwhelmed by a wealth of options is always a good thing.
Where in Jersey are you located? I may make a pilgrimage on one of my runs from PA (in which, as I always point out for the sake the NSA folks monitoring these posts, I always consume whatever I buy before I cross back into PA)

 

Breakfast Stout would sit on the shelves at my local grocery store for MONTHS, even at the price of $9 a 4pk. Over time I think I bought them out. Who knows how long it would have sat their without my intervention.

 

A store in Boston still has a few cases left on sale for the low low price of $10 a 4pack

 

750 of Schaerbeekse Kriek sat on the shelf for 2 or 3 years at $37. I'd look at it every time I went in there thinking I'd buy it one day if I got a bonus or raise. Just recently it was sold. I was pretty bummed... considered it my bottle on fantasy layaway with $0 down.

 

Several stores in Boston--BWX in particular. Given that this is MSRP, I find it ridiculous how so many retailers promoted as The Great Price Reduction. And I bet it will right back up as soon as the next batch is released.

 

Hey Cassino. Which BK is that?