VIP membership & other deplorable practices...

Yes, just as they are free to tell you to fuck off the moment you walk in the door. Ahhhhh, I love the smell of freedom.

 

Seems more like a way to alienate more people than to encourage membership. I guess it is his business, so he can do whatever he wants. I wouldn't give the place any business though.

 

I did have an idea of what the stores were and made mention of it. I am not familiar with them directly, but have a lose understanding. Regardless, I think we're getting away from my real concern. One day it's bottle shops that ask for a membership for the special releases at a 10% discount, the next day it's a membership for the special releases with no discount, the next day it's a membership just to walk in the door. Again, I know such developments aren't around the corner and I understand how people would say I am being paranoid. However, we have seen it again and again. Look at airlines, paying for luggage to be checked, etc. Soon the bag of peanuts will be $1.

 

Here's the solution as far as I am concerned. ( and I have strong feelings about this. ) You put that beer on the shelf, with a nice sign that says "new release" or whatever - and you let the people who have come in to your store off the street because they wanted to- buy that beer. Without charging for the priviledge. Who do these people think they are anyway? I should give my money to a brewery because they can't make enough product to guarantee me a place at their table? I should give my money to a shop owner who can't guarantee me a product and create elitism? I should do better to give that money to charity and to buy shelf beer at wegman's. Prima pils?

 

So, out of work truck chasers and their mules getting most of the beer as it is loaded in from the truck is okay? Regular customers of the store who join a club and get a fair allotment, and prevent the truck chasers from cleaning out the store is not okay? Just want to be sure I am clear on your point.

 

I would much rather pay a VIP yearly fee than get gouged on each bottle release and/or still not be guaranteed a bottle.

EDIT: forgot to include that this would help local people secure their beer over out of towners just hopping store to store looking for as many bottles as they can get.

 

Most posts now ending with questions meant as challenging response to other poster's questions.
Mobeus argument that has gone far beyond the point of the OP.

Lock 'er down.

 

Neither is "okay". I have as much of a problem with truck chasers as I do non-VIP regular customers or people just passing through town being denied beer. Given the choice between not denying people in the store with money beer and denying people in the store with money beer, I'll go with not denying.

What's preventing the truck chasers from buying memberships and only showing up on Limited Release Day?

 

If you don't keep a bike pump in your trunk you're some kind of savage

 

While I'm mostly against the idea of a membership fee to purchase beer that should be available for everyone to purchase, I will admit that it would probably help weed out the people who aren't buying the beer out of actual interest, and would also help with the fact that plenty of people can't make it to a store before a certain bottle sells out (due to being stuck at work, for example).

So I guess I'm neutral on this?

 

Guys, we're arguing about a VIP program that costs less than $3 a month. Not to mention that it goes down in price every year and provides discounts and free meals. I mean c'mon, if you forgo one cup of coffee a month the thing is paid for. Did nobody read this?

 

What's wrong with the idea that every store in town wants "X" beer on their shelf for the lowest possible price? First come first served? Housewives aren't buying up all the beer while men are at work.

Honest =)

. . . "and while you are here browsing my fine selection may I show you these other other offerings from these other fine breweries"

 

because I like getting the e-mail around 3pm on Fridays with what has come in, send back a reply saying "cany you hold x, y, and z for me" Then I can go in anytime and pick them up, I can even go a few weeks later, no big deal. Plus if I know of a release coming in I can ask him to hold one for me a head of time. I would much rather do that than worry about getting to a store that night or even sooner before a beer sells out.

 

These VIP programs will work untill there are more VIP's than bottles, people will still get shutout and be butt hurt. It is not like liquor stores can do much to increase their allocation or change the production quantities.

 

true, but the person who runs the program does limit it. Plus a good numbe rof the members are just regulars to the store and not necessarly beer geeks hunting down every new release. Could this idea fail? sure, but it can also work really well with modifications and slight adjustments each year.

 

$3 a month!!! OH the OUTRAGE!

 

I also think that such a system will alienate people just starting to explore craft beer who are not in the "in crowd", which does not seam like beer advocacy.

 

Why not just make it free, or increase bottle prices by $1

 

Because he is running a business and chose to do it this way. If he increased bottle prices by $1 that would come out to more than $35/year assuming you buy a few bottles a month. What good does that do?

 

Seriously guys, this post has been quoted numerous times, but everyone should read it. There is way more to the VIP membership than just the ability to purchase certain beers. I know that is what we are all focusing on because that's what the OP is butt hurt about, but to me it seems the real draw is the built in 10% discount and free meal. Anyone who spends at least $350 a year at the shop on food and drink should buy a VIP membership. And that's just the first year. After 5 years its free to keep signing up and they still give you a free meal.

I spent $120 on an El Catador membership which is great because it pays for the beers, but after running some numbers I probably still would have bought it if it didn't come with beers purely for the 10% discount. In the end I would end up saving money based on my normal spending at CCB.