VIP membership & other deplorable practices...

Just don't pay it. Simple. I'm sure there are thousands of other bottle shops that are happy to have you on a first preference 'limited release' beer list that you can sign-up for free where the incentive for the bottle shop is that they will have a loyal customer that constantly drops money there and keeps the stock turning over.

 

Whats ironic and misleading about the example of free air pump vs charging a quarter is that it’s apparently a side effect of improvement of automobile tires. Think of the term "service station."

Back in the days of automobile tires with inner tubes, virtually every gas station was a general purpose automobile service station and the services included fixing your flat tire for a fee as well as filling your gas tank for you. This required the station employee fixing inner tubes to be able to pump up the tube and tire to be sure the patch on the tube has worked before putting the tire back onto the car. As long as the compressor, hose and fill attachment were needed to do business anyway, "service station" managers were happy to allow you to use the equipment to check pressure and fill your tires. The services offered also included pumping your gas for you at no extra charge, cleaning your windshield and windows, checking your wipers if asked, and checking and possibly adjusting the air pressure in your tires if asked. All at no extra charge.

Nowadays, however, most places that sell gasoline are convenience stores that sell gasoline and let you pump it yourself. They have no reason to own/install a compressor, air hose and connector for putting air in tires except to provide one more convenience to customers. In a convenience store you pay, one way or another, for convenience. Around where I live I can find two or three places that fill the gas tank for you and let you have free use of their air (when it is not in use) but the price of gasoline is higher than at convenience stores.

 

From this I can tell you buy your gasoline at Convenience Store "gas stations" where you get the privledge of pumping your own gas and cleaning your own windsheild as well (because you have to). If you know where to look there are still Service Station "gas stations" that have employees whose job it is to fill your tank and even clean your windshield for you, most of them, if you can find one, still let you use their air pump equipment to check and fill your own tires (but once upon a time a gas station use to provide that service for you).

All your example really shows is that the introduction of new technologies (e.g., tubless tires, convenience store gas stations, etc.) produces side effects which many people are not good at predicting.

 

I may have missed this point in all the posts, so excuse me if it was already stated however comma...

Some people are complaining about the cost to join. Seriously? Do the math, friends. We're talking about less than $3 per month. If you can't afford that, you shouldn't be buying expensive beer. Stick to SNPA and upgrade your job skills so you can earn more and buy better beer.

 

Yeah they are grouped together in the State of New Jersey

Stewarts Shops in NYS all have free air, and since they are smart about all their business practices I am certain they have confirmed that it brings them enough profit to pay for the installation and maintenance of the pumps.

And this ties in to the OP because if that store didn't determine that that club makes profit for the store we would know because it would be discontinued, just as would free air at Stewarts

 

I'd gladly pay $35 for the convenience and time/gas savings. Not to mention the other discounts you get with this membership. If you are a regular, this membership will pay for itself.

A local shop I frequent was my go to stop and I could always snag a bottle or two of a limited release. About a year ago, the limited releases started disappearing immediately and I was left driving all over to find beers I could always find on the shelf. I talked to the manager at the local shop about this and he said two guys were coming in right after the truck made its drop and cleaned them out (they never had bottle limits). I politely expressed my concern about the "truck chasers" and how it prevents folks like me who frequent his establishment several times a week and can't chase trucks around from getting their hands on a limited release. I told him I wanted to give him my business, but when the same two guys clean him out on limited releases right after delivery it forces me to shop elsewhere. The manager acknowledged the issue and began putting bottle limits on certain beers. He also will give me a call when something new is coming in and I will ask him to set a bottle or two aside for me. He does not have a VIP program, but if he did I'd join as long as the cost was reasonable.

 

Touched that up a bit to reflect how that process actually works.

 

I do pay $25 a month at this one store for that service, but that also gets me $25 in beer plus first shot of any rare's they get. I can handle that.

 

Seems a shame that you have to pay to shop with no guarantee save that they won't sell certain items to those who don't have VIP status which, as pointed out, can be problematic with too many VIPs who, of course, can purchase as much as they want and effectively shut out other VIPs. (Unless, of course, there is VIP rationing.) I also think the guarantee will become flexible if a certain "VIP product" doesn't move quickly enough. And I'll bet the shop doesn't forgo mark ups in pricing for VIPs. In the spirit of "capitalism baby", what's to prevent a VIP from buying & reselling to other VIPs or non-VIPs at a mark up? Supply and demand opens wallets every time, right? Forget trades, the black market rules. Anyway, doesn't seem like you're getting much for $35. No early notice, newsletter, rewards, shiny objects or nice glasses, let alone additional brew savings. I guess it all depends on where you can find an alternative shop - supply and demand again...

 

Ozzie Myers!

 

Yeah 35 is nothing. if you shop their often it would be pennies on the dollar and you save hundreds of dollars in time and gas assuming this place gets what you want.

 

It would hopefully be enough to keep people passing through from getting these beers or people who hit up every shop for one release since if they only want one beer 35 is a bit high. It's not perfect but I don't think it's a bad idea and lets be honest limited release beers are just a crap load of work for stores with minimal profit.

 

When it comes to limited releases, it seems like unless you know someone ( store worker, trading partner, etc. ) you're probably going to miss out anyway..the stories are few and far between of someone walking into a store and finding a whale sitting on the shelf.

 

Given the context of buying a luxury good that will run the average buyer 5-10 bucks per serving and given that the VIP club is for either someone who wants a single beer just too much or regular shoppers who spend 50+ bucks a month (or 600 a year) on beer I don't think that's much to ask and that example is mostly like GROSSLY understating the regular beer buyers who make special releases a pain in the ass for owners of these stores.

It's all context I suppose. One of my most prized possessions is a Tag Heuer watch to many that's a crazy expensive watch and yet to a watch collector it's a piece of junk and an embarrassment.

 

Hah...you come visit us in MA for a break on fuel. I will make sure the tires need air when I am in RI. Most air stations here are a buck.... I carry a compressor lol!

Have mixed feelings about the VIP thing, but this thread is like the train wreck you can't stop watching. I don't think it is deplorable. I do think it smacks of elitism. Could it lead to more heinous practices...possibly. Is it fair and equitable? Only to the ones who pony up the cash, and even then only a fraction f those will score the limited releases. Good for the store? Most likely.

After eight pages of discussion, on thing is sure. Some people win and some will lose with these things. But 100% will sing the blues in one way or another.

 

Where I live if they have air it's free, but do it yourself. (unless your a hot chick)

 

Sounds like the Brass Rail in Campbelltown. But hey, maybe not. Food for thought... if some angry people can mess up the mug club for Iron Hill and ABC by complaining to the PLCB about a benefit of a club maybe the same laws apply here.

 

Well, I can see where a guy would want to join "the" club. I guess it would all boil down too what VIP means to the Proprietor of the store vs The customer. When you stifle out the little guys though who want to enjoy good beer too though that is Bad Business ethics in my opinion.But, I live in a good brew state so I have no worries.

 

So 100 people join a VIP club. That's 3,500 dollars to the owner. From there he has to track who's a member when they pay dues. Save beer for them. Deal with "VIP" member's with issues. Track special releases so he knows which beers need to be saved for VIPs. I hate to say this but this poor owner seems under paid and is this fee annual or a once time deal? If annual that's nothing for the owner.