VIP membership & other deplorable practices...

So...how is this any different than a brewery charging up front to join their "limited edition" club that everybody seems to jump all over?

 

Seriously? You don't think collecting $3500 extra is sufficient reward for the guy to do his job? I've met a number of owners who are constantly researching what's going on not just in beer, but in liquor and wine, tracking down special releases, monitoring prices for good deals (both for themselves and their customers). They live in the industry. And they don't get paid extra for that--that's what is required to succeed in the business they chose for themselves.

There is actually more involved here. First, the benefits of the club are effectively lost leader. Any losses suffered are there to bring people into the store. Second, these "losses" get written off as promotional costs (if the guy codes them right, so that he can actually document them for his CPA). Third, it increases volume on his most expensive beers, so, even if the margin is a bit lower, it's more guaranteed sales (see the "lost leader" part) from high-markup product. Pity the poor shop owner... Sorry, no crocodile tears here...

 

'if it kept the rabble from having access to beers that I prefer.'
Well said, King Beer Geek. You are the champion.

 

Vastly different. If there's 200 "headymost club" members and they're guaranteed some off the wall bottle, the brewery already has money upfront to produce the beer, and they don't even have to market or distribute it, or make a lot of it, or worry about it not selling. They only make how much they need to satiate the club, then it's depleted.

Then all the peasants on BA that don't live in CA make wanted threads in the trading forum.

 

So for just under $3/month you get access to the limited releases that this shop gets and don't have to try to hit up every store in the area before the "other guys" get there is a negative thing????

 

It seems, the more accurate description is that you are not denied access, which is not quite the same thing.

 

Watch out, many in the crowd aren't necessarily thinking along your lines or mine.... they'd rather have lines, have to hit up stores during the day on weekdays, drive all over town, etc. instead of any form of price increase (for a discretionary luxury).

 

Fair enough

 

Adequate summary. Well done.

 

my local shop has a $20 "beer club" membership.
-10% off all beer and wine purchased
-emails every friday with new releases
-if you email back he's willing to hold onto some bottles for you in the back (very convenient on small releases or when I'm busy)
-occasional email raffles with the opportunity to purchase some of the cellar beer (last raffle included a 2008 cantillon gueuze, 2010 abyss, other good stuff)

well worth it.

 

This part of your response reminds me of a previous post... somebody who had 18 reviews complaining that KBS was 'a weak knockoff of Old Rasputin'. Do you really think that people who have no idea what craft beer they're buying should have equal chance at a 'great, limited-release' beer?

 

If I was interested in buying rare releases I would be willing to pay much more than $35.00 a year to do so.

 

35$ on top of Pa bottle shop prices? No Thanks.

 

You are right. When there is less product than there are folks who want to buy it someone will not get some of that product. And the ones who don't get will always complain.

Funny how it seems a lot of folks don't get this. If they did they certainly wouldn't be arguing that the store is wrong to start a club. If it can be stipulated that someone is always gonna be on the losing end of this, how can anyone argue the store is wrong for trying to offend their best customers the least?

It has been denied multiple times by multiple folks, but there is only one reason for those folks to argue that way, and that is they feel entitled. A large asssortment of bogus arguments has been used by these folks to avoid admitting this.

 

I don't care to be a member of any club that would have me as a member.........

 

The actual reason is that they had a large air compressor to run the hoist and air tools.. It was a service to have a hose outside so that the customers could keep the tires inflated. Those stations sold service, gas, oil, and a few items like candy bars. The business model changed to almost a full store, and gas as the draw to get people in as they make more on the convenience items than the gas. Beer is also a profit item.

 

Perceived knowledge or taste should have nothing to do with determining what beer you can buy.
Paying for a membership wouldn't even impact this anyway. Maybe instead, customers can be quizzed before they buy a beer. If you don't know the middle name of the head brewer... then you can't buy the beer. Sounds like a great system, doesn't it?

I just noticed you only have 26 forum posts. That is an insufficient amount for being able to post in this thread. The authorities have been alerted.

 

$20 Annual? Lifetime? 10% off all purchases will easily be worth the membership fee over the span of a year, let alone a lifetime! This is a very different approach than the "pay to shop" angle that started the thread.

 

$20/ year