Woolworths Liquor Sale

[Hairy]

I am not sure if it is the same across the country but my local Woolworths Liquor is selling the following for $5 each:

 

Sierra Nevada Northern Harvest Ale - 710ml

Burliegh Brewery FIGJAM IPA - 650ml

Gage Roads Abstinence - 640ml

 

I have made the most of it and cleared the shop of the Seirra Nevada [biggrin]

 

My area is not really renowned for craft beer consumers so perhaps it is just this store getting rid of slow moving stock. It worked [bandit]

[TimZ1525228685]

Crikey. I will certainly be doing a reccie ASAP.

[PB2]

Northern Harvest is a bargain at that price! [w00t]

 

Drinking a Single Batch Shepherd's Delight - for my taste, it's the best that LWB have brewed thus far[tongue]

[Khellendros13]

Yep there is a BWS at my local shopping centre.

 

Gage Roads Pumpkin Ale

Northern Harvest

+ 1 or 2 more

 

I must say, the Pumpkin Ale is nice, but a little thin after the first mouthful. Northern Harvest has lots of hop flavour without being too astringent or bitter. Massive head too!

 

I need to clear them out tomorrow night.

[Hairy]

I called in there again on the weekend and they had re-stocked the Sierra Nevada Northern Harvest and they are still $5.

 

I loaded up again [biggrin]

 

This is helping with my lack of brewing at the moment.

 

Edit: I also noticed that the name of the shop has changed from Woolworths Liquor to BWS.

[Khellendros13]

I called in there again on the weekend and they had re-stocked the Sierra Nevada Northern Harvest and they are still $5.

 

I loaded up again [biggrin]

 

This is helping with my lack of brewing at the moment.

 

Edit: I also noticed that the name of the shop has changed from Woolworths Liquor to BWS.

 

Awesome, must be a weeklong special!

 

 

[Hairy]

It has been longer than a week at my local store. They were discounted to $7 for a couple of weeks and then to $5.

 

It looks like they are trying to clear stock.

[Hairy]

I am sitting back now with a Northern Harvest Ale and a plate of slow cooked pork and chorizo stew.

 

Beautiful [love]

[BakersAle]

yeah woollies have decided call all there liquor stores bws to trade under diff company for tax a tax dodge and compete with liquor land. Thing is coles owns first choice liquor and liquor land woollies owns bws and dan murphy stores. all it is a tax dodge

 

[BakersAle]

Sorry if I said tax dodge 2 many times in the last post

 

[Beeblebrox]

Woolworths and Coles both know they're on the nose, and that consumers are sick of the duopoly.

Therefore they buy out other chains, re-brand, and sell under a different name.

It's not just about a "tax dodge", it's about buying other brands to take advantage of brand loyal customers.

 

Unless you have a decent independent you have little choice about where to shop, Coles & Woolies know this, so they buy in bulk, screw the supplier or wholesaler, and sell loss leaders to get you in (these are the ones they sell bulk of at less than cost price); they know that if the customer thinks they've got a bargain, they can buy their loyalty for the future.

They do this in their supermarkets, in their liquor stores, and in their petrol stations.

You buy what you want on "special" but then get sucked into buying something from their promo stand at a markup.

 

They sell catalogue stuff at lower prices than their competitors, but have the rest of their stuff at or above retail price.

Eventually the smart customers either get complacent and just buy there because they've got bargains in the past, or they move on if they realised they've been had.

The big two don't care about the smart shoppers, because they know they can't outsmart them, and that they are a minority.

 

At the end of the day buying bargains may be good for your wallet, but just beware what the retailers are doing to the craft brewers to get that price; it's the same as they're doing to citrus growers and dairy famers, clear the shelves of bargain items from one of the big two and though you may have a nice product, you could be running the supplier out of business; which is when the big two buy them out to make their own brew with a label they own, just like they've done with milk.

 

It could be worthwhile to do your homework on this, to make sure you're not killing your favourite craft brewers business, when you think buying their product is helping them out.

 

Remember Coopers are one of the few remaining family owned Australian brewers, most of the others have been bought out by multinationals, and these as well as the big two are chaffing at the bit to own a bunch of craft labels; some have already gone, and some have been so swallowed up by the big brewers you can barely remember them being small independents (think Hahn, James Squire, Cascade, Boags, just to name a few).

 

Remember, your favourite craft beer on special today could be the acquisition or bankruptcy of that same label tomorrow.[crying]

[DaveH21]

My local Woolies Supermarket has Coopers Concentrate on special for $10

 

Got myself a Pale Ale and the tin is stamped mid 2014

[Beeblebrox]

Fair enough, looks like a bargain, and Coopers aren't worried about principle or bankruptcy, so knock yourself out.

Clearly Coopers make their big money from the beers they sell retail, so they're happy to take a hit for the home brewers (have you seen how much you can pay for a Coopers when you go to a gig, they're selling for $8 a bottle - I didn't buy it as I can drink my own Coopers beer from my home brew kit much cheaper).

 

Paul; why are the promo stands charging so much for beers at gigs? Surely its' a no brainer you could sell more at a lower price - surely customers just pop over the road to the local or whatever rather than pay so much...

Doesn't it defeat the purpose overcharging when your brand is so prominent on the stand?

[Otto Von Blotto]

There could be any number of reasons for that kind of thing. My 'local' pub charges about the same for a bottle of Sparkling Ale. The promo stands may well be trying to make the money back on however much it costs them to be there, and in a roundabout way possibly stop as many people from getting wasted by charging a heap for drinks. They are the ones who decide how much to charge, not the breweries.

[PB2]

We are a supplier - the only retail outlet we have is the Coopers online store.

 

As with any supplier, we find it to be on the nose when retailers devalue our brand by offering it at a crazy low price. [annoyed]

 

Beer stands at events - although branded with Coopers signage, are not ours.[innocent]

[DaveH21]

My struggling local RSL Club did a deal with the Coopers Rep.

 

Upshot was that we now have Sparkling Ale and Celebration Ale on tap, at the same price as the pre-existing Coopers Pale Ale.

 

The manager reports that Beer sales are up 14% and it's all the Celebration Ale

 

And no, I don't account for 12%[roll]

[PhilboBaggins]

Celebration Ale on tap? I'd like to try that!!

[DaveH21]

it's gorgeous - more subtle than the bottle

[Beeblebrox]

We are a supplier - the only retail outlet we have is the Coopers online store.

 

As with any supplier, we find it to be on the nose when retailers devalue our brand by offering it at a crazy low price. [annoyed]

 

Beer stands at events - although branded with Coopers signage, are not ours.[innocent]

 

Jeez Paul, I'm really sorry to hear that, and now feel that ironically I did a favour not purchasing any beer from the Coopers beer stand at the events in the Sydney Comedy Festival sponsored by Coopers, with Coopers stands staffed by non Coopers staff in Coopers garb! [crying]

 

Maybe someone at Coopers contracted out to the wrong crowd if you feel they aren't representing the Coopers message and just profiteering from the good name of Coopers? [roll]

 

In the cases I'm talking about it was at Chatswood Concourse, so I'm sure there are all sorts of complications, in that the venue is owned by council, but run by a venue company, and I'm sure everyone got their cut, leaving Coopers scrounging for a few measly dollars, which those running the stand took as meaning the beer should cost more. [annoyed]

 

In Sydney the average price for a schooner is about $5, so $8 for a bottle of sparkling or pale ale was a bit steep.

Especially when you could go to a nearby bottle shop, pub, or club and get the same thing cheaper.

Even the Grill'd burger place has beer nearby; Little Creatures, which I think they only charge about $6 for.

 

Surely marketing is about getting the product out there, not slugging the thirsty punters!

Someone will have to have words with the guys that run your beer stands! [rightful]

 

Devaluing is a problem, when retailers undercharge and sell at a loss, either to the supplier, the store or both.

 

Overvaluing is also a problem, as customers who are overcharged at a venue may be reluctant to buy the same product again, due to the stigma attached from being ripped off.

I know it's not Coopers fault, but $8 is the sort of price you pay Sydney Opera House for a beer, not a little council owned venue!

 

As a Coopers home brewer I will continue to buy Coopers products, but I doubt the same can be said for some others.[pouty]

 

BTW - the venue in question is owned by Willoughby City Council, the venue is run by Century Venues - hope that helps.

[Hairy]

Overvaluing is also a problem' date=' as customers who are overcharged at a venue may be reluctant to buy the same product again, due to the stigma attached from being ripped off.[/quote']

I think most people will distinguish the product from the venue.

 

It is all about supply and demand. There is a captive audience and a lot of people will buy alcohol there regardless of the price.

[Muddy Waters]

I for one will no longer be drinking at Willoughby City Council due to this outrage. They should at least give you half price if you have a parking sticker.

[Beeblebrox]

I was just disappointed in seeing Coopers prostituted at my local venue. If it was on sale at the bar it would be fine, even if it was a little overpriced, but seeing them put up stands, being a major promoter of the festival, then charging $8 was a bit rich.

 

If you can't get in at the bar, don't overcharge if you do a promo stand, end of story.

Being a premium brand is good and well, but being an overpriced premium brand sets you up to fail.

 

It's Century Venues and the promoters fault not Willoughby City Council, and by what Paul said, not Coopers fault. You wouldn't blame the ground if your favourite footy team lost a game, but you'd question the umpire or ref if the decision was dodgy, as is the case in this instance.

[Hairy]

I don't really understand the problem. If it is their event then they can set their own prices.

 

You have two options:

 

1. Pay the high price and have a beer, or

2. Don't have a beer

 

It is the same at most events. It costs $6 for a mid-strength beer at the footy that tastes like dirty water. Its your choice whether to buy one.

[Beeblebrox]

I don't really understand the problem.

 

quote]

 

EXACTLY!!!

 

My issue is that it's not a good look when a promo stand charges more than the standard retail price for a product, and it's a bad look for Coopers.

 

The rest is obviously my choice, whether I buy an overpriced beer or not, but it doesn't change the fact that it makes Coopers look money hungry, which I'm sure is not the way they want to be represented in the market, whether in a bar, at a venue, or at a promo stand.

 

This is homework for PB2, the rest is just a discussion about beer and principles which is a more personal matter, and clearly open to debate.

 

[Otto Von Blotto]

I'm not sure many people would see it that way. I can't say I've ever been to an event and seen the prices of beer and thought, "Damn, that brewery is greedy!" I've always blamed the venue itself because they're the ones who set the prices. The venues have to pay the wages of the employees somehow. You can probably blame the high taxes on alcohol for it too.