General LCBO Debate & Discussion Thread

kafercrazy · Post by **kafercrazy** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 10:54 am

yep, had the same thing happen with a sixer of Founders Centennial. No one was able to help.

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 12:19 pm

midlife crisis wrote:FWIW, the last time I was at Queens Quay there were large signs beside the Green Flash (open top) four packs which say "not available for single bottle purchase".

I've seen that as well. I think it's due to the fact that GF is expensive compared to most other open pack beers, and the generic single bottle code (which still exists, as far as I know) will ring it through as much less per bottle.

El Pinguino · Post by **El Pinguino** » Sat Apr 06, 2013 7:02 pm

Good to know others have had the same frustrations with orphaned bottles. They should simply put them in the back if any 'cant sell' singles are lying around. (Or ...sell them!)
I think that code does still exist, but the last time I went the guy was told they are not allowed to use it anymore.

I understand some 4-pacsk or 6-pacsk are pricier, and I'd be happy to just pay the 1/4 or 1/6 price of a pack instead of the generic code...but of course, that's not a possibility in their system either.

Ah well....I shall continue to play this fun game of "can I or can't I" buy this beer....

Kekumba · Post by **Kekumba** » Sat Apr 06, 2013 7:50 pm

The singles basket is the worst. Sometimes there's a sticker over the cap which I'm sure signals the cashier to type the single bottle code in. Most of the time not. My favourite was when I took 3 Twice As Mad Toms out of there. $6 for the 3 of them versus $13 for 4? Okay. At that same purchase I took a single Spearhead HSPA which they refused to sell me, and a single Black Oak Nut Brown which no employee there had apparently ever seen before.

I'm done trying to figure the place out...

cfrancis · Post by **cfrancis** » Sun Apr 07, 2013 11:28 am

I've had them able to code single bottle for example "Twice as Mad Tom" and it comes as 1/4 of the price of the case.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:50 am

Kekumba wrote:The singles basket is the worst. Sometimes there's a sticker over the cap which I'm sure signals the cashier to type the single bottle code in. Most of the time not. My favourite was when I took 3 Twice As Mad Toms out of there. $6 for the 3 of them versus $13 for 4? Okay. At that same purchase I took a single Spearhead HSPA which they refused to sell me, and a single Black Oak Nut Brown which no employee there had apparently ever seen before.

I'm done trying to figure the place out...

For every employee (or entire store?) that refuses to sort out any type of problem (eg. the Market Square blue shirt who on Sunday lied to me Kuhnhenn 4D was 'discontinued/unavailable' instead of tell me where to go buy it) there is approximately one other employee or LC that will give you a crazy deal for sorting out ypur trouble, or - preferably - resolve the product or sale concern with crystal clarity & total customer respect.

Granted, there is something endemically flawed with our public-run system which encourages some definitely slack, uncaring LC employee attitudes, but don't let this close your eyes to the great high-integrity people you may still want deal with. I would build those superior relationships at the better stores.

sprague11 · Post by **sprague11** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 2:27 pm

Found 3 philips hop circles in the local lcbo singles bucket today. Cashier instead told me she couldnt sell them and took them to the back. Her manager reaffirmed what she told me.

Look, I like the lcbo and what they have been able to bring in lately, but if these could not be sold they should not have been out in the singles bin.

admviolin · Post by **admviolin** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 1:56 pm

I've tried a few times to buy single bottles and always have the same problem. At Front and Sherbourne, they had a dozen "cold shots" with $1.00 price stickers on them. I was going to buy a few for my girlfriend as a joke. The cashier had a generic code, but it came up as $2. when I pointed it out, she said she couldn't change it. Needless to say, I didn't bother.

I have never seen a retail store whose POS system didn't have some way to manually enter something as simple as a price.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:28 pm

I had the opposite scenario - a few weeks ago I picked up the last 4 pack of Founders, except there were 3 bottles. Took them to cash and they'd only sell it to me as a four pack. I argued for awhile, they looked for another one, but to no avail and as I was jonesing to try it, I took the 3 pack.

saints_gambit · Post by **saints_gambit** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:07 pm

Kekumba wrote:The singles basket is the worst. Sometimes there's a sticker over the cap which I'm sure signals the cashier to type the single bottle code in. Most of the time not. My favourite was when I took 3 Twice As Mad Toms out of there. $6 for the 3 of them versus $13 for 4? Okay. At that same purchase I took a single Spearhead HSPA which they refused to sell me, and a single Black Oak Nut Brown which no employee there had apparently ever seen before.

I'm done trying to figure the place out...

To be fair, the Nut Brown is in six packs, so they might not have ever seen a single bottle. Who knows?

Kekumba · Post by **Kekumba** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:03 pm

Yeah, I don't know...I've had many experiences good and bad with singles and the like, and I never get worked up about anything. I just thought I'd share that one with three different beers as it seemed so odd. I have no issue at all with the employees at the locations I frequent, at least until it's my turn at the cash. Then who knows.

Wheatsheaf · Post by **Wheatsheaf** » Thu Apr 11, 2013 12:58 pm

admviolin wrote:At Front and Sherbourne, they had a dozen "cold shots" with $1.00 price stickers on them. I was going to buy a few for my girlfriend as a joke. The cashier had a generic code, but it came up as $2. when I pointed it out, she said she couldn't change it.

That's another issue altogether. Basic retailing code of conduct says you get the advertised price. If a sticker or a shelf tag or a sign says $1 and the computer says $2, it's still $1. In some stores, in some situations, you'd actually get the item free.

Publican · Post by **Publican** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 7:21 am

I tried to buy a single bottle of Elysian Imortal IPA at the Lcbo yesterday but wasn't able to because the LCBO cashier said that the brewery wouldn't allow it. This sounds like bull s*it. Perhaps the LCBO has been looking at this thread and instructing all their employees to use this excuse There was no price of the six pack on the shelf and when I ask the cashier how much it cost she could not get a price, There is no price on the LCBO website as well

atomeyes · Post by **atomeyes** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 7:52 am

admviolin wrote: I have never seen a retail store whose POS system didn't have some way to manually enter something as simple as a price.

you are essentially correct, unless it is some whacked system that is run by a government agency...oh wait....

but there should always be an override. my statement would that it isn't a case of there NOT being a way to manually enter the price, but there is likely a lack of desire (by the employee) to enter a manual price.

El Pinguino · Post by **El Pinguino** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 12:55 am

.....on a sort of related note to this single bottle, can't sell thing....does the LCBO ever allow consumers to sample products? (outside of when the official brewery/winery is there doing it)

When I was at the SAQ in the summer I was helping a traveller choose some ice wines and ice ciders. An employee came over and helped too. When we couldn't decide, he took us to the back room and gave us samples of two ice ciders. The girl I was with ended up buying both...and spending more than she originally planned, because of the solid service and helpful attitude of that SAQ employee.

I suppose if the LCBO does not allow one to sample from a single bottle, which is un-sell-able on it's own, the solution is to buy a 6-pack, drink one and return the 5-pack saying you didn't enjoy it. Of course I'd hope that would not negatively effect the brewer in any way.