General LCBO Debate & Discussion Thread

[rejtable]

I hope Peen wasn't trying to blame me for Immortal eventually never returning. I won't lose sleep over it either way.

The irony is that I was not going to buy a full 6 pack mostly because of the feedback coming back on this site about the beer being stale due partly/mostly to LCBO red tape. When I saw that a pack had already been raided, figured I'd give a single bottle a try.

[dale cannon]

Either 'seal' those open six-packs, or charge us for the single bottles in a standard policy of pricing singles like any retail store would (and does.)

Just out of curiosity, can you give examples of other retail stores that have standard policies on pricing 'singles' of products intended and priced to be sold as multiples? And which products do these policies apply to?

I'm genuinely curious.

[groulxsome]

Either 'seal' those open six-packs, or charge us for the single bottles in a standard policy of pricing singles like any retail store would (and does.)

Just out of curiosity, can you give examples of other retail stores that have standard policies on pricing 'singles' of products intended and priced to be sold as multiples? And which products do these policies apply to?

I'm genuinely curious.

Not to intrude, but I know of a couple of liquor stores in the states that sell and price beer individually, wither the brewer intended it to be sold as such or not. Siciliano's Market in Grand Rapids is one example:

Absolutely all beer is priced by the single bottle. No exceptions.

(link.) I mean, they open sealed 6-packs to sell them.

The LCBO refusing to split up already opened boxes (open top six packs) feels more akin to Lablaws not letting me buy an individual head of lettuce from an opened box. Sometimes I don't want beer "wholesale" and when there is a friggin' UPC on each bottle I shouldn't have to do so!

[Torontoblue]

I've yet to see a store split 6 packs here in Edmonton. I know of one store in Calgary that does, and stores did split the recent West XII box, but generally 6 packs stay as a 6 pack.

[dale cannon]

Not to intrude, but I know of a couple of liquor stores in the states that sell and price beer individually, wither the brewer intended it to be sold as such or not. Siciliano's Market in Grand Rapids is one example:

Absolutely all beer is priced by the single bottle. No exceptions.

(link.) I mean, they open sealed 6-packs to sell them.

The LCBO refusing to split up already opened boxes (open top six packs) feels more akin to Lablaws not letting me buy an individual head of lettuce from an opened box. Sometimes I don't want beer "wholesale" and when there is a friggin' UPC on each bottle I shouldn't have to do so!

No intrusion at all friend.

Siciliano's isn't really an example since they have priced their products to be sold as singles in the first place (which is a really cool practice BTW). I was asking about examples of stores that have a standard policy for scenarios in which a customer would like to buy a 'single' of a product that is intended and priced to be sold in 'multiples'.

[Cass]

Pretty sure Costco sells lots of items that are individually UPC'd but sold as a multipack. I realize that they are usually sealed but you can't just open it up and buy a single. The lettuce analogy isn't consistent as Loblaws isn't trying to sell you the whole box.

I realize that not everyone wants an entire sixpack but it's a bit funny that there's an sense of entitlement to get just a single out of a sixpack, when clearly they're meant to be sold as a six pack. You wouldn't go into a jewellery store and take a single earring from a two-pack.

[icemachine]

Most grocery stores sell single cans of pop as well as 12 packs, or single bottles of Gatorade and 6-packs of the same.

I think though for many is that while we can buy singles of many of the beers but not all. I would think that the LC could perhaps mandate bar codes on individual bottles if they are sold in open top 4/6 pack holders, and develop a coherent policy for items that sit in the singles bins

[A]

Are you suggesting that its confusing what is available for sale individually? If it comes in a pack its meant to be sold in a pack. The fact that some people are able to scam the system by purchasing a single bottle from a pack is an exception, not the rule. Honestly, this isn't rocket science...

Now, if something is sitting in a singles bin but can't actually be purchased, that is stupidity on the part of the LCBO

[icemachine]

Are you suggesting that its confusing what is available for sale individually? If it comes in a pack its meant to be sold in a pack. The fact that some people are able to scam the system by purchasing a single bottle from a pack is an exception, not the rule. Honestly, this isn't rocket science...

Now, if something is sitting in a singles bin but can't actually be purchased, that is stupidity on the part of the LCBO

The fact is that for years, just about every beer that came in an open top six would scan under an individual bottle code and customers got used too, and appreciated that.

[rejtable]

Just out of curiosity, can you give examples of other retail stores that have standard policies on pricing 'singles' of products intended and priced to be sold as multiples? And which products do these policies apply to?

I'm genuinely curious.

Every bottle of beer in an open six pack at Winooski Beverage in Burlington, VT can be bought individually. Same with the Knightly Sprits I was recently at in Orlando. Same with some store who's name I can't remember in New Hampshire. Same with World of Beers in Rochester, if memory serves. Don't the Buffalo stores sell that way? Fairly certainly I've been into many other beer retailers in the US that sell that way.

I'm not saying the LCBO should or has to do it, but it's certainly not unheard of for beer to be sold individually.

[rejtable]

If it comes in a pack its meant to be sold in a pack. The fact that some people are able to scam the system by purchasing a single bottle from a pack is an exception, not the rule. Honestly, this isn't rocket science...

Well, if I've been "scamming" the system, I've been doing it in full open view and with the open and active cooperation of LCBO employees for years now.

Yours is a curious definition for the word scam given that reality.

[dale cannon]

Every bottle of beer in an open six pack at Winooski Beverage in Burlington, VT can be bought individually. Same with the Knightly Sprits I was recently at in Orlando. Same with some store who's name I can't remember in New Hampshire. Same with World of Beers in Rochester, if memory serves. Don't the Buffalo stores sell that way? Fairly certainly I've been into many other beer retailers in the US that sell that way.

I'm not saying the LCBO should or has to do it, but it's certainly not unheard of for beer to be sold individually.

These aren't really examples since they have priced their products to be sold as singles in the first place (which is a really cool practice BTW). I was asking about examples of stores that have a standard policy for scenarios in which a customer would like to buy a 'single' of a product that is intended and priced to be sold in 'multiples'.

[Baulz]

Most grocery stores sell single cans of pop as well as 12 packs, or single bottles of Gatorade and 6-packs of the same.

You pay a much higher price per unit to buy a single can of pop vs. a 12 pack.

Are people willing to pay $4 for a single bottle from a 6 pack that costs $13?

[rejtable]

Dale... im not sure I'd understand the point of getting an answer to your question then. What is clear is that beer exactly like that on the shelves can and is sold individually all over the place.

Why do you care if you can buy pencils or razor blades individually? How does it apply to this discussion?

[rejtable]

Most grocery stores sell single cans of pop as well as 12 packs, or single bottles of Gatorade and 6-packs of the same.

You pay a much higher price per unit to buy a single can of pop vs. a 12 pack.

Are people willing to pay $4 for a single bottle from a 6 pack that costs $13?

but that's just a choice of the retailer/manufacturer. I think at winooski they just take the 6 pack price and divide by six. Maybe they have a pain and suffering penalty for singles, but I don't think it's much if anything.

And yes, I would pay more for one bottle given the choice.

Edit... Point is the lcbo could do this, just like macs does with pop, if they wanted to.