Shepherd5
Well-Known Member
I am very new to home brewing, but I have been doing alot of research over the past few months. I live in San Diego, and we have what appears to be only two decent options for Home Brew Stores. I quickly discovered that not only were their prices much higher than online stores, but their stock of home brewing equipment and sometimes supplies isn't very good at all. I also discovered that the websites associated with these stores are often inconsistent with what they actually carry in their stores, and need to be updated more often.
So naturally, I looked at almost all the major online dealers, and discovered that, for example: Many of the dealers may sell, lets say, Blichmann Boilermakers, but not advertize Blichmann fermenters, or maybe they don't offer the burners, or even their chiller on the same site. So I go to another site, and they might have the burner, but not the chiller offered.
Another item is a dial thermometer for my kettle. I can get it online for almost half the price of what my local HBS sells it for. Even the wart chillers were almost double the cost from online sources.
The thing is, I want and prefer to support my LHBS, but I just can't throw money away like that.
Hmmm, this is odd, and I ask myself if I am being to picky by expecting to much? Am I just naive about what it really takes to operate a business nowadays?
Here is what I want: I want there to be at least one LHBS that carries a wider selection of equipment, equipment which is in stock and available when I need it, without having to special order, or at least have examples of different equipment that can be special ordered. I am amazed at how small our LHBS's are, not much space to even display a variety of supplies and equipment.
I guess I am just old fashioned, and would like to do business with directly with my local stores, but now, with the internet competition, it is hard for smaller businesses to compete, and therefore not worth the extra effort and costs associated with stocking alot of equipment and supplies that people don't buy as often.
I am the kind of person who likes to see and touch what I am buying, so I know exactly what I am getting. Pictures and spec sheets don't always provide all the important info, but that is just me.
I want to have a relationship with people with whom I do business, face to face is so much better. Frankly, I am concerned about the direction of our society, and people living so disconnected from one another.
I could go on and on, but that is about the gist of my rant. Forgive me if I sound childish, but I feel justified on some level in expressing this.
So naturally, I looked at almost all the major online dealers, and discovered that, for example: Many of the dealers may sell, lets say, Blichmann Boilermakers, but not advertize Blichmann fermenters, or maybe they don't offer the burners, or even their chiller on the same site. So I go to another site, and they might have the burner, but not the chiller offered.
Another item is a dial thermometer for my kettle. I can get it online for almost half the price of what my local HBS sells it for. Even the wart chillers were almost double the cost from online sources.
The thing is, I want and prefer to support my LHBS, but I just can't throw money away like that.
Hmmm, this is odd, and I ask myself if I am being to picky by expecting to much? Am I just naive about what it really takes to operate a business nowadays?
Here is what I want: I want there to be at least one LHBS that carries a wider selection of equipment, equipment which is in stock and available when I need it, without having to special order, or at least have examples of different equipment that can be special ordered. I am amazed at how small our LHBS's are, not much space to even display a variety of supplies and equipment.
I guess I am just old fashioned, and would like to do business with directly with my local stores, but now, with the internet competition, it is hard for smaller businesses to compete, and therefore not worth the extra effort and costs associated with stocking alot of equipment and supplies that people don't buy as often.
I am the kind of person who likes to see and touch what I am buying, so I know exactly what I am getting. Pictures and spec sheets don't always provide all the important info, but that is just me.
I want to have a relationship with people with whom I do business, face to face is so much better. Frankly, I am concerned about the direction of our society, and people living so disconnected from one another.
I could go on and on, but that is about the gist of my rant. Forgive me if I sound childish, but I feel justified on some level in expressing this.