A question of morals...

[LouT]

Ever been to the place up in Leominster?
Woburn is my local HBS - overall I think they're ok but don't knock my socks off - they are nothing like the HBS I used to buy from in West Roxbury (early 90's) with owner/operator that was a hombrewer and super knowledgeable and willing to talk shop, help with recipe creation, etc.
My take on LHBS is the same as with other small local businesses - you go there usually for the service, knowledge, and convenience, knowing that sometimes you might pay a bit more than the "best deal" price, but accepting that as part of the value they provide as a vendor. Another caveat -- when I used to have my own motorcycle shop I ran into this a LOT -- customers see a few high profile items for 'really good deal' prices in an online catalog/internet store -- they then assume all products from that vendor are priced "great" and overall they are saving nothing -- the online vendor knows how to price things to achieve an average margin that is the same as your LHBS average margin, and in some cases even higher. For the small stuff that you might typically just add in to an order "since I'm ordering anyway", that's where you'll tend to overpay online. As mentioned earlier, too -- shipping charges can cancel out or equalize any actual savings...

 

[Tony]

Ever been to the place up in Leominster?...

Wheres it at in Leominster? Whats the name?

 

[Orfy]

The best Shops in the UK are the mox of ON-line and local.
That way they can supply the full country online and be a LHBS they get to keep thier prices resonable. The ones who don't do mail order suffer, have to keep prices high, consequentley thier sales suffer so the prices have to stay high.

My 2 nearest shops within 15 miles sell mainly extract kits and small 6lb bags of cracked grain for around $14. I can buy 50lb for $40. I would like to give them my custom but at 25-50% cost increase then I'm afraid I can't.

So I drive 40 mile round trip and buy in bulk. I could buy from the same people on line but the once every couple of months trip is okay and it's good to deal face to face.

 

[LouT]

Leominster, MA -- nfghomebrew.com -- saw listing in BYO mag, haven't gone down there yet, though.
On the plus side, looks like they have Sunday hours, which is pretty convenient for me.
Orfy, I don't think I have 2 shops within 15 miles, but might have 4 within 45 miles - if I was looking at exorbitant prices I'd mail order in bulk, too -- but sometimes for me it's worth paying a touch more for convenience. 40 mile round trip isn't too bad, you consider that quite a ride in UK, but here it's just a short trip...

 

[Orfy]

40 Miles takes me 2 hours if the traffics rough and at nearly $10 a gallon for fuel in a bus that does 20 to the gallon It's something to think about.

It's cheaper to pay the shipping.

$10 shipping or $20 fuel!

 

[LouT]

Don't blame you, then, Orfy! I'm ok with paying shipping, it's the waiting for it to arrive that I hate!

 

[MA_Brewer]

Ever been to the place up in Leominster?
Woburn is my local HBS - overall I think they're ok but don't knock my socks off - they are nothing like the HBS I used to buy from in West Roxbury (early 90's) with owner/operator that was a hombrewer and super knowledgeable and willing to talk shop, help with recipe creation, etc.

I haven't tried the Leominster place - a bit of a drive for me, since I have a HBS in town. I don't dislike my LHBS, I should say - I usually try to buy local if I can - but sometimes they don't have what I need or want. I've actually never purchased ingredients online, only equipment.

 

[desiderata]

...should I get them at my LHBS to support the local business or just go online and get the stuff for likely a better price?...ranch

Well, what did you end up doing?

 

[Paperface]

the guys at my LHBS are asshats, so i have no problem going online.

 

[Orfy]

I'll actual pay the Extra in fuel and go down if I know they have what I want. It's a brew related trip and I usually go on and take the wife and dogs somewhere fun after.

It's 3/4s way to the peak district for me.

 

[tbulger]

I am new to brewing and i go to strange brew becase that guy brian is more than helpful. Last time i went there spent about an hour to put a few kits together for me and gave me good advice. I told him the beers i was trying to clone and he looked through all the books and magizines and online to find the recipes upraged his directions for the recipe and sold it to me the same price as the rest of the kits he puts together. I just dont buy star san from there becase its half price online, but other that that the knowledge and service there is great and im willing to pay more for that, as i am new to this hobby. www.home-brew.com

 

[BarryNL]

Your LHBS is not a charity, it's a business. If they wish to remain in business, they will be competetive with their prices. Get the bet deal no matter where it is.

I dunno, part of what the LHBS offers is advice, they just don't charge directly for it, they include it in the price of goods. If you're going to them for advice and then ordering the stuff the advise from the internet you're basically stealing their consultancy (morally if not legally).

OTOH, if you're just using the LHBS for buying stuff and not taking advantage of value added services they provide then I don't see why you shouldn't shop around.

Forget the free market, just treat people as you'd like them to treat you.