Well, I have asked other retailers online for special orders or help in getting certain products and have been brushed off as a nuisance. So before you make a smart comment and go negative, think of all possible explanations.
I started this thread as a means to express my frustration I have with online retailers and in a way, the lack of a convenient LHBS.
This hobby/addiction we have has a unique supply chain. Its not like you can walk into Wal Mart and pick up your brewing ingredients (though most of my brew gear does come from Home Depot lol). Also, the demand for our needs is limited, so there is not always going to be a LHBS that is convenient. So, we turn to this marvelous invention called the internet. I think we all have utilized an internet retailer at one time or the other. I frequently find myself having to go to all the major online retailers pricing what I need, including shipping to see where I can get the best deal. Shopping around when buying something is important, when making a large one time purchase, however I do not think that you would want to go to every grocery store chain every week to check the price of milk when you need it. You find a store that you like and you stick with it. Creating customer loyalty is a key aspect to a business' success. it is time consuming and at times frustrating when you find a store that has most of what you need or not in stock, but then having to go to a second store for the remainder of the stuff. Often times, I go back to my recipe to see if I can change it to get it one stop shopping. I find myself not having one retailer loyalty, yet.
However, as I write this, my recent purchases from Brewmasters just arrived.
