anyone that uses austin homebrew see this?

[Austinhomebrew]

We usually ship the same day or if your order is late in the afternoon it may ship the next day. When we have a huge sale, like our Anniversary sale last year, we received 1,400 orders in one day, we got a little behind. We did not anticipate 100 fold increase in one day.

Forrest

 

[aubiecat]

AHS is the Amazon of homebrew retailers, I don't care if they are charging $5.00 for $100.00 of merchandise.

 

[homebrewdad]

Cheez whiz, guys. If you guys really are eating that much shipping per order, then $5 isn't really enough.

Understand - I have used AHS exclusively, and $5 isn't enough to make me look elsewhere. I've had a return/exchange situation, and you guys were awesome on that (I mentioned this in my blog).

I hate the see free shipping go, but I do understand why the decision was made. It does remove a carrot there to help make me build up my orders past that $100 mark, but it is what it is.

 

[aubiecat]

It does remove a carrot there to help make me build up my orders past that $100 mark, but it is what it is.

My personal limit was $75.00 or more. After that I started looking for ways to push it over $100.00 to get free shipping. Usually that meant an extra recipe kit.

 

[bassmaster911]

I love the free shipping...but this new setup may save me some cash because more than one time I added items I didn't really need to get over the hundred dollar hump for free shipping. AHS still rules!

 

[barneygumble]

OK that clinches it! I am not ordering from them any more! LOL.

Thank you Forrest for updating us. Margin is a tricky thing and trying to balance competitive pricing, high quality, and services like free/cutrate shipping can be like walking a tightrope at times.

My personal preference would be that all vendors just pass their shipping costs through to us, and cut prices and margins accordingly. Keep everything nice and transparent. But thats just me. I think the furniture business started the free delivery stuff, then places like Amazon fueled the intrawebs fire for this expectation. It costs every vendor money, serious money to ship to us. They adjust pricing and margins to absorb this cost. Perhaps that ingredients kit is a bare bones item for margin, but that brew kettle or conical prolly has enough margin to make up for it. And its really not their fault. We have come to expect that lowball shipping. They have to make a profit somewhere or they go out of business. So the extra costs HAVE to get buried in some items.

 

[zeg]

My personal preference would be that all vendors just pass their shipping costs through to us, and cut prices and margins accordingly. Keep everything nice and transparent. But thats just me.

It's not just you---I agree 100%.

I've not placed any orders with Austin, though they've been on the "short list" quite a few times. All my online orders have been through Midwest, who happen to charge their actual shipping costs. This wasn't much of a factor in my first purchase with them, but it wasn't a deterrent. (I think I chose them mostly because I found their search/order layout most intuitive, and had a positive experience so I've decided to stick with them.)

I certainly wouldn't shy away from Austin in the future, and I think the logic of charging for shipping is sound. Yes, it'd be nice to get it free, but even at $5 that's a solid deal.

 

[Backporchbrewery]

That shipping is still lower than 99% of everyone else out there. I don't understand the complaining really.

 

[DARTH_SAUTER]

I'm not surprised at all to see that they are finally charging for shipping. They have to make profits. I've recently been exclusively buying from AHS because a buddy of mine is employed there, the quality of what I get is excellent and the a shipping is fast.

 

[homebrewdad]

That shipping is still lower than 99% of everyone else out there. I don't understand the complaining really.

You must have read a different thread. I saw some discussion, but I didn't see anybody actually complaining.

 

[buzzkill]

my local HBS is 40 mils. away(one way) and they charge me 9 bucks flat rate shipping. thats about the cost of gas. worth it. so 5 bucks for a shop that has even lower shipping cost plus lower prices is so worth it. thinking about making a few buys from Austin HBS myself. I do like to support are ONLY brew shop. but I also like treason from time to time.

 

[Gameface]

I will check them out but isn't their shipping a little slow? Meaning it takes a while to ship.

That has been my experience. When I have paid for shipping my order goes out same day or next, when I use the MoreSaver shipping option (or whatever they call it) it takes 4-5 business days to ship, so if 4-5 days straddles a weekend it'll really be 6-7 days before it ships. That is my #1 complaint with MoreBeer. That said I've had dozens of orders through both MoreBeer and Austin Homebrew Supply and I like their quality, selection and packaging. Morebeer gets the nod on packaging, but they're both good.

 

[D_Nyholm]

I've ordered 90% of my brewing supplies from AHS, and every order I have placed was over $100 to avoid the shipping. It is all in our minds as we are paying for it some way or another, but I will be thinkingng twice about throwing extra items into my cart to reach a threshold. I do not know how many other people are like me though and whether or not it has an impact.

When I started buying stuff, I would go to 3 or 4 sites and build the same cart. Then I would add in the shipping to see who was cheaper. On $100+ orders, AHS was consistently a few dollars cheaper so I would order through them. I stopped doing the calculations a while back and would just order through them unless it was a very large order and I would calculate. Looks like for my next order I will have to calculate quickly and make sure they are still the cheapest (i think they will still be though)

 

[MyNameIsPaul]

AHS is in this to make money, not to make you feel all warm and fuzzy about your purchases for your hobby. If you can't afford to pay a SMALL shipping charge for FRESH grain, perfect yeast, absolutely wonderful customer service and expertise, then maybe you should take up checkers or hopscotch. AHS still is THE place to buy everything homebrew related, in my not so humble opinion. You do get what you pay for.

 

[homebrewdad]

AHS is in this to make money, not to make you feel all warm and fuzzy about your purchases for your hobby. If you can't afford to pay a SMALL shipping charge for FRESH grain, perfect yeast, absolutely wonderful customer service and expertise, then maybe you should take up checkers or hopscotch. AHS still is THE place to buy everything homebrew related, in my not so humble opinion. You do get what you pay for.

And making customers feel warm and fuzzy is a great way to get them to buy again and again. Not one person has posted that the can't afford the $5, or that they think it's unfair. Not one person has said that they will stop using AHS because of this.

Many have made the honest statement that it takes away an incentive (real or imagined) to make $100+ orders.

 

[BBKing]

Hang on. I love you guys, and I have sung your praises to anyone that would listen, but this statement does not hold water.

$15 per box? So a starter kit costs you guys $30 to ship (two boxes), even though you only charge $7 on it?

My last order was for a recipe plus some bottles. It also came in two boxes. I don't think that UPS would have charged me $30 to ship it, and I don't get the discount that a volume business does.

First off, I pretty much hate AHB. I think their prices are high and that Forrest has a "love it or leave it" attitude that I cant stand. I'm not saying that a business such as his doesnt have a bottom line, which I understand, but when I sent him an email addressing my concerns he didnt seem to give a ****. I refuse to purchase ANYTHING from AHS. Hell, I'd have a problem looting their store after the apocalypse just based on general principle...

...HOWEVER, based on my experience shipping a couple things for buyers on CL, I'd say that 30 bones for 2 boxes of stuff, depending on weight and dimension of course, is probably in the ballpark.

So yes, I'm backing up AHS on this one. While the shipping on your 2 boxes MAY NOT have cost Forrest excatly $30 (remember that Forrest said "on average") I'd still wager a months pay that you got a darn good deal on your shipping.

Again, I all but hate AHS, but I wont let my bias stand in the way of the facts.

 

[jetgorilla]

AHB always makes me feel welcome. 5$ for shipping. It would cost me 500 to fly up there from new braunfels to pick up my order.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

Cheez whiz, guys. If you guys really are eating that much shipping per order, then $5 isn't really enough.

Understand - I have used AHS exclusively, and $5 isn't enough to make me look elsewhere. I've had a return/exchange situation, and you guys were awesome on that (I mentioned this in my blog).

I hate the see free shipping go, but I do understand why the decision was made. It does remove a carrot there to help make me build up my orders past that $100 mark, but it is what it is.

So, going from $6.99 down to $4.99 doesn't help you want to get to $100?

 

[Austinhomebrew]

OK that clinches it! I am not ordering from them any more! LOL.

Thank you Forrest for updating us. Margin is a tricky thing and trying to balance competitive pricing, high quality, and services like free/cutrate shipping can be like walking a tightrope at times.

My personal preference would be that all vendors just pass their shipping costs through to us, and cut prices and margins accordingly. Keep everything nice and transparent. But thats just me. I think the furniture business started the free delivery stuff, then places like Amazon fueled the intrawebs fire for this expectation. It costs every vendor money, serious money to ship to us. They adjust pricing and margins to absorb this cost. Perhaps that ingredients kit is a bare bones item for margin, but that brew kettle or conical prolly has enough margin to make up for it. And its really not their fault. We have come to expect that lowball shipping. They have to make a profit somewhere or they go out of business. So the extra costs HAVE to get buried in some items.

If we charged full shipping on items then we would go back to being just a regional store and orders would plummet. It doesn't matter if you have the best price if the customer sees what actual shipping is they will order elsewhere at a more expensive price because the shipping would be less. Places like Amazon have amde it so that if you charge actual shipping people think you are really ripping them off. It is better to average out the shipping and work on a much lower margin.

Forrest

 

[Austinhomebrew]

I've ordered 90% of my brewing supplies from AHS, and every order I have placed was over $100 to avoid the shipping. It is all in our minds as we are paying for it some way or another, but I will be thinkingng twice about throwing extra items into my cart to reach a threshold. I do not know how many other people are like me though and whether or not it has an impact.

When I started buying stuff, I would go to 3 or 4 sites and build the same cart. Then I would add in the shipping to see who was cheaper. On $100+ orders, AHS was consistently a few dollars cheaper so I would order through them. I stopped doing the calculations a while back and would just order through them unless it was a very large order and I would calculate. Looks like for my next order I will have to calculate quickly and make sure they are still the cheapest (i think they will still be though)

You are not paying for it one way or another. Stores that charge full shipping charges make a much higher margin. We lose money shipping bottles but customers have to have bottles. It is not being made up somewhere. Target makes 4.2% margin and Walmart makes 3.6% margin. The idea that it is made up somewhere comes from the notion that all homebrew stores make the same profit. It doesn't have to be made up somewhere if you make less margin.

Forrest

 

[Stauffbier]

I will still strive to order more vs. less each time I order, so I don't have to place multiple orders and pay shipping multiple times...

 

[Rbeckett]

I really don't get this. I have paid 17 dollars for a glass of brew, why would I really care if the freight went up a tad. Yeah I am a fan of free shipping, but in reality you pay fro free shipping as a higher priced item from the vendor. I just bought a simple little aluminum box on Ebay, it was 20 bucks, the freight was more than the item. But it fit my needs and I couldnt buy a similar box or better for 40 bucks, so whats the grind? Just sayin....
Wheelchair Bob

And I am a fan of AHBS and have taken advantage of the free shipping on occasion too.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

First off, I pretty much hate AHB. I think their prices are high and that Forrest has a "love it or leave it" attitude that I cant stand. I'm not saying that a business such as his doesnt have a bottom line, which I understand, but when I sent him an email addressing my concerns he didnt seem to give a ****. I refuse to purchase ANYTHING from AHS. Hell, I'd have a problem looting their store after the apocalypse just based on general principle...

...HOWEVER, based on my experience shipping a couple things for buyers on CL, I'd say that 30 bones for 2 boxes of stuff, depending on weight and dimension of course, is probably in the ballpark.

So yes, I'm backing up AHS on this one. While the shipping on your 2 boxes MAY NOT have cost Forrest excatly $30 (remember that Forrest said "on average") I'd still wager a months pay that you got a darn good deal on your shipping.

Again, I all but hate AHS, but I wont let my bias stand in the way of the facts.

It is never my intention to come off like I don't care. There must have been a communication issue. Please PM me so we can straighten this out. I respect your honesty and your statements. I am definately here for you guys.

Forrest

 

[MalFet]

You are not paying for it one way or another. Stores that charge full shipping charges make a much higher margin.

I don't see how you can make a blanket claim like that. Certainly, a store could opt to charge full shipping with lower prices to keep profit margins the same. I understand that you're saying customer psychology doesn't work like that, but there are at least some of us who would prefer a simpler price structure when buying online. I'm not surprised that subsidized shipping has become the standard...I just wish it hadn't.

 

[eastoak]

i would never publicly complain about something i know nothing about and i don't see why Forrest should have to publicly defend his business. shipping went from free to $5, big deal.

 

[MalFet]

i would never publicly complain about something i know nothing about and i don't see why Forrest should have to publicly defend his business. shipping went from free to $5, big deal.

Even though I'm decidedly on the pro-shipping charges side here, I don't think anyone is complaining. There was a change in the policy of a major and well respected member of the HB community. People are talking about the implications of that change in a generally very civil manner. If you don't feel it's a big deal (and, frankly, what on a beer brewing website would be?), there's nothing forcing you to post.

 

[wailingguitar]

I had been ordering from them exclusively, and every order bar ONE has been $100 or more. Sometimes I actually got something that they were higher on than a competitor simply to a) get to the free shipping level and b) support the place that was giving me the free shipping. Hmmm... this is a game changer

 

[bassmaster911]

So, going from $6.99 down to $4.99 doesn't help you want to get to $100?

No.

 

[seatbelt123]

AHS produces great kits. I'm happy to continue buying from them and support a quality business. And to restore balance to my household budget, I will buy three fewer Dunkin Donuts every time I order beer ingredients. I feel bad that Forrest, a dude that clearly does a lot for the homebrew culture, has to deal with all of this grief.

 

[eastoak]

Even though I'm decidedly on the pro-shipping charges side here, I don't think anyone is complaining. There was a change in the policy of a major and well respected member of the HB community. People are talking about the implications of that change in a generally very civil manner. If you don't feel it's a big deal (and, frankly, what on a beer brewing website would be?), there's nothing forcing you to post.

judging from the qualifier you used you know that some people are complaining. oh, i am aware that nothing is forcing me to post.

 

[bob1852]

It is never my intention to come off like I don't care. There must have been a communication issue. Please PM me so we can straighten this out. I respect your honesty and your statements. I am definately here for you guys.

Forrest

Forrest, perhaps return to your marketing style of "don't decide based on per unit price or shipping price, but rather total order price shipped to your door when deciding what online store to use"?

Assuming AHS is still rather competitive in that arena (and they always have been for me), that's probably more effective than telling us you lose money on shipping and fuel costs are raising prices further.

1. We know
2. We largely don't care
3. We are largely looking to get the best bang for our buck

So, I only care what order X costs to get to me, either from store Y, Z, or A. I don't care what each item costs or what shipping "costs," I care about my bottom line, promptness, quality ingredients, and customer service.

 

[anengineer]

Actually, with fuel surcharges going up, we had to do it to avoid raising prices. I think people would prefer that we do not raise prices.

Forrest

And raising shipping isn't raising prices?!

 

[Kosch]

Wow, I can't believe this is even an issue. It's $5, I probably save almost that much in gas just going to the LHBS, let alone the higher local prices. Plus, AHS has a way better selection than anyone around here, and for me, a good selection wins out over small price differences anyway.

Forrest, you have a good business going, keep it up. I've ordered over $700 worth of items from you since November, and having to pay $4.99 for shipping is definitely not going to prevent me from ordering again. In fact, I think it's close to time for another order soon!

Cheers,

Kosch

 

[befus]

What I like about AHS is that you can order bottles, etc. and get them shipped for the listed shipping charge (whatever it is, or was) and they don't jack up the prices for shipping. I have been to several sites and gone all the way to checkout before seeing the actual shipping charges added to the order in addition to their normal shipping charge, and then cancel as I viewed them as exorbitant.

 

[T8rAleKing]

So, with the margins what they are in homebrew supplies, they've been absorbing $15-$30 on a typical order?

They have magic in that grain.

HBD: If you have a problem with AHS, then don't buy from them. They are in business to make a profit, if they have to raise prices, either on product or on shipping or other services, they have to do that. Why begrudge them for doing so. I have shopped around here in Arizona and when I pass thru Austin on business at FT Hood, I purchase from them on a regular basis. They are not forcing you to buy from them.

 

[MalFet]

HBD: If you have a problem with AHS, then don't buy from them. They are in business to make a profit, if they have to raise prices, either on product or on shipping or other services, they have to do that. Why begrudge them for doing so. I have shopped around here in Arizona and when I pass thru Austin on business at FT Hood, I purchase from them on a regular basis. They are not forcing you to buy from them, so lose the fricking attitude and stop being an idiot.

You obviously didn't read this thread very carefully...

 

[T8rAleKing]

You obviously didn't read this thread very carefully...

Read em all and can't believe $4.99 shipping is a game changer. Try being in business in this economy and trying to make a little profit OR trying to keep your prices low and putting a dent in services that Forrest has no control over.

 

[MalFet]

Read em all and can't believe $4.99 shipping is a game changer. Try being in business in this economy and trying to make a little profit OR trying to keep your prices low and putting a dent in services that Forrest has no control over. Unless your an Obama lover and think the rest of America should help pay your bills!!!

Did you, for example, see this post that came a couple lines later?

Cheez whiz, guys. If you guys really are eating that much shipping per order, then $5 isn't really enough.

Understand - I have used AHS exclusively, and $5 isn't enough to make me look elsewhere. I've had a return/exchange situation, and you guys were awesome on that (I mentioned this in my blog).

I hate the see free shipping go, but I do understand why the decision was made. It does remove a carrot there to help make me build up my orders past that $100 mark, but it is what it is.

(Also, your desire to bring national politics into this is odd. You seem itching for a fight. Please go elsewhere to find it.)

 

[aubiecat]

HBD: so lose the fricking attitude and stop being an idiot.

You should follow your own advice.

 

[eastoak]

Read em all and can't believe $4.99 shipping is a game changer. Try being in business in this economy and trying to make a little profit OR trying to keep your prices low and putting a dent in services that Forrest has no control over. Unless your an Obama lover and think the rest of America should help pay your bills!!!

uncalled for.