Brewmasters Warehouse

[SPR-GRN]

For me personally, I've given up on BMW - I gave them "one last try" followed by another last try, and between items being out of stock, not informing me my items had shipped, and more than two months of them telling me "it will be in stock next week and we'll send it out" I had to cancel the majority of my order, and it still hasn't been refunded yet, so I'll be on the phone again with them to try and resolve it.

By all means, if you are having good luck with them continue to use them, for me however, I'm now looking to others as my suppliers; I am only good for about $750 a year worth of supplies however, so not a big fish to lose back to the pond.

cheers

 

[BWN]

I will keep following this thread. I used to love ordering from them before all the problems started. I haven't ordered in quite some time but may get my next brews from them.

 

[limulus]

Screwed by FedEx. BMW did an excellent job with this order. It was turned around very quickly and should have been at my door on Aug 28. However, the FedEx driver did not deliver it to me. So, I'm stuck in the middle and have been instructed to report this now to BMW. It is normally UPS who is the problem.

 

[Pilgarlic]

I haven't used BMW since I stopped ordering by recipes, but if I were still there is no question I would use BMW. I have them on my short list of small businesses who know how to do it right and understand customer service. They went through a rough spot, no doubt. Ed will bring it back, if he hasn't already. Very good news.

 

[limulus]

I haven't used BMW since I stopped ordering by recipes, but if I were still there is no question I would use BMW. I have them on my short list of small businesses who know how to do it right and understand customer service. They went through a rough spot, no doubt. Ed will bring it back, if he hasn't already. Very good news.

You said something that has had me thinking for a while now and that is buying recipes. While most everything I buy is my own recipe, I do think about going back to keeping some stock grains. I used to do that, but I don't have a mill anymore and getting a nicely sealed package of crushed grain from BMW is sooo convenient.

 

[limulus]

Screwed by FedEx. BMW did an excellent job with this order. It was turned around very quickly and should have been at my door on Aug 28. However, the FedEx driver did not deliver it to me. So, I'm stuck in the middle and have been instructed to report this now to BMW. It is normally UPS who is the problem.

So here I am exactly one week later and I finally got my package. FedEx could never explain what happened to my original shipment. BUT, BMW did respond by preparing a new shipment. It shipped yesterday and it was delivered today. I notified them on Friday, Aug 30 that FedEx did not deliver the package. I got a nice reply from BMW telling me that they would take care of me and they did. There was also the Labor Day holiday thrown in there and I still got it today.

I don't normally get wrapped up in things like this, but I felt I had to since, BMW did their job very well and had to do it twice. So, I'm back to being a loyal customer again. I just wish they would get some Centennial hops.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

Excellent.

Sounds like they are getting things back to normal.

How has the crush been lately?

:rockin:

 

[benzy4010]

I hope they are I love the fact they are only a few miles away and will put together any recipe without having to buy to the nearest ounce or pound!

 

[brewkinger]

I hate to have to do it because I have had good luck in the past, as have many of my cohorts, ordering from BMW.
But perusing the last few pages of this thread, I see that there are some issues to be worked out at BMW.

I ordered on 9/4 at noon. Account was debited with the charge on the next day.
2 days later I called just to check on the status of the order (it was still showing as PENDING), the individual that I spoke to informed me that PENDING was the status until it got shipped. He assured me that it would be shipped out Monday 9/9 at the latest.

Here we are on Tuesday morning and it still shows pending status (not shipped yet? or that is what I was told it meant)

What kind of process allows for the customer's account to be charged and then close to a week later, the actual order is still not shipped?

I am a simple man, so a simple explanation is plausible, but I feel that it is the responsibility of the vendor to communicate issues and problems to the customer.

Really hope that they can provide a good reason and better yet a "simple" offer of good faith that we can all trust BMW from this point on.

 

[Mike37]

I'm giving them another shot because I won't have time to get to my LHBS and I just need one recipe for now. I ordered 9/6 Friday morning and I'll update as it goes. So far, zero communication and the order still shows as pending.

 

[brewkinger]

I hate to have to do it because I have had good luck in the past, as have many of my cohorts, ordering from BMW.
But perusing the last few pages of this thread, I see that there are some issues to be worked out at BMW.

I ordered on 9/4 at noon. Account was debited with the charge on the next day.
2 days later I called just to check on the status of the order (it was still showing as PENDING), the individual that I spoke to informed me that PENDING was the status until it got shipped. He assured me that it would be shipped out Monday 9/9 at the latest.

Here we are on Tuesday morning and it still shows pending status (not shipped yet? or that is what I was told it meant)

What kind of process allows for the customer's account to be charged and then close to a week later, the actual order is still not shipped?

I am a simple man, so a simple explanation is plausible, but I feel that it is the responsibility of the vendor to communicate issues and problems to the customer.

Really hope that they can provide a good reason and better yet a "simple" offer of good faith that we can all trust BMW from this point on.

I just received a response from someone at BMW. To paraphrase the contents of the message:
"Let's start over, there is no need to accuse us of stealing."
Looking back on your order sir, it was ordered, it was paid for, it is now 6 days later and we will ship it to you now."
We are a little behind. I am sorry that the person that you spoke to the other day misinformed you and told you that we would ship it out yesterday."

I'm giving them another shot because I won't have time to get to my LHBS and I just need one recipe for now. I ordered 9/6 Friday morning and I'll update as it goes. So far, zero communication and the order still shows as pending.

Give them a call, ask for Kirk, you will get the a much faster response

 

[Pappers_]

The posts above are a good example of why it is helpful to keep reviews short and factual, with minimal commentary. I'm going to use you as an example, Brewkinger, but its not meant as criticism at all. You ordered on Wednesday and are upset enough that four business days later that the order isn't shipped that you apparently accused them of stealing. You clearly value speed in your purchase experience. Others, though, might not find 4 business days extraordinary at all and value price more than speed.

Please keep the reviews to the point, factual, and about your customer experience. Thanks!

 

[brewkinger]

The posts above are a good example of why it is helpful to keep reviews short and factual, with minimal commentary. I'm going to use you as an example, Brewkinger, but its not meant as criticism at all. You ordered on Wednesday and are upset enough that four business days later that the order isn't shipped that you apparently accused them of stealing. You clearly value speed in your purchase experience. Others, though, might not find 4 business days extraordinary at all and value price more than speed.

Please keep the reviews to the point, factual, and about your customer experience. Thanks!

Point taken. I appreciate the non-critical example.
Looking back on it, I place value on not only speed and price, but most importantly the customer service experience.
I contacted the company on 3 separate occasions; got misinformation on the first, no response to the second and a nasty-gram on the 3rd.

I understand businesses having issues and delays. I will not stop ordering from BMW simply because of this, but it is definitely a nail in the coffin.

 

[Mike37]

Just now got a shipping notification. Seems more like their past turnaround.

 

[ultravista]

Clearly there appears to be some problems with web-based orders and timeliness of order fulfillment and shipping lately. Ed is aware of the problems and as such, should make a concerted effort to inform and educate his employees on proper customer communications, specifically when it comes to commitments and calendar based quotes.

It is not unreasonable for an order to take several business days; however, it is up to Ed's team to set reasonable and measurable expectations for processing and shipping, and to meet those commitments. If the commitment cannot be met, proactive communication with the customer is a must.

I have a fairly big order (3 or 4 batches) on the horizon and have been watching this thread faithfully as BMW is my go-to source. Over the years, they have come through.

 

[Mike37]

Just got my shipment today, so that's a total of five days from placing the order to when it showed up on my porch excluding Sunday. I won't complain about that!

 

[brewkinger]

Got mine today too.
So 7 days ( not including Sunday) from Georgia to Vermont.

 

[DromJohn]

I have never before purchased from a local HBS. Monday, the 16th of September, I'm going up to Yankeetown for a doctor's appointment. SWMBO and I are going to make a full day of it ending with dinner at 5 Seasons North.
I plan to go to Brewmasters Warehouse for the first time, partly just to see what it looks like.
As a walk-in customer with a recipe for a simple 5-gallon extract, how much time should I allocate for this shopping experience?
Do I pull items off the shelves, or will I have to take a number?
Should I pre-order online?

 

[limulus]

I have never before purchased from a local HBS. Monday, the 16th of September, I'm going up to Yankeetown for a doctor's appointment. SWMBO and I are going to make a full day of it ending with dinner at 5 Seasons North.
I plan to go to Brewmasters Warehouse for the first time, partly just to see what it looks like.
As a walk-in customer with a recipe for a simple 5-gallon extract, how much time should I allocate for this shopping experience?
Do I pull items off the shelves, or will I have to take a number?
Should I pre-order online?

Yankeetown? I have only been inside BMW once and that was to pick up an order. I can't remember what it looked like but I don't recall it being like Home Depot for beer supplies. I think you should enter your recipe via Brew-Builder and let them know when you'll be there to pick it up.

 

[ITHZ]

I think you should enter your recipe via Brew-Builder and let them know when you'll be there to pick it up.

That's what I do and have never had a problem. I have also put a recipe together in the brew-builder and just printed it out and hand it to them when I get there.If they are out of something, they will usually make good on substitution even if it is more expensive. That said the shelves are pretty bare these days as it seems they are concentrating on ingredients more then equipment. Trying to get back to the way it used to be. I buy all my ingredients from them, and equipment usually online.

 

[DromJohn]

Ordered Friday night, and was ready when I arrived Monday afternoon.
Too far away to be a local HBS, but if up in Marietta for some other reason, not bad. OTOH, northern burbs drivers make Atlanta drivers look sane.

 

[Pappers_]

Test

 

[Pilgarlic]

The lack of activity on this thread suggests to me that they're back to their old, complaint-free, excellent customer service ways. Is that so?

 

[MotorcycleMike]

The lack of activity on this thread suggests to me that they're back to their old, complaint-free, excellent customer service ways. Is that so?

My last 3 orders went through without a hitch.:rockin:

 

[BigFloppy]

The last issue I had was with an Aug 26th Order, got the confirmation email that it was ready to be picked up, physically got down there and some of it wasn't available... took till their next delivery for my order to be totally complete

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

My last 3 orders went through without a hitch.:rockin:

How is their crush? Did they tighten it up?

 

[k_mcarthur]

I have never before purchased from a local HBS. Monday, the 16th of September, I'm going up to Yankeetown for a doctor's appointment. SWMBO and I are going to make a full day of it ending with dinner at 5 Seasons North.
I plan to go to Brewmasters Warehouse for the first time, partly just to see what it looks like.
As a walk-in customer with a recipe for a simple 5-gallon extract, how much time should I allocate for this shopping experience?
Do I pull items off the shelves, or will I have to take a number?
Should I pre-order online?

I buy ingredients from their store all the time, I commute from Atlanta to north Marietta so its on my way. I would say that a special trip to see the store will disappoint, but the guys are really nice. They are knowledgeable about ingredients, but I've asked some technical questions about pH and I felt like I knew more than them about it, but that's ok. I don't think I have been there once that they have had everything I wanted, shelves are always bare. I like to browse while grains are being crushed and I end up waiting on them instead of shopping, not much to see. I won't advertise for another store but about 45 min north east of there is a store I always enjoy going to. I still buy from Brew master's warehouse for convenience.

 

[Mike37]

How is their crush? Did they tighten it up?

I know this wasn't directed at me, but the crush on my most recent order from BMW looked great and I got around 3% better efficiency than I typically get from my other usual shops.

 

[MotorcycleMike]

How is their crush? Did they tighten it up?

I don't know, I have a mill.

 

[kwhyte]

I've given up on them, regretfully. My last order was places on Sep. 15th. Ten days later I'd heard nothing from them, and the order was still listed as pending. I sent an e-mail via their contact form and did not get a response for another 3 days, and even then no real explanation - just that they are understaffed and behind. Delays happens occasionally with all smallish retailers, but this is the third time in the last 5 orders. It has also been consistent that there was no communication. If they had responded right after I placed my order to let me know they were behind and it'd likely be an extra two weeks then I could at least have decided if that fit my schedule or canceled and ordered elsewhere.

Given how they've been having problems long delays, communication failures, and out-of-stock listings ( and the tone of the e-mail I eventually got ) the strong impression is they consider this normal - not needing to be addressed beyond a half hearted apology. I won't be using them again unless I hear of substantial changes. It's too bad - my early experiences with them were great.