Why LHBS charging so much for March pump?

[Beavdowg]

I checked with Steinbarts, my LHBS, about their price for a March 809 pump and they are asking $199. When I asked him why the price was so much higher he said that their pump doesn't have any lead in it like some of the March pumps coming out of China and it was real high end. How common is this for a March pump to have lead in it? Is this place just smokin' people or is there some validity to his claims. I'd just get it somewhere else but I have a ton of gift certificates to Steinbarts.

thanks

 

[samc]

I spoke to the owner a few years ago about the March pumps. His logic was that the heads break and he will replace them as needed - BS. Buy from someone else was my answer, then again I don't have gift certificates.

 

[weirdboy]

I am pretty sure all March pumps are made at the same factory.

 

[Beavdowg]

Thanks, samc. Their prices are always significantly higher than everyone else, even within Portland. Brew Bros. and Main Brew (out in Hillsboro) have them beat every time. Honestly I don't understand the love affair with Steinbarts in Portland. The only reason I ever go there is to use my gift certificates. I need to get my friends/family to buy my G.C.'s from Main Street!

 

[jiggs_casey]

the same reason they charge so much for mills... and custom brewpots... and everthing else... because they can!

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

When I asked him why the price was so much higher he said that their pump doesn't have any lead in it like some of the March pumps coming out of China and it was real high end.

wow, this guy is really full of sh*t. A March 809 is a March 809. They're all the same. Most places charge $130-150...this guy is trying to trick you into paying way too much.

I wouldn't spend a dime there.

 

[davefleck]

I'd bet its because they sell 10 a year, buy them 2 at a time and mark it up to relate. 2 years ago my pump went out on my hydronic heat system mid storm. $90 online, $175 an hour drive, $300 off the truck. You have to pay for it to be where you want it when you want it.

 

[brewmonk]

hey, Hey, HEY!!!!

I paid 200 bucks for MY March pump.too! so back off!!!!!

(course that was for a bronze housing, and enough 316SS bits and 3/4 inch ball valves to make it look like a ...


...DAMN OCTOPUS!!!!!!!


bronze pump was 176 or something ~2bucks.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I'd bet its because they sell 10 a year, buy them 2 at a time and mark it up to relate. 2 years ago my pump went out on my hydronic heat system mid storm. $90 online, $175 an hour drive, $300 off the truck. You have to pay for it to be where you want it when you want it.

Great example of simple economics...I remember my grandfather telling a story about a woman at the butcher shop during WWII when things were in short supply. She complained about the price of pork chops, and said they were much cheaper across town. The butcher asked why she doesn't take her business there...she replied that they were sold out.

 

[ryandlf]

Sometimes its not about finding the absolute best price. If you want to support your local brew shop than buy the pump from him. I'm sure he can justify his cost by explaining that he needs to pay rent, employees and actually make a profit so he can live. Buy the pump from a website and sure you can get it cheaper from a parts warehouse that is shipping parts all over the country but don't moan and groan about not having a brew shop in your city anymore.

 

[samc]

The point the owner was actually trying to make was that if you cracked your pump head, he was going to replace it free of charge. Of course he built that into the price, so basically you were buying a pump and an extra head up front, only you didn't know that and you only get the extra head if you break the first.

Where I live I have 4-5 LHBS's within 1/2 hour in any direction. Why go to the highest priced one?

 

[lordbeermestrength]

haha... who was it? The young guy? He's full of s#!t. Had some beers with him once; he loves to talk himself up.

I always go to brewbrothers. They have the best prices, plus they're just nice guys.

 

[marzsit]

I checked with Steinbarts, my LHBS, about their price for a March 809 pump and they are asking $199. When I asked him why the price was so much higher he said that their pump doesn't have any lead in it like some of the March pumps coming out of China and it was real high end. How common is this for a March pump to have lead in it? Is this place just smokin' people or is there some validity to his claims. I'd just get it somewhere else but I have a ton of gift certificates to Steinbarts.

thanks

local brick-and-mortar retail price is high because of where you are (oregon, the northwest...) and you have no sales tax. it's your decision, support your local economy if you want to have a local brewstore. don't ***** if they close down because you buy cheaper online....

 

[lordbeermestrength]

local brick-and-mortar retail price is high because of where you are (oregon, the northwest...) and you have no sales tax. it's your decision, support your local economy if you want to have a local brewstore. don't ***** if they close down because you buy cheaper online....

So wait... goods are cheaper in Washington because you have a nearly 10% sales tax? How does that work?

Seriously though, no one is talking about ordering online here. He was comparing to two other "brick and mortar" stores nearby.

 

[Beavdowg]

haha... who was it? The young guy? He's full of s#!t. Had some beers with him once; he loves to talk himself up.

I always go to brewbrothers. They have the best prices, plus they're just nice guys.

You know, I tried out Brewbrothers for awhile after they first opened because their prices are great but I quickly got annoyed when every time I went my "pre-ordered" order via email the day before hadn't even been started when I got there and I was stuck waiting for 45 minutes for them to try to fill all the orders while a bunch of people stood around. So much for emailing my order in. A buddy of mine was having the same experiences. They are nice guys though, for sure. I started going back to Main Street Brew to their new location off of Hwy 26 and they never disappoint. You can be in and out as fast as you want to be and they now have grain prices the same as Brewbrothers.

 

[Beavdowg]

local brick-and-mortar retail price is high because of where you are (oregon, the northwest...) and you have no sales tax. it's your decision, support your local economy if you want to have a local brewstore. don't ***** if they close down because you buy cheaper online....

We have no less than 6 homebrew stores in the Portland Metro area. I don't think I would "*****" if one closed down.

 

[samc]

Brewbrothers must have gotten burned by people not picking up orders. I go at off times usually so I don't have to wait around.

 

[marzsit]

So wait... goods are cheaper in Washington because you have a nearly 10% sales tax? How does that work?

Seriously though, no one is talking about ordering online here. He was comparing to two other "brick and mortar" stores nearby.

who said anything about goods being cheaper in washington? wasn't me...

my point is that if you don't support your local economy, don't complain when it fails.

 

[marzsit]

We have no less than 6 homebrew stores in the Portland Metro area. I don't think I would "*****" if one closed down.

you are lucky. but, what would you say if 5 of them closed for lack of local support?

in my area, we had 3 brewstores. the market crash killed 2 of them, and the remaining store jacked their prices at least 50%.

 

[lordbeermestrength]

who said anything about goods being cheaper in washington? wasn't me...

Maybe I misunderstood what you said-"local brick-and-mortar retail price is high because of where you are (oregon, the northwest...) and you have no sales tax."

I assumed you meant that prices were high due to there being no sales tax. I then inferred that you believed if we DID have a sales tax, like Washington, our prices would go down. Just a confusion of semantics, I guess

 

[pnj]

you are lucky. but, what would you say if 5 of them closed for lack of local support?

in my area, we had 3 brewstores. the market crash killed 2 of them, and the remaining store jacked their prices at least 50%.

Who were the two that went down? I'm guessing Larry's is the remaining one? That is where I get my grains and yeast. Hops I buy online in bulk. Did they jack their prices on all goods or just some? currently they charge $1.25 per pound of grain, which seems about average. Unless you can buy in bulk, then you can pay less per pound.