www.fiftypoundsack.com - cheap bulk grain

[Austinhomebrew]

I'm making no assumptions other than that what you said is true, that you lost significant money on a sale related to shipping costs. Obviously you need to make money to stay in business, so by losing money on one sale you will need to make up for it on another. Someone is subsidizing someone else because you are charging two people the same for something that has much different costs to you.

Understand?

So when Walmart has a sale on Crest toothpaste and they are selling it below cost, the person that buys the colgate is making up for it. They don't charge extra for the colgate to make up for the loss on the crest. Nothing is being "made up", they just wanted to get you in the store.

Of course the next transaction that makes any profit helps makes up for one where there is a loss. It is the implication that I am making extra money on the next guy to make up for it. All stores have loss leaders and when someone buys something else there is some profit made.

Lets agree to stop evolving this thread into something the op didnt intend. I am just responding to posts that mention me or my business.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

Basically the "free" shipping is not free in that the costs are spread over the other products throughout the store, thereby raising their prices ever so slightly.

This is false based on the assumption that all stores make the same margin and that they have to charge more to make it all back to the same margin.

The shipping is free if you were going to buy a product at store xyz and they charge $110 plus $12 shipping, But instead you find it at store AHS for $110 with free shipping. You recieved free shipping not "free shipping". Or if store xyz has it on on sale for $100 plus $12 shipping and you ask store AHS to match the price and you still get free shipping, you are getting free shipping not "free shipping". Store xyz just makes a higher margin than store ahs. Just like Walmart makes 3.6% margin and Target makes 4.2% margin. Walmart is not "making it up somewhere", they just make less margin.

Forrest

 

[Ace_Club]

This is false based on the assumption that all stores make the same margin and that they have to charge more to make it all back to the same margin.

The shipping is free if you were going to buy a product at store xyz and they charge $110 plus $12 shipping, But instead you find it at store AHS for $110 with free shipping. You recieved free shipping not "free shipping". Or if store xyz has it on on sale for $100 plus $12 shipping and you ask store AHS to match the price and you still get free shipping, you are getting free shipping not "free shipping". Store xyz just makes a higher margin than store ahs. Just like Walmart makes 3.6% margin and Target makes 4.2% margin. Walmart is not "making it up somewhere", they just make less margin.

Forrest

Yes, yes...we've heard it all before.

Free shipping is built into the prices, plain and simple.

 

[Cranny04]

I run a small business... Forest is saying that he does not add the cost of shipping into his price..

So free shipping is not part of the final price..

It is a part of his cost though.. Because of that he is making less profit on shipped orders.

If you want to think of shipping as included into the price then the "real" price of the product is less than stated.

Bottom line.. Buy what ever costs less

Product + shipping

 

[COLObrewer]

I like boysenberry syrup.

 

[Rich_S]

Maybe we need a new thread entitled, how homebrewers can get bulk grains for less.

I mean, we all know the prices the maltsters charge for bulk orders based on the group buy sheets - roughly $25 for a 55lb sack of 2-row plus $3-4 in allocated shipping. I get that freight shipping by pallet will always be cheaper than residential shipping. But that's still a long way off from the $70-80 shipped sacks we're seeing from the online vendors.

 

[wildwest450]

Maybe we need a new thread entitled, how homebrewers can get bulk grains for less.

I mean, we all know the prices the maltsters charge for bulk orders based on the group buy sheets - roughly $25 for a 55lb sack of 2-row plus $3-4 in allocated shipping. I get that freight shipping by pallet will always be cheaper than residential shipping. But that's still a long way off from the $70-80 shipped sacks we're seeing from the online vendors.

Wow, at least do some research before posting. You cannot get 2-row for $25(closer to $30). That shipping price is only valid if you get a full 42 bag palette. Then you have to provide a commercial address, or the shipping doubles.

The shipping goes up sharply if you want a call ahead or a liftgate. Then you have to be there to unload the truck. Then you have to drive the grains home(gas expense).

Whereas you can order a sack of 2-row form these guys for $59 delivered. Not such a big stretch for someone who does this for a living.


_

 

[Austinhomebrew]

I run a small business... Forest is saying that he does not add the cost of shipping into his price..

So free shipping is not part of the final price..

It is a part of his cost though.. Because of that he is making less profit on shipped orders.

If you want to think of shipping as included into the price then the "real" price of the product is less than stated.

Bottom line.. Buy what ever costs less

Product + shipping

+1000000 Buy where you get the best deal.

 

[Rich_S]

Wow, at least do some research before posting. You cannot get 2-row for $25(closer to $30). That shipping price is only valid if you get a full 42 bag palette. Then you have to provide a commercial address, or the shipping doubles.

The shipping goes up sharply if you want a call ahead or a liftgate. Then you have to be there to unload the truck. Then you have to drive the grains home(gas expense).

Whereas you can order a sack of 2-row form these guys for $59 delivered. Not such a big stretch for someone who does this for a living.


_

Maybe you should go back and read what I wrote before commenting. I said ROUGHLY $25 and I acknowledged that the allocated shipping rate on a pallet can't be expected to apply to a single sack residential shipment.

There is exactly one item that is $59 shipped on that site. Most everything else is in the 60's or 70's.

 

[wildwest450]

Maybe you should go back and read what I wrote before commenting. I said ROUGHLY $25 and I acknowledged that the allocated shipping rate on a pallet can't be expected to apply to a single sack residential shipment.

There is exactly one item that is $59 shipped on that site. Most everything else is in the 60's or 70's.

Fine, except you compared his highest priced grain with the lowest priced bulk grain. How is that fair?


_

 

[bigbeergeek]

50 lb sack shipped for $60? Order 'em from morebeer in 10 lb increments and it's $1.04/lb shipped.

 

[integrator]

then order them from there.

 

[wildwest450]

50 lb sack shipped for $60? Order 'em from morebeer in 10 lb increments and it's $1.04/lb shipped.

Please link to the 1.04 price for a base grain.


_

 

[bigbeergeek]

then order them from there.

I DID. That's the point. I'm sharing a better price with brewers. Why is this thread still going??

 

[bigbeergeek]

Please link to the 1.04 price for a base grain.


_

5 lb increments, which are pretty damned convenient for me!

https://morebeer.com/view_product/8505/beerwinecoffee/Malt_-_American__Pale_-_5_lb

 

[integrator]

5 lb increments, which are pretty damned convenient for me!

https://morebeer.com/view_product/8505/beerwinecoffee/Malt_-_American__Pale_-_5_lb

That's before shipping. Read the details on the free shipping.

MoreSaver!™ Shipping - Free shipping on most orders over $59.00, orders ship out of our doors in 2-4 Business days.

If you buy 12, it might qualify. I'm guessing that they will catch on that you are not buying the 50 pound bag which does not have free shipping. It's $50.95 in shipping charges for a 50 pound bag, plus the $32.50 for the grain itself.

Now you might add on a few to another order to get your free shipping but we are trying to look at strictly grain prices and I think in 50-55 pound sizes.

 

[Rich_S]

Fine, except you compared his highest priced grain with the lowest priced bulk grain. How is that fair?


_

No I didn't. I was actually comparing Rahr 2-Row across both sources. He brought up the Maltteurop 2-Row which is the cheapest grain on their site and the only thing they sell under $60.

 

[remilard]

That's before shipping. Read the details on the free shipping.

MoreSaver!™ Shipping - Free shipping on most orders over $59.00, orders ship out of our doors in 2-4 Business days.

If you buy 12, it might qualify. I'm guessing that they will catch on that you are not buying the 50 pound bag which does not have free shipping. It's $50.95 in shipping charges for a 50 pound bag, plus the $32.50 for the grain itself.

Now you might add on a few to another order to get your free shipping but we are trying to look at strictly grain prices and I think in 50-55 pound sizes.

If you buy $59 worth of grain in 5lb increments from B3 they will ship it for free.

 

[Rich_S]

Look, I'm not here to criticize anyone. People can sell for whatever they want and people can buy or not buy. It's a free country. My only point is that if someone is going to start a business to exclusively sell bulk grains over the internet, you'd think they'd find a way to make it cheaper than just buying by the pound from all of the other internet homebrew stores. Otherwise it makes no sense, it's like going to Costco and finding the same unit prices as the local supermarket just in bigger packages.

 

[Walker]

That's before shipping. Read the details on the free shipping.

MoreSaver!™ Shipping - Free shipping on most orders over $59.00, orders ship out of our doors in 2-4 Business days.

If you buy 12, it might qualify. I'm guessing that they will catch on that you are not buying the 50 pound bag which does not have free shipping. It's $50.95 in shipping charges for a 50 pound bag, plus the $32.50 for the grain itself.

Now you might add on a few to another order to get your free shipping but we are trying to look at strictly grain prices and I think in 50-55 pound sizes.

You're splitting hairs here.

He has given you a source for $1.04/lb, shipped to your door, base grain.

Yes, you have to buy 60# of it to get the free shipping, but you're already talking about buying 55#, so what's 5# more?

And they don't have any clause that says "limit X per customer" so if they want to break it down into 5# bags and sell it to me for cheaper than buying a while 55# bag, then.... well... that's their issue and not mine.

I might have a very good reason for buying it in 5# bags. Like... maybe I have no vacuum sealer and want to be able to use this grain over the course of a year. A 55# sack is more expensive and more likely to stale on me than 60# packed up in 5# bricks.

 

[Rich_S]

You're splitting hairs here.

He has given you a source for $1.04/lb, shipped to your door, base grain.

Yes, you have to buy 60# of it to get the free shipping, but you're already talking about buying 55#, so what's 5# more?

And they don't have any clause that says "limit X per customer" so if they want to break it down into 5# bags and sell it to me for cheaper than buying a while 55# bag, then.... well... that's their issue and not mine.

I might have a very good reason for buying it in 5# bags. Like... maybe I have no vacuum sealer and want to be able to use this grain over the course of a year. A 55# sack is more expensive and more likely to stale on me than 60# packed up in 5# bricks.

Come to think of it, I kind of like the idea of buying it in 10lb bricks since that's about what I use in base grain per batch. Much easier to just grab a brick and dump it into the mill than to measure our 10lbs from a sack. Hmmmm.....

 

[Walker]

Look, I'm not here to criticize anyone. People can sell for whatever they want and people can buy or not buy. It's a free country. My only point is that if someone is going to start a business to exclusively sell bulk grains over the internet, you'd think they'd find a way to make it cheaper than just buying by the pound from all of the other internet homebrew stores. Otherwise it makes no sense, it's like going to Costco and finding the same unit prices as the local supermarket just in bigger packages.

I totally agree with this.

I was expecting 50poundsack to be a great go-to source for great prices on grain bought in large quantities, and it just hasn't turned out to be true.

 

[integrator]

If they will sell it in 5 pound increments and anything over $59 is free shipping, nice deal for sure. It's a mistake on their end if you ask me since a 50 pound bag is $83 shipped. I might take a look thanks.
And I wasn't trying to split hairs. the 50-55 pound vs 60 wasn't my argument. I was talking 5 pound vs 50-55. If they will ship 12 five pound bags for free, then he's right and I'm wrong.
Thankfully I can get a 50 pound bag local for $37.50 plus tax.

 

[bigbeergeek]

That's before shipping. Read the details on the free shipping.

MoreSaver!™ Shipping - Free shipping on most orders over $59.00, orders ship out of our doors in 2-4 Business days.

If you buy 12, it might qualify. I'm guessing that they will catch on that you are not buying the 50 pound bag which does not have free shipping. It's $50.95 in shipping charges for a 50 pound bag, plus the $32.50 for the grain itself.

Now you might add on a few to another order to get your free shipping but we are trying to look at strictly grain prices and I think in 50-55 pound sizes.

I'm not sure what you're saying. :cross:

I bought 150 lbs of it and the shipping was free. Hilarious to thing about how much they would have charged me for shipping the same weight of the same grain in larger sacks!

Edit: I figured out what you're saying -- not sure why I'm so dense this morning. At any rate, I'm happy to buy a couple of extra pounds for free shipping and a better per pound price... aren't you?

 

[Walker]

If they will sell it in 5 pound increments and anything over $59 is free shipping, nice deal for sure. It's a mistake on their end if you ask me since a 50 pound bag is $83 shipped. I might take a look thanks.
And I wasn't trying to split hairs. the 50-55 pound vs 60 wasn't my argument. I was talking 5 pound vs 50-55. If they will ship 12 five pound bags for free, then he's right and I'm wrong.
Thankfully I can get a 50 pound bag local for $37.50 plus tax.

We've got a hell of a deal going on down here in the Raleigh area thanks to a guy with an account at North Country Malt.

55# sacks of 2-row for $30
55# sacks of Maris Otter for $38.
55# sacks of Munich for $30.

Granted, we need a bunch of guys to get together for this to happen, but we don't seem to have any issues with it. We've literally bought about 4 tons of grain so far this year.

 

[integrator]

Nice score there. A new lhbs opened up for my price. I'd love some Marris at that price.

 

[CidahMastah]

Look, I'm not here to criticize anyone. People can sell for whatever they want and people can buy or not buy. It's a free country. My only point is that if someone is going to start a business to exclusively sell bulk grains over the internet, you'd think they'd find a way to make it cheaper than just buying by the pound from all of the other internet homebrew stores. Otherwise it makes no sense, it's like going to Costco and finding the same unit prices as the local supermarket just in bigger packages.

Love me some brew talk banter.

If I am reading this all right, this is a shot to 50#. If so I agree. The hops prices are pretty decent, but the grain prices (the entire reason they are called 50# sack), are lackluster at best. If you buy hops you can save, but 50# sack refers to grain buys.


I actually have written to 50# telling them the above. They came back and compared hop + grain buys across companies. The ONLY thing that would make buying from 50# worthwhile is if you can't get in on a grain buy and you need hops too (the bulk hops prices beat out the single ounce hop costs at competing comps). Again, it is still a lackluster savings IMHO.

Then again seeing those 1.04lb prices, 50# just added to the lack luster bulk wanna be suppliers.

The honest truth is LHBS have no interest in selling bulk grains (internet stores can't competitively ship the large bags). They don't make good money on them. But for the maltsters it is beneficial to let us do the bulk buys. I will buy way more grain if I can get it in bulk (they sell the same price to the stores as they do for us in a bulk buy). If I had to go to the LHBS I would brew way less. Currently they ask for ~$70 for briess 2row 50# bag. Total crap. Not even a real incentive to buy bulk.

If my LHBS had been even close to reasonable on a bulk bag, I wouldn't have had the incentive to initiate a bulk grain buy. So I guess.... thanks to my LHBS

 

[Rich_S]

Love me some brew talk banter.

If I am reading this all right, this is a shot to 50#. If so I agree. The hops prices are pretty decent, but the grain prices (the entire reason they are called 50# sack), are lackluster at best. If you buy hops you can save, but 50# sack refers to grain buys.


I actually have written to 50# telling them the above. They came back and compared hop + grain buys across companies. The ONLY thing that would make buying from 50# worthwhile is if you can't get in on a grain buy and you need hops too (the bulk hops prices beat out the single ounce hop costs at competing comps). Again, it is still a lackluster savings IMHO.

On a positive note, they do offer $10 off on order over $100 and $25 off orders over $200. That's a step in the right direction. Bump those rebates up a little and maybe offer a real big one at the $500 level and it starts to get competitive again. Then I might start thinking about going in on an order with a buddy or two (much less hassle than a group grain buy). After all, a 50 lb sack is only 5 brews.

 

[TheMan]

Depending on your location 50# sack might be a good deal...For me, and it sounds like many others, it is not even close to the best deal.

 

[CidahMastah]

Depending on your location 50# sack might be a good deal...For me, and it sounds like many others, it is not even close to the best deal.

What does location have to do with it. The shipping prices are the same online for everyone. Do you mean a local pickup?