I regularly buy alcoholic drinks (for home consumption) from five different types of stores:
(1) Costco – A large wholesale style store where you can hardly buy anything that isn’t meant for a family of ten, but with low prices to match the economies of scale.
(2) Binny’s Beverage Depot – A very large liquor store which is known around for its quality and variety.
(3) 1000 Liquors – Your typical corner liquor store. At this one in particular they insist on bagging your purchase even if you decline the bag.
(4) CVS Pharmacy – Your standard pharmacy / convenience store.
(5) Jewel – A standard large grocery store.
There is at least one of each of these stores within about five minutes of my apartment (except the CostCo, which is about a ten minute drive away), so I regularly shop at the last four, and have had plenty of chance to compare among them.
I was surprised to discover that of all the above options CVS, the pharmacy, is the most dependable for high quality drinks at low prices!
So here’s the question: Why is it that liquor stores, which make a business solely out of selling booze, charge more than the local pharmacy, grocer, and wholesale food store?
You may argue that you’re paying for the variety of the stock or “special knowledge” of the staff. However, in the CVS I can find more than enough variety of alcohol to satisfy the typical needs (for example: hundreds of varieties of wines, approximately thirty different scotch whiskies and about fifty different beers).
Sure, on occasion I want something rare, exotic, or special, so I am willing to pay a bit more, but what is to say that because the specialty items in a store cost more, the standard items therefore should also cost more? I would think it would make sense to undersell the pharmacy on everything they carry in stock, and mark up your specialty items which the pharmacy doesn’t carry.
My favorite low cost liquor store — the fridge at Pat’s house! Of course, since that will soon become my fridge as well, I may have to find a new “cheap” supplier!
I know that here in the UK, large grocery stores like Tesco often sell beer at a loss or at cost, just to get customers in the door. Combine that with their awesome purchasing power, and you can see how they can buy booze more cheaply than even a large liquor store might and can then sell it for even less.
Meaghan, no matter where you buy it Bud light does not cost much
@ Meaghan –
You buy Bud Light? Stealing it is one thing, but to buy it? Geez! No thank you please. Water has more flavour. Ha-ha.
@ Liam and mom
Can you believe I RARELY drink Bud Light anymore?!?!