Homebrew shops not supportive of Military

[SergeantStogie]

I just got off the phone (from Afghanistan) with Morebeer and they informed me they do not offer their free shipping program for APO (my home is also at an APO in Germany) addresses.

Their shipping estimate came to about $80 plus the cost for basically one 5 gallon all grain batch ingredients with some extra since recipes call for example 1/4 pound but the item is sold in pound increments.

The salesman told me the reason shipping is so much more expensive since it has to go to another country. This is simply not true, but of course the salesman did not care.

http://www.stripes.com/news/some-retailers-inflate-costs-to-ship-to-apo-addresses-1.97267

This article quotes a postmaster for an APO who states these costs are inflated simply to take advantage of service members and that the USPS fee is to get a package to New York and from that point all shipping and handling costs are provided to service members free by the Department of Defense.

This is not just the one store. I have tried placing the exact same ingredient order at three other online homebrew suppliers and each time the shipping rate was ridiculously high.

We do what we do because we feel right doing it. We do not necessarily deserve anything special for what we do. However, we sure as hell do not deserve to be gouged while we are serving our country. We deserve what every other American is entitled to.

If you agree with this, please shoot a quick email to your favorite online homebrew retailer and tell them what you think.

If you don't I will try and calm down and see things from your side.

 

[tobii3]

Stogie?

G.O. #1??

ya might wanna edit that....

 

[TommyGunz]

let me know what you need, I will be happy to go down to my local home brew store and ship you what you want.

Let me know!

 

[bdc30]

I was gonna say, I'm sure there will be NO shortage of guys around these parts that would be honored to help you out. Sure enough, TG already beat me to it.

 

[SergeantStogie]

Thank you guys! Not what I was after though. Was just venting and making people aware of something I think is wrong.

I won't have a problem getting supplies. It just won't be the way I am used to. In fact I got a message about a family run store in oregon that has a son in the Army so I will give them my business from now on.

Thanks again guys!

 

[JNT]

Brutal. Nothing worse then when you see people trying to profit from the shipping. Why I dont use ebay anymore.

 

[TommyGunz]

Its unfortunate, but one of three things happen that make them not want to send.

The first is the ignorant, they feel that they will have to ship internationally and have extra fees.

Second, is that they have lost money in the past for items "not delivered". This happens because after the mail hits the base OCONUS, it gets divided into differing units "mail rooms", unless the package requires a signature, who knows if it ever go to the recipient. Chain of custody is lost.

Third is the DB, you know what it stands for, the company who could give a rats hinder that the reason they have a free market to work in has to do with the person they refuse to send to. So, they decide to either not hassle with it (although it is same as shipping to New York) or try to profit off of them.

*off soap box*

 

[smelvis]

Will do Sarge
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. do you by chance have a name we can attach to really make the point brother.

Stay Safe!

Dave

 

[Treinenwj]

Sucks bro, but FWIW, you're not supposed to be drinking over there anyway, sooo...

 

[SergeantStogie]

Sucks bro, but FWIW, you're not supposed to be drinking over there anyway, sooo...

My home address is an APO address. As stated in the first line. I wasn't trying to make beer in Afghanistan sooo.....

 

[smokinghole]

What stores you've tried. At first I was going to say PM but I think it's cool to out dishonest companies. If it's truly impossible to get reasonable shipping I will find a way to make something work. If it fits in a USPS flat rate then it costs them no more to send the box out. If I were you on the phone I'd be a lot less nice.

By the way I've only ordered from More Beer twice but after my second I will not ever be ordering again. The stuff I wanted was out of stock even though it was marked as in stock, they wouldn't sell me 1000 belgian cork cages for the 1000 cage price. The 1000 cage option was "sold out" but they had the 100 ct option as in stock. So I asked if I buy 10-100 ct cages can I get the 1000ct price. Well I have a feeling you can guess what the response was with me not ordering from them ever again.

If you need some flaked wheat let me know. I have 50lbs on the way and don't need all of it.

 

[tobii3]

I just got off the phone (from Afghanistan)

Well, if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck...it ain't a zebra...

:rofl:

As the old saying goes, do what your rank can handle!

Personally, living in Germany, the LAST thing I would be looking at is HomeBrewing when you have some of the best beer available, quite literally, RIGHT outside your front door.

 

[smokinghole]

Try Brewmasters warehouse i know they will ship USPS if asked.

 

[SergeantStogie]

Yeah. The point I was trying to make was that while many places do ship via USPS to an APO, they are raising their shipping rate simply because it is an APO. In their mind they say, well it's going farther so it's more expensive. But at some point it is a calculated way of gouging those of us who have to use an APO. Because, as stated in the included link, no additional costs are assumed by the USPS by shipping to an APO. Once it gets to NY/NJ the DOD takes over and ships it on their dime. It's not just homebrew stores but that is what fired me up. The link discussed Wal-Marts practice of the same thing. It's simply gouging service members.

I have since been directed to a mom and pop operation out of oregon who apparently have a family member in the military and their malt prices beat EVERYONE online, well for non-bulk pricing.

 

[JNT]

Just curious. Do you call, or email these places, and call them out for over charging, and tell them you've confirmed it doesnt cost more. Just curious what they have to say for themselves.

 

[SergeantStogie]

When I saw they wanted to charge me 80 shipping, I called and spoke to them directly. I did explain to them about the shipping but they said it was just policy.

 

[JNT]

Policies. They're great to hide behind.

 

[smokinghole]

Yeah I ran into a problem with the same kind thing when I was in Turkey. Difference was I was not buying brewing supplies, not that it matters, I ended up using apobox.com for pain in the ass companies. It's good to hear you found someone to hook you up.