And the Survey Says
And the Survey Says – We got an overwhelming response to our survey last month on liquor pricing practices. The results of the survey were not surprising, but being able to document what we already knew anecdotally will be helpful in building our case. Here are the key takeaways from the survey responses:
- Only a small percentage of our members take advantage of quantity discounts
- Those members that do take advantage of quantity discounts are rarely able to so
- The vast majority of our members regularly pay a delivery charge
- Many of our members are forced to wait until they have a large liquor order so they can avoid paying the delivery charge
- Most members receive infrequent deliveries from liquor wholesalers leaving them high and dry if they run out of product in between scheduled deliveries
The survey results confirm what we suspected about our members’ buying experiences and they underscore the potential benefit of our proposal to allow on-premises licensees to purchase wine and liquor from liquor stores.
We’ve also updated our comparison of liquor prices and it shows savings of up to 25 percent when purchasing liquor at the regular retail price at a liquor store versus buying it from the wholesaler without quantity discounts. While your savings may vary, our research over the years indicates if the law was changed to permit you to purchase from liquor stores your savings would be substantial. In addition to your savings, enactment of such a change to the law would also make your life easier.
Towards that end, State Senator Pat Gallivan has reintroduced our bill, S4343, to permit bars and restaurants to purchase wine and liquor from liquor stores. Now were seeking Senators to co-sponsor the bill and a Member of the Assembly to introduce a companion bill in the State Assembly. We could use your help. If you’re willing to contact your legislators to help advance our cause, please complete the enclosed Legislative Action Form and return to the State Association office so you can join our effort. We’ll help you schedule an appointment and provide you with the materials you need to request your legislators support for our proposal.