Whisky ethics - a tradition long gone?

[Dave h]

What's your thoughts on Whisky Shop selling well above RRP?
Just seen Balvenie 25 year old doublewood, RRP £400 for sale at £525. £125 above RRP. It's a new release.

Why is there no rulings/agreements on selling whisky if you are a retailer, another fine example of greed, they are a main retailer with privilege rights then abuse these benefits and $hit on the customer with a 30% increase. The distilleries should have some responsibility here and do more to prevent this.

I've seen Macallan Edition No.4 edition on sale within a week of release at £75 over RRP in a local specialist whisky retailer, again abusing it's powers. Not surprised to currently see The Whisky Shop is selling this for £100+ above RRP.

I bought a Glendronach Kingsman from a local specialist within a few days of official release, again the RRP £550 was sold at £575, I questioned it and they simply said it is for sale at £575. Why?

It really stinks, what examples have you bought or seen that the retailer is stealing your money. Shame the distilleries dont have agreements with retailers to sell fairly at RRP. I guess the distilleries couldnt care less about ethics similar as the retailers. In the above examples, it is impossible to buy direct from distillery, it stinks! Rant over

[Bookie]

To be fair to the whisky companies such as the Balvenie,the RRP is simply that, a Retail Recommended Price and the shops can sell the whisky for whatever price they want, the whisky companies have no control over what the shops sell the whisky for other than to recommend a price. They could cut off the shops supply if the shop was in danger of developing a bad name for the whisky brand but that is unlikely to happen in this case as The Whisky Shop probably sells a lot of William Grants whiskies.

[Dave h]

^ starts a reply with to be 'fair' how ironic.

[Bookie]

[eelbrook]

The short answer is don't buy from the 'ezpensive' retailers.

[Uncle Bobby]

I have a bee in my bonnet about retailers who having received their allocation of rare or limited edition bottles don't even put them on the shelf until the secondary market has pushed the price up significantly. Or worse still put them straight to auction where they know they will sell at a higher price than rrp.
Then there's the retailer who wanted £4k for a complete set of Glendronach Batch 16. "Take it or leave it" I was told.
Rant over!

[Dave h]

[quote="Bookie"][quote="Dave h"]^ starts a reply with to be 'fair' how ironic.[/quote]Whats your point in your reply to me As my point is the whisky companies have no control over what unscrupulous whisky shops sell the whisky for.[/quote]

And you think that is fair.. im not being fair to the distilleries, unlike you.

Of cousre distilleries/brands must do more, direction must come from the source/top. Distilleries/ companies who advertise a RRP on press release day and only sell through selected stockists must do more. The actions of a retailer can easily be brought into line... its one hell of a greed thirsty industry, and its getting worse. Just because it happens doesnt mean it is right or can't be corrected. They ought to stop giving RRP if they endorse retailers selling for significantly higher prices. Totally disagree with you that they have no control through their agreed stockists.

[Kray]

Mark ups above the manufacturers RRP happens across all retail, not just whisky and always will. I didn't read Bookies response as him saying it was fair, just pointing out that on this occasion this excessive mark up over and above the RRP was down to The Whisky Shop. Dave your sarcastic reply to Bookie was not justified.

The answer is don't buy from sleazy retailers that do this but I know on this occasion and so will The Whisky Shop that due to its limited availability they will still be able to sell this at the inflated price.

[havaska]

[sorren]

The answer is actually rather easy.. Don’t buy it !!
You have highlighted the Whisky shop but as most will point out are generally well above the RRP but still have a large turn over.. Asa retailer they are among a number who will turn out bottlesat well over the RRP.. We all have retailers who we are loyal to, those who don’t take the ***..

[davidbe]

Ultimately the people to blame are the ones who pay for it at the higher price at the time or on the secondary market/auctions.

It's hard to say more than that really, as that's where the escalation in the price of anything starts, in my opinion.

[sorren]

Unfortunately most of the whisky shop customers are probably tourists who don’t understand about the prices and just pay it.. Those who know better bypass them.. But they are not the only culprits..

[TheWM]

Have you seen the price of Porsche GT2 RS’s???!

[eelbrook]

Encountered such variances with Douglas Laing's recent Glen Garioch 1993 25yo XOP Platinum release.

Many retailers were in the £270-£280 bracket. On or two tourist shops were £300. And then a wee Scottish retailer at £350! A big percentage difference.

[r900p]

One i'm not over happy with is retailers selling bottles they have clearly bought at auction as 'new releases, and not as one retailers puts it as 'part of a private collection''. Whilst most on here will spot they are previous releases those new to the market/ collecting/drinking or whatever may not.

This does come down to buyer beware mind.