Submitted by T Brother’s Liquor and Wine
There is no denying that we have more options when it comes to getting our spirits since June 1, 2012 when initiative 1183, privatizing the sale and distribution of liquor in Washington State, went into effect. And there is no arguing that we are paying more for the convenience with the new liquor fees. But why is it so hard to figure out exactly what we are paying at the register most of the time?
We’ve all walked by the rows of alcohol on display at the grocery stores and we’ve seen the sale signs that say $9.99 for a half gallon of vodka, whiskey or the likes. But, have you taken the time to look at your receipt to see what you really paid for that $9.99 bottle of booze. If you answered yes, you know you paid $18.64 for it after the 20.5% liquor tax and the $6.60 liter tax is applied. What if you decided on a higher end half gallon of gin? Say a list price of $49.00. After taxes and fees you will pay $65.65. Wow! If you are a savvy shopper maybe you’ve already looked at the fine print on the sticker listing the taxes and you’ve done the math. But, if you’re like a lot of people, you didn’t even notice the fine print listing the fees and taxes, nor could you make sense of any of it. You also probably bought all your other groceries and didn’t realize you paid an additional $8.65 in taxes and fees for the inexpensive bottle and over $16.00 for the high end stuff.
The fact of the matter is, it’s not easy to know just how much you paid for your liquor these days, nor is it conveniently priced, most places. “There has been a lot of frustration out there and we’ve heard it,” says Andy Thielen, co-owner of T-Brothers Liquor Lodge. “We’ve tried hard to make sure that our customers know what they are getting when they shop with us. What you see posted on the tag in our store is exactly what you pay at the register. All liquor fees are already included in the sticker price on display. If the tag says $19.99, you can bet that’s what your receipt will say. People don’t like to be deceived.” Then with a grin, Thielen says, “At T Brothers, what you T is what you get.”
When asked if he thought it was a deceiving practice to hide the sales tax, Thielen said, “We tried it the big box store way for a week and our customers spoke up at the register. They asked us to list-price it on the shelf the way it will ring up at the register and we did. So, don’t take my word for it. The voters who passed initiative 1183 don’t like being surprised at the register and have told us that it’s not right to list it any other way.”
So why is the pricing so obscure? Why is it that the bigger stores don’t just list the price with the taxes and fees included? According to one patron we spoke with outside Safeway, “It is obviously not in the stores best interest to list the higher price because it would deter people from spending more money. But, it makes it hard to comparison shop when every store lists their prices differently. It would be a lot easier if the law would require every store to list their prices with the fees included.”
Obviously, it’s our nature as consumers to shop for a deal, so it makes sense that stores would want their customers to believe they’re getting the best deal in town, if stores can bury these fees at the register, they are going to. It’s really going to come down to consumers understanding that the price they see displayed is often only a small part of the equation. Armed with this knowledge they can determine who really has the best deal in town.
So buyers of liquor beware. It’s up to you to do the math and know exactly what you are paying for your spirits, with fees included. Then you can truly comparison shop and recognize a “good deal” when you see it.
“We are competitively priced at T-Brother’s,” states Thielen. “But, I talk to people all the time who don’t realize they are paying more at other stores than just the display price. Therefore they don’t realize they are rarely getting a better deal. It’s very frustrating, but we’ve made a decision to give our customers the straight skinny when it comes to the added fees. As a local business owner, I have to look people in the eye and when I do, I want them to know that we aren’t trying to pull one over on them. We will continue to provide a much broader selection, a more knowledgeable staff, and display the price of liquor with all taxes and fees included. We think that many consumers value this approach and appreciate that from there local liquor store.”
If you want more selection and a fair price that doesn’t change at the register. You might want to purchase your groceries at the grocery store and then pop on down to Plum and Fifth in downtown Olympia to see what your local liquor store can do for you. But go ahead and leave the calculator at home, you won’t need it. The local guys have made it easy for you!
T Brothers is owned and operated by lifetime Olympia residents Andy and Mike Thielen.
