Pricing and stock levels in a covid world

[IanG]

I generally go for faff free kits which have everything included but even I am finding things like no rinse cleanser out of stock or 3 times the price on amazon.

Any suggestions appreciated

 

[robfor]

https://brew2bottle.co.uk/collections/sterilisers-stabilisers?page=2
1kg of suresan in stock

 

[An Ankoù]

I generally go for faff free kits which have everything included but even I am finding things like no rinse cleanser out of stock or 3 times the price on amazon.

Any suggestions appreciated

You might try here: Braumarkt | Everything you need to make wine, beer, liqueur and dairy
They do kits, but you have to search for them. Postage is on a decreasing scale. The more you buy, the cheaper it is. Certainly not worth buying just a tub of steriliser, but stock up on your kits, extract, hops, crown corks etc and they're quite competitive.
Also the Netherlands doesn't really have the same pub culture, or at least not to the same extent, so pub closures are not causing a run on homebrew suppliers.

 

[IanG]

https://brew2bottle.co.uk/collections/sterilisers-stabilisers?page=2
1kg of suresan in stock

OK 4 times the price...excellent

 

[IanG]

You might try here: Braumarkt | Everything you need to make wine, beer, liqueur and dairy
They do kit, nut you have to search for them. Postage is on a decreasing scale. The more you buy, the cheaper it is. Certainly not worth buying just a tub of steriliser, but stock up on your kits, extract, hops, crown corks etc and they're quite competitive.
Also the Netherlands doesn't really have the same pub culture, or at least not to the same extent, so pub closures are not causing a run on homebrew suppliers.

I think I might need to stock up before we get out of the EU. I never thought we would have a no deal brexit, I thought politicians might have some sense

 

[An Ankoù]

I think I might need to stock up before we get out of the EU. I never thought we would have a no deal brexit, I thought politicians might have some sense

Likewise, I'm stocking up on English (and Scottish) malt and hops. As for politicians having sense....

 

[SteveH]

OK 4 times the price...excellent

It might help to be more specific about which products and prices you're comparing e.g 4 times the price of what?

I use Star-San as my no-rinse sanitiser, and I last ordered it in February 2019 where a 32oz bottle was 19.99 ex vat from the Malt Miller.

I've nearly run out, and looking today it's true, Star San is more expensive at 31.99 but there's also the ChemSan alternative at 23.99 (edit keg that also has it at 17.90)

FWIW I mostly avoid Amazon and Ebay for this kind of stuff, as often it's just retailers advertising/selling through those sites at higher prices than if you go direct.

 

[IanG]

@SteveH Sorry I was a bit quick on the reply and too harsh. My apologies! I don't generally use a branded no rinse or even a self foamer it's just the powder

Edit: Although maybe I should and this is just a thread about me moaning about prices (to reference SteveH star-san is 59% more expensive)

 

[marshbrewer]

One of the most cost effective no rinse sanitisers is Videne. 500ml for £12. Dosage rate is 1.5ml/L, so thats 3.6p per litre of sanitiser.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

One of the most cost effective no rinse sanitisers is Videne. 500ml for £12. Dosage rate is 1.5ml/L, so thats 3.6p per litre of sanitiser.

Worth a look - Cleaners or Sanitisers.

 

[MrRook]

I generally go for faff free kits which have everything included but even I am finding things like no rinse cleanser out of stock or 3 times the price on amazon.

Any suggestions appreciated

Every once in a while I check out Amazon for brewing supplies and the prices are outrageous. Shop around at actual home brew suppliers. The prices can vary but always cheaper than Amazon.

 

[BrewMeHappy]

Diluted thin bleach for me most of the time as it's easy to get hold of and does the job. It is worth a look of you are struggling.

About 40p or so for a 2L bottle, although when all this stuff kicked off the supermarket shelves were a tad bare for a bit!

 

[Bobtheblob]

Malt Miller has Star San in stock. £13.99 for 236ml. I got some the other week.

 

[VW911]

Every once in a while I check out Amazon for brewing supplies and the prices are outrageous. Shop around at actual home brew suppliers. The prices can vary but always cheaper than Amazon.

Retailers have to hike their prices when selling on Amazon.
The amount of money they take from each sale is truly eye-watering...

 

[Pennine]

Retailers have to hike their prices when selling on Amazon.
The amount of money they take from each sale is truly eye-watering...

How much do they charge?

 

[VW911]

Haven't got the exact figures to hand, but on small items (sachets of yeast, small tubs of nutrient, steriliser, pectolase, etc.) we make about a penny or two a sale.
Amongst retailers on Amazon, it really is a race to the bottom!
We have both an Amazon presence, and our own site, as well as a bricks and mortar shop, but balancing the inventories between the three is nigh on impossible...

 

[Pennine]

Looks like 7-15% plus a monthly fee. Wow I was expecting 3-5%.

 

[VW911]

Professional sellers pay a standard fee of £30 a month, regardless of what you sell, plus a percentage of each sale.
One thing to look out for when buying on Amazon, is retailers selling products with free postage.
If you want more than one of a particular item, often the retailers that charge a shipping fee work out far cheaper for multiple items...
The only reason I still sell on Amazon is that my sales are up over 300% on last year, all due to the pandemic. As soon as I list items, they're sold...

 

[starseeker]

But if your only making pennies ? The old adage that a wise soul said to me when i was just setting out in business springs to mind , There is no point in being a busy fool !

 

[DavidDetroit]

I have it pretty lucky. If I buy $50 worth, I get free shipping. I can just buy ingredients for two batches and never have to worry about the shipping.
Product has not become scarce either, not the ingredients and not the peripheral stuff like Starsan--which I bought a far, too large bottle of.