The SCs complain about freebies

[Boozy]

We're offering a free wine glass with the purchase of any bottle of this one brand of wine. We have not jacked up the price of the wine for this promo. In fact, the wine is currently on sale. So you're getting the bottle AND the glass for less than what the bottle usually goes for.

The glasses, being promotional freebies, are of poor quality. There are many flaws in the glass and the rims are not even. But the phrase "You get what you pay for" is foreign to my customers.

Some fun comments from today, and what I would have liked to have said:

"I don't like this one. Do you have any nicer glasses?"

Some are a bit better than others. Maybe one of those is at the bottom of the box. But if you think I'm gonna spend 15 minutes digging for one just because you spent $8 on the cheapest bottle of battery acid we have, you have another thing coming.

"What a rip-off! These glasses are awful!"

The term "rip-off" would imply that you were charged for this glass in some way. You were not. In fact, you saved a few bucks because of the sale.

"Could I have one of those instead?" (Points to Riedel crystal stemware on display behind the counter.)

No. The cost of one of those glasses is more than than bottle you purchased. We're not stupid. I can't say the same for you.

The funniest part (to me, anyway) is that they're all very pleased with the wine they're buying, even having sampled it at our tasting bar. This wine is terrible. There's a reason it's cheap. It's the glasses they have a problem with.

I actually kinda like the glasses, cheap as they are. They're cute. I'd use them, but there's no way I'd drink that wine.

[Danno]

It's been my experience that people always complain the most about "free" stuff. Human nature is strange.

[customersruinmylife]

Gah! I hate that! We used to give away free cookies whenever someone bought a coffee, and all we would get is "Ew! I don't like these cookies!" or "I want a muffin instead!" We stopped giving away the cookies due to this, and now all we get is "I want my free cookie!!"

[bainsidhe]

I remember going to the local wine store last Christmas while I looked for something to give a friend & her husband. An employee was trying to help me navigate, as I rarely drink and know nothing about wine. I commented how my friends seemed to prefer a certain type, then I saw it. A lovely, $4 bottle of wine. Yeah, the look on the guy's face was pretty funny as he politely told me to call if I needed anything and let me find things on my own.

So how did it end up? I picked the $4 bottle and a $10 "Employee's choice" selection. When my friend's hubby pulled out the two bottles, he looked at the $4 bottle and said to his wife, "Ooooh, we like this one, don't we honey!"

[LibraryLady]

I'm not a great expert on wine but I do know a little something.

I do know that a free glass offered with a bottle of potential vinegar isn't usually worth the price. Around the December Holidays, a local wine shop offered a free set of Chinese coasters with the purchase of a decent bottle of wine. For an extra dollar you could have the bottle and the coasters wrapped up in a very nice Silk-like color coordinated bag with tasseled ties. The total cost was about 20 USD but the wine was quite decent and the coasters were nice. It made a perfectly acceptable Hostess gift at a reasonable price.

[Cat]

I loved John Cleases "Wine for the Confused." Basically an idiot's guide to the grape, really fun.


mhhh...wine......

Hell, I'll take a free glass, regardless if its well made.....but bad wine?? never.

[PepperElf]

lol yeah. a cheap glass is great... cos you won't care if you break it.

but a bad wine... that goes to the special hell

[Record Store Tough Guy]

Don't care much fir wine, myself. Give me a good ale or cider, or if it's liquor, a whiskey or amaretto sour. Oddly, I have a pretty dull palette unless it's amaretto. Then I can tell if it's not my brand. I'm interested in looking into more sipping rum, too. Paging Jester, Jester to this thread, please...

[TravisRB69]

That's how the average customer in my store is. Bunch of whiny little bitches that make the girls on My Super Sweet 16 look like Girl Scouts.

[Pagan]

because you spent $8 on the cheapest bottle of battery acid we have, you have another thing coming.

There's a reason it's cheap. It's the glasses they have a problem with.

And that, folks, is the difference between "cheap" and "inexpensive".

A lovely, $4 bottle of wine. Yeah, the look on the guy's face was pretty funny as he politely told me to call if I needed anything and let me find things on my own.

He's what's referred to as a "wine snob". Just because it's $4 doesn't mean it's not good. Two Buck Chuck (even though it's $3 now) is actually pretty damn good wine. And I've had some really expensive, absolutely awful wine.

[otakuneko]

Riunite Lambrusco is $4. I love it.

[Nyoibo]

Maybe I'm spoilt for wine living so close to the Barossa region, but I haven't had a good wine while in the US.

[friendofjimmyk]

Mmmm....wine. It's one of those few things that I do miss now that I don't drink. I never really liked wine until I met my now ex-husband. He got me into the whole wine drinking culture. By the time I was divorced, I knew the ins and outs of the whole wine experience. (I could also say the same for the whole bourbon drinking culture and was quite the bourbon expert as well...)

Anyone who likes wine in the "wine culture" believes that Beringer White Zinfandael (sp?) is the equivalent to Coors Light. As a matter-of-fact, when I was waiting tables, if a couple order a Coors Light and a glass of Beringer's White Zin, this order was coined the "white trash special".

When I was a server, I used to get happy with the two-tops (tables of two) who ordered bottles of wine. That was an instant tab jump. (In Texas, you can take your half-finished bottles home with you...at least that was the case when I first moved there) Anyway...I digress...

One night, I had a table sit down and puruse the wine list. He asked her if she wanted a bottle of wine. She was game and told him, "Go ahead and pick the bottle, you always have such great taste!" I was thinking, "SCORE! I'm gonna sell a high end bottle!!" Nope...after looking at our nice wine menu...he chose the bottle of white zin.

*le sigh*

[friendofjimmyk]

Riunite Lambrusco is $4. I love it.

They still make that?

[Jester]

I'm interested in looking into more sipping rum, too. Paging Jester, Jester to this thread, please...

(Oh lord, here we go again.)

Yes?

Oh, sipping rum. Yes, I know of many. I have listed many on this site, too. But since I work at a bar that literally stocks over 100 different rums, you are going to have to help me to help you, and tell me just what kind of rum you are looking for, so that I can better help you.

Some people like very smooth.
Some like very sweet.
Some like more robust rum.
Some like smokey.
Some like amber.
Some like dark.
Some like flavored rums. (Yes, believe it or not, there ARE flavored rums that are of sipping quality.)
Some poor misguided souls like light rums. (We'll allow them their little delusions, won't we?)

So, Tough Guy, what are YOU looking for?

Just because it's $4 doesn't mean it's not good.

Price does not always denote quality. I agree with Pagan...I have had some terrible expensive wines and some great inexpensive wines.

My favorite wine runs $12-14 at Publix, and even its high end version (Gran Reserva) only runs $25, and is simply fantastic!