Liquor Stores: Why sweetheart discounts are bad for business

 Want to learn more about preventing employee theft? Contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com

Liquor Stores: The 2024 Beverage Dynamics Top 100 Liquor Retailers List is Out!

 

Liquor Stores: In Store VISA Compliance Checks Coming?

 

Liquor Stores: Do you offer different prices for cash versus card?

 Curious to know if you offer different prices depending on whether a customer pays using cash or a credit card? Please comment below.

Liquor Stores Selling Edibles and Merchant Services

 I have spoken with liquor stores whose merchant services/credit card processing has been turned off due to the sale of edibles in their store.

While state laws vary when it comes to the sale of edibles, here is some information on what the folks at Cloud Retailer POS support:

Liquor Stores: CLBA Golf Event is Coming Up!

 Liquor Stores: The CLBA Golf Event is coming up! RITE Cloud Retailer Liquor Store POS is a sponsor this year and will be available all week for in person meetings. Contact our Colorado Rep, Kevin, at kevina@rite.us or 208-994-9404 to schedule time to meet.

 

 

Liquor Stores: In Person Events that I will be at

 

What you need to know about Navigating THC in Minnesota & Accepting Payments by Credit or Debit Card

 

When:  Jun 29, 2023 10:00AM Central Time

 

 

Pre Registration Required! Scan the QR Code in the image or use this link to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Zk4aocvIR1G1IiSPfuxlWQ#/registration

Liquor Stores: How to Increase Revenue

 Great blog about how to increase revenue in your liquor store: https://www.cloudretailer.com/multiple-revenue-sources-for-liquor-store/

Prop 125 Passed But Colorado Liquor Stores Can Still Compete Against Grocery Stores

 

So, Proposition 125 passed which will allow grocery and convenience stores in Colorado to start selling wine on March 1st 2023. While this is disappointing to liquor store owners in Colorado, there are some ways to compete. Having visited hundreds of liquor stores across the US, including stores located in states that already allow the sale of beer and wine in grocery and convenience stores, I have gathered these various tips:

1. You can decide to only sell spirits and eliminate beer and wine from your product mix.

2. Convenience stores and many grocery stores will not have the same selection of wines that a liquor store can offer. Consider offering price matching for wines that the convenience and grocery stores actually sell.

3. Offer special ordering options - convenience and grocery stores generally don't offer any way to special order a specific wine.

4. Have a customer loyalty program as a way to encourage loyal repeat customers.

5. Have a "good neighbor" discount for local loyal customers. This can normally be done via a button at the point of sale software screen.

6. Have an employee mystery shop the grocery store to know what wines they offer and at what price (or look at their weekly online ads). You could also do this with any nearby convenience stores.

7. Be wary of customers that will use your wine knowledge but then go to the grocery store to make the actual purchase (aka "floor shoppers"). Recommend wines that are not available at a convenience store or grocery store.

8. Use Dual Pricing so you can at least re-coup merchant services fees when price matching. This will increase your margin by around 2.5%.

9. Use the Cloud Retailer liquor store point of sale software so you can adjust margins by individual product instead of by department or category.

What tips, questions, or suggestions do you have? Please share them by contacting Kevin Antosh at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com

State Specific Reporting Requirements for Liquor Store

In my travels across the US, I've learned that several states have specific reporting requirements for liquor stores (eg: sales by volume in Washington State, OLCC reporting in Oregon, TABC/Comptroller reporting in Texas, etc).

Obviously, a point of sale system that can automate these state specific reporting requirements would be very beneficial to liquor stores in these states.

As I am working on some technology solutions for these state specific requirements, I'd enjoy the opportunity to learn about any state specific reporting requirements for liquor stores located in the following states:

• Colorado
• Montana
• New Mexico
• Arizona
• California
• Arkansas
• Oklahoma
• Wyoming
• Montana
• Texas
• Washington State
• Oregon

I'm available to meet in person and/or online. We would work out some sort of compensation for your time. 

Please contact me if you are a liquor store located in one of the above states (kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632). Thanks!

Liquor Store Owners Association of Montana and POS For Liquor Stores in Montana (or any state really)

My reason for reaching out to LSOAM membership is that there are 30+ liquor stores in the state of Montana still using the Microsoft Dynamics RMS point of sale software who need guidance on RMS end of life as well as RMS replacement options.

With the mixed feedback on the Retail Management Hero point of sale software, I wanted to ensure that these liquor stores are aware that the Cloud Retailer point of sale software is both a low cost direct replacement program for Microsoft RMS (comparison video below):

and is specifically designed for liquor stores: http://www.pospondering.com/2020/01/cloud-retailer-pos-for-beerwineliquor.html


If you are a liquor store in the state of Montana (or any state really), then please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632.

PS - if you are thinking about moving from Microsoft RMS to Retail Management Hero (RMH), my advice would be to wait based on these mixed reviews of RMH: http://www.pospondering.com/2020/01/honest-feedback-on-retail-management.html

Is Total Wine Effecting Your Liquor Store Revenue?

Slightly different request today. I've been reading about the effects that Total Wine has been having on independently owned liquor stores. If you own or manage a liquor store, and have any insights that you would like to share, please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632.

None of your information will be shared as this is for research only. I also have a conceptual data analytics product to share with you to see if you would see it a viable marketing tool to increase revenue and compete against Total Wine.

Again - no sales pitches - just some honest feedback.

Cloud Retailer: Automatic Cash Discount Demo

A quick 2 minute video showing how the Cloud Retailer point of sale software can automate a sales transaction with a cash discount.

For more information please visit www.cloudretailer.com, email sales@rite.us or call 888-267-7483.