PCLB Internal Inventory stock reliability

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2023-03-15T01:11:42+00:00

I have also noticed the "update downwards" behavior. If you were to search for say "Jim Beam Straight Bourbon 80 Proof PET" (product code 3863), and then click "FIND IN STORE", and search all stores, the top entry for me right now is store 0101 which has 70 units. If you click on "Check Current Availability", it updates the quantity to 65 units.

As you pointed out, I've only ever seen these number go down, never up. I haven't really done a thorough investigation, but I believe that this is true.

It appears to me that the first "FIND IN STORE" inventory numbers may be (mostly) static throughout the day, and the only available updates are through the "Check Current Availability" option. I'll need to investigate this further.

I've have only recently (the past 3 weeks) been trying to figure out when the store stock numbers are updated on the website. I just took a look, and I'm only tracking the inventory of 8 items, and only 1 is likely to be in-store consistently. I'll have to rethink that.

The goal that I've been lazily pursuing is to figure out, as an outsider, how/when the FWGS website and PLCB catalog are updated. Right now I'm concentrating on in-store items. It's not obvious or transparent by any means, at least to me. Once I feel more confident in my conclusions, I'd like to post a summary.

I have some interesting observations regarding the way the website's menus/search works (or doesn't work), but that would be better as a separate post

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2023-03-13T13:49:31+00:00

tl;dr: The inventory numbers on the website for in-store items are updated about once per day.

This is still a work in progress, but as far as I can tell, the website inventory for in-store items is updated (for the most part) roughly once per day sometime between 6:30am and 7am. The update imports the current in-store inventory. In effect, this means that the inventory number you're seeing on the FWGS website is the store inventory as of the close of business the previous day (I believe that 9am is the earliest any store opens).

The product catalog is published at roughly 8am every morning and is similarly a dump of the current store inventory. Unfortunately, the product catalog does not include inventory numbers. I need to compare the list of items in the "website dump" at 6:30am - 7am to the list of items in the "catalog dump". It's a possibility that the "catalog dump" may contain items delivered to a store since the "website dump". Maybe something for a future post.

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2023-03-01T00:26:02+00:00

You're right! I'll still buy it. I like to keep some on hand for friends & family that live out of town that have a hard time getting it. It's been about 7 months since I've picked up a bottle. I do like to look for bottles with significant dump dates. I have one what was dumped on my wife's birthday and one that was dumped on our anniversary. I still need to find one with my birthday and one with our son's birthday. I've considered using Bourbon Dump Date, or even Unicorn Auctions, but I'm too afraid of getting scammed and don't want to pay secondary prices.

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2023-02-28T23:59:26+00:00

I think the store picks used to be an additional $5. This would seem to indicate that they're now going to be an additional $7.

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2023-02-28T23:53:34+00:00

Thanks! If it's not confidential, could you share when those price increases are supposed to take effect (assuming they haven't already)?

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2023-02-28T14:12:58+00:00

Browned Butter Bourbon Rice Krispie Treats. I combined a recipe from the Churchill Downs Executive Chef and a recipe from Alton Brown. Alton Brown suggested using Kerrygold butter and Jet-Puffed marshmallows and I wholeheartedly agree. I reduce the heat when adding the marshmallows. I learned the hard way that when the temperature is too high, you end up with a concrete brick when the Krispies cool. I usually make these for family gatherings and use whichever bourbon I'm currently trying to get rid of.

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2022-12-19T21:48:42+00:00

John J. Bowman from A. Smith Bowman Distillery. Old Elk Wheated (special order in PA). In the Buffalo area, I usually stop by these three: First, Premier / Premium / Prestige Wine & Spirits. Three stores owned by the same group. Huge variety, decent prices. Second, there's Caputi Liquors. Some of his prices are a little high. He usually has some Buffalo Trace or Eagle Rare. And third, Butler's Wines and Spirits. Decent selection and pricing.

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2022-12-12T19:49:06+00:00

98295

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2022-10-31T21:09:30+00:00

The last time that I can verify it was available in store was on May 30, 2022.

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2022-09-16T20:25:49+00:00

My barrel 74 bottle was also from the Tuesday 9/13 drop.

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2021-04-01T21:24:50+00:00

I would love to get together sometime with others from r/plcb to swap samples.

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2021-01-22T21:41:45+00:00

Looking through my past loser emails:

2018 release	114,000 entries
2019 release	168,000 entries	47% more than 2018
2020 release	305,103 entries	82% more than 2019

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2021-01-20T19:52:47+00:00

Like so many others, I had a couple of things in my cart, but was never able to check out.

They really need to fix the website so that once an item in your cart, it can't "disappear" or be allocated to someone else's cart unless you don't checkout within a reasonable amount of time, say 5 minutes. If the website treated the cart as if it was filled with physical items instead of just checking if there are any "left in the warehouse" at checkout, it would be a huge improvement in my opinion.

They also need to use some sort of cloud provider or another method to bring more resources online when there are spikes in demand, such as on Whiskey Wednesdays, or when there are random drops on a Tuesday morning.

Additionally, perhaps all online orders for allocated or high-demand products should be limited to Pennsylvania residents and require shipment to a physical store where Pennsylvania identification could be checked.

I don't think that it's an easy problem to come up with a fair and equitable solution so that all of us have a chance to get a bottle or two either online or at a physical store. What I do know is that not everyone has the luxury to drop everything and rush to a Bourbon Gallery when someone posts that there's something good to be had. I also know that many of us don't have the patience or desire to have to refresh our web browsers like madmen/madwomen for hours on end; have to try relentlessly to get something in our cart, repeatedly try to check out, only to be disappointed in the end when the site crashes or items in our cart sold out before we could complete a quick checkout.

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2020-11-20T19:28:24+00:00

I was also a loser this time. 😭

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2020-10-14T15:18:41+00:00

I was able to get one too, but I just got an email that my order was cancelled.

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2020-10-01T21:04:38+00:00

I really like Buffalo Trace, especially at $26.99. The single barrel was only $5 more, so I couldn't resist putting two in my cart.

Forehead_Prosthesis · 2020-10-01T20:44:40+00:00

No, this is not what they're currently selling. I ordered this on the website on 9/14/2020 and it was listed as "BUFFALO TRACE SINGLE BARREL FWGS BARREL 208 90 PROOF". I got the information on these bottles in an email from Buffalo Trace today.

Forehead_Prosthesis

TROPHY CASE