Not in the Holiday Spirit(s)

If you like a good deal, nothing beats shopping during the holidays. Retailers will do whatever it takes—sales, coupons, early bird specials—to get an edge over their competition, all to shoppers’ delight. But what if you have no competition? What if, say, you’re a government-run liquor monopoly?

In that case, like the PLCB, you simply pretend to satisfy consumer needs. The PLCB’s half-hearted efforts were obvious yesterday, on Cyber Monday, when the PLCB offered free shipping for online purchases. Not free shipping to your home—but to the government store of your choice. How customer friendly! After you select the wine or spirits the government has decided you can buy as a Pennsylvania resident, you are then afforded the luxury of driving to a store to pick it up at their convenience, not yours. Imagine if your Amazon order was only available for pickup during business hours at a government agency.

Meanwhile, in Washington state, which privatized spirit sales over a year ago, stores are competing and consumers are winning. The Columbian reports, “Local spirits sellers are pulling out all the stops to compete for those sales. It’s a contest that has some retailers expanding store liquor departments, others carrying holiday gift packs and some offering extra services such as online sales and abundant, well-trained sales associates on the selling floor.”

If that doesn’t put you in the holiday shopping spirit, perhaps the PLCB’s Holiday Gift Guide will. In it, the government recommends what alcohol you should purchase for the “trendsetter” or “business associate” in your life. And don’t forget, the same agency that’s promoting the purchase and consumption of holiday-related booze is also the same agency tasked with educating and enforcing responsible consumption. Conflict of interest, anyone?

No matter how they try to mask it, the PLCB can’t serve consumer needs like the private sector can. But until we end the government booze monopoly, happy holidays from the PLCB—your only choice for seasonal spirits in Pennsylvania.