Best Idea Ever Series – Part 1 – Mystery Beer

I have spent my whole life in one place, so it’s interesting to move to a new place and see how things are done. It hasn’t been two weeks and there are a couple of genius ideas that have smacked me in the face.

Just a couple of days, I was walking through a Trader Joe’s grocery store. They are in MA and I’m a frequent customer, so I thought I knew what to expect. However, an interesting display hit me. It was a pile of grocery bags all stapled shut with a sign of Mystery Beer on it. For $3.99 you get a bag of random single beers. There was no way I could resist the temptation to pick up a couple. One bag had six beers and the other had seven. They were all microbrews or varous types. If you had actually bought a 6-pack of the microbrew itself, it would probably cost you $6.99. So for getting a mystery sampler you save yourself three dollars.

The brilliance behind the idea is that by playing on the mystery or surprise, it gets to buy in when they might normally not. The price $3.99 is pretty good for a six-pack of most beers, but turn it into a game and you’ve sold me.

On a side note, I’ve wondered for years why Coca Cola hasn’t put together a variety pack for parties or just to keep around the house. I’d like to offer guests there choice of a few beverages, but I don’t drink Dr. Pepper, so I shy away from purchasing a 6-pack of it. Plus it seems the deals are all on 12-packs lately making me less likely to purchase it. However, include it with some Sprite, Diet Coke, Orange, etc. and I’m pulling out my wallet.