What's going on at the LCBO?

It is a sad day indeed. The new search engine capabilities are seriously deficient. It is a fucking disaster!

Wow - the prices - yikes!

@Nozinan Yep it's a huge disservice if you're like me and search by product # sku for spirits, wines, and beer. I've been vocal on Twitter and their customer service line about what a disappointment this is. Worse, it has robbed drinkvine.com of it's functional capacities as that site ran off of the LCBO's sku listing. Not impressed. @FMichael At least there are still some deals to be had if you're a bit devious. I picked up a bottle of 'Toshan 12 for $50 the other day. Some time ago the price shot up to $60 but this store didn't update the price label to reflect new high cost. Question is, do I open now or wait 6mo to a year for further price increase and then exchange it at current retail price for better value buys?

@AdamH et al - completely new web layout, and as @nozinan has said, the search function is terrible, as it is restricted by postal code or what city you enter - you cannot enter 'All' and get a full listing of where product is and then ask for an inter-store transfer if there was none in your geographic location.

Some of the price increases that were visible on the old site failed to carry over to the new database, but those prices don't seem to have been put into effect in store either (I was in to the main store in Ottawa yesterday and the Bowmore and Auchentoshan 12 are still at $51 and $55).

The new LCBO website is further proof that they just don't give a shit about brown spirits drinkers. Perhaps the oenophiles will be able to derive a benefit from this change; I cannot see this new format enhancing my retail experience - definitely many steps backwards - a pity, because the expanding American whiskey inventory was providing faint hope for positive change at key locations. In light of this recent setback, the need for a dependable and co-operative whisky network has never been more important.

You can continue to use this site to get full search listings. foodanddrink.ca/lcbo-ear/jsp/… The site may only be up temporarily but you can also search on the vintages side for all products as well. The LCBO have taken feedback and are looking into tweaking the site's search function.

'What's going on at the LCBO?'... The answer is exactly the same that has been going on throughout it's history. The bleeding of the average consumer of what little expendable income they have left after being robbed in every other area of their financial lives!

Say what you want about the taxes on alcohol going towards valuable government programs etc. Ok. But the reality is that the prices the average Joe pays for booze (especially whisky) in Canada, is gross over taxation which takes even more out of the pockets of the middle class. If the government is so determined to maintain various services from tax dollars, why don't we focus a little more attention on the billions of dollars that are put into offshore bank accounts each year by Canada's wealthiest? You know, the ones which allow them to escape from paying the taxes the rest of us pay!

Because the government is made up of Canada's wealthiest and they don't give a rip about low and middle wage income earners having to pay 3, sometimes 4 times the price other countries charge for booze.

Oh! ... And the website design stinks ; )

I just happened to do a Google search on the text string "lcbo whisky shop" and I got this hit:

lcbo.com/content/lcbo/…

No link from the "new" LCBO Home page to it, but the Whisky Shop page has a link back to the LCBO Home page... seems that the web site is still very much a work in progress.

At least from this page, all of the listed products have proper images, although the list is severely limited compared to the full range of whiskies stocked by the LCBO.

I posted a comment at "helloLCBO" voicing my displeasure with the changes made to the product search and store locator "features". I did get a reply and was directed to the product search at www.vintages.ca - as noted above, the old product search and store locator engine is still active there.

Suggest all connosr members in Ontario leave a comment about the changes to the web site at helloLCBO...

@tfahey1298

We in Ontario could use the support of anyone on Connosr who has time to leave feedback at the LCBO asking them to reinstate the proper search engine. The more people complain the better.

@Nozinan

Complain !!! That's not the Canadian way , we take what is given and we say sorry for even thinking we have something to complain about. Sorry about that comment I got carried away! LCBO can give poor service they have no competition it won't affect there bottom line!!!

Sorry I meant (their) sorry I apologize for my grammar Stop me now before I have to apologize again sorry excuse me

Today's reply from the Hello LCBO people:

I have been advised that the team responsible for the website redesign is currently looking for a way to restore the province-wide search functionality, though they were not able to provide a concrete timeframe for the restoration.

Regards,

Benjamin

@Nozinan Thank you for the big effort!