Can your best customer also be your worst enemy? That question came to mind after recent remarks by Sam’s Club exec to NCSLA convention (state liquor admins). Retailers “should be allowed to at least explore the potential of direct-shipping from suppliers,” he told these regulators. While he acknowledged 3-tier “beneficial,” it also adds “costs and complexities.” Wal-Mart systems have allowed suppliers to be much more efficient in production, time-to-market, according to him. Sam’s Clubs (owned by Wal-Mart) “not seeking to eliminate the 3-tier system” just to make it “more efficient.”
Meanwhile, when European Union trade rep at same convention was asked if EU had agenda of “elimination” of control states or “destruction” of 3-tier system, she said there is a “built-in agenda of progressive liberalization” of trade. Doesn’t mean you get the “whole pie” today. Regarding EU’s “long-term objective …who is to say? It may be in your own best interests [in US] eventually to evolve.”