Ready for some market crash?

How good it would have been if we could control everything that's happening in our lives with just a click of a button. Though in reality, that's not possible, what seems  to be possible now is controlling the prices of your favourite drinks thanks to the concept of bar stock exchange, that is fast catching up with many pubs and bars in the city.

Places like Tipsy Bull and Hammered Exchange run on the stock exchange concept, in which prices of the drinks change based on real-time demand and supply. This is supported by an app that helps customers keep a track of the fluctuating prices.    

Tipsy Bull started the bar stock exchange concept three years back with its first branch in Bellandur. Explaining this concept further, director of Tipsy Bull, Arjun Singh, says, "Just like a stock market here, the prices of the drinks fluctuate. If the demand for a drink is higher, the price is higher and when the demand is less, the price is automatically less. To make it more engaging, customers can download an app and order their drinks directly rather than waiting for the server. To add to this excitement, we have frequent market crashes where people get a chance to steal the deal with all the prices dropping down drastically."

With this place pioneering the concept in the city, this bar has managed to attract many pub-goers to explore this fresh idea. Calling this concept a welcome break from the monotonous pub and bar visits is Farah Magi, a fashion blogger. She says, "It keeps the customers' enthusiasm high throughout. Besides, there are times when the price of a drink drops to as low as Rs 50. The anticipation for such a low price itself is exciting.

Will this concept last among youngsters? "Some bars are doing great with this concept. There are many youngsters who end up visiting these places just for the experience. We, millennials,  tend to get bored easily with the ordinary, so such out-of-the-box ideas attract us a lot," she adds.

Hoping that this concept is extended to food too, P Subramoni, a technical manager says, "Not many people step out only for drinks. It should be broadened to include food as well. The bar stock exchange is a fairly new concept  but it is really catching up. It is a fun and a noble idea and is sure to stick around for a couple of more years."    

While there are a few bars and pubs that work with the stock exchange concept,  'Agent Jack's Bar' works on the concept of bidding on drinks. Its co-founder, Pramod says, "Usually, going out in Bengaluru is an expensive affair. This is the reason why many people have restricted themselves  to house parties and get-togethers. With an interactive concept like bidding, it is not just cheap drinks that is the target but enjoyment  with a reasonable bill at the end."

"Agent Jack's Bar' is a Pune-based company and we have partnered in Bengaluru. There  is a fun and engaging software-based application that helps customers bid their range. There will already be a fixed price shown on the screen and then a market price and the last least accepted bid for the day. The customer has to strike their bid to the nearest bidding range. Great food, great drinks and a great price are what we look forward to presenting our customers," he adds.  

With such unique concepts getting popular by the day, now pub-goers are having a good time without burning a hole in the pocket.