Experience with temperature trackers for shipments?

I think this has happened to everyone. You receive wine that left the shipper (or destination hub) with ice packs and because either you are not there to receive it on first attempt, or open the box days later to find the ice depleted and the wine at ambient do you wonder about the highest heat it was exposed to, and for how long? You contact the winery to make them aware of it and they need to determine how to make the customer happy. Maybe it is fine, and maybe it needs to be replaced.

Has anyone received shipments with temperature trackers (the disposable heat sensitive chemical strips that change color dependent on exceeding a programmed temperature and duration) in the box? If you have, or have not:

Did, or would you want the winery to tell you it was available?
Did, or would you be willing to give feedback with results?
Did, or would it make you feel more confident about the condition of the wine?
Did, or would you expect to be charged for the device? (About a buck)
Did, or would the extra assurance of condition change your impression about the winery’s transparency and customer satisfaction?

Thanks.

I would only be interested if the tracker were somehow not able to be tampered with or replaced. Perhaps integrated into the bottle, or locked into something or whatever.

Obviously my concern is, a driver lets the van get too hot, doesn’t wanna get fired and replaces the strips in those boxes with new ones before dropoff. Not a big problem if the delivery service is so big that they don’t KNOW there are strips in the boxes, but if a few drivers of a service get in trouble, they’ll find a way to hack it, imo, rather than risk getting in trouble or canned by their boss.

(Obviously they’d be breaking the law by opening the package, but hey, people have been known to break laws to save their job)

It would be highly unusual for a driver to suspect a device would be in the box. Watch No Country For Old Men… I think there would be a much higher chance of that driver getting fired if he was opening and rifling through boxes and then resealing them, which would delay him on the route making the wines even hotter. My experience is rarely is it their fault if there was damage. It is missed deliveries or shipping in iffy weather. Also, the strips need to be activated < set temperature so he couldn’t carry a bunch in his wallet.

I’ve never been offered a temperature tracker on any shipment. Would be very interested if it were offered.

I think the only people likely to do it would be the worst offenders/employees.

Anyways, I like the idea of having it.

Saxum did it, usually on one bottle in a shipment, and I’m pretty sure they still do so.
The first couple of times they requested you open the shipment when received and let them know if there was a problem, I never had one show a high temp.
It’s a plastic tag adhered to the bottle, might be able to locate one with a tag and provide a pic if anyone is interested.

Perhaps this post belongs in another forum, but…

Can you share your source for the trackers?

TIA.

Saxum is the only wine I’ve received with the tracker. I’m paranoid about heat, and appreciated it.

I seem to remember reading Kermit Lynch’s book and having him discuss something like that for reefer shipping containers.

Thanks for the input. That Saxum is the only winery noted as using these, that is all the assurance I need to realize it is the best thing to do. We are deploying these this week to add an extra layer of verification for temperature-controlled shipping (with ice packs added for the ‘last mile’) about the perception of receiving wine in warm weather when usually the wine is fine. Most of our customers hold on to our estate-grown wines for several years so removing any doubt is of extreme importance. Our Fall Release Cycle begins Tuesday so I am already breathing easier!

Temperature trackers would be nice. What’s the extra cost on the shipping? Would somebody who demands ground shipping in summer be willing to pay extra for it?

The appropriate clientele would pay extra and select appropriate shipping. The wise buyer would select the date and type of shipping to ensure they are available to take delivery, or ship to a business, wine storage or location that can accept delivery.

On the flip side, the tracker is also protection for the vendor. The vendor can’t be responsible the weather and temperatures. The wise vendor checks weather patterns to suggest appropriate shipping type and when. Somebody using bulk shippers or automatically shipping when the wine is ready usually don’t monitor weather, so obviously aren’t concerned.