Then they will go to the next shop ask for the wine and ask if it’s refrigerated and then be lied to. It’s not exactly a niche market this particular consumer is in
I’ve never been ok with anything Southern does - always hated doing business with them for most of the reasons stated above and in my previous posts - the question surrounds “what if you have to do business with them” - This is the fourth time in this thread I will make this statement - if you absolutely have to carry certain popular brands through Southern - then you have to take the good with the bad - try, scream, demand for things - it doesn’t matter - you are stuck doing things under their terms -
And all holding your ground does is help you hold the door for the customers who are walking out the door without purchasing anything (because of some story they think you made up about unrefrigerated shipping and you not doing business with companies like that) -
You really are kidding aren’t you? We are talking about people who purchase beverages that have alcohol in them - do you really think they could care whether their coca cola or KJ Chardonnay was shipped on a refrigerated truck?
Now if we are talking about the 5% of the purchasing public that are wine geeks or just into wine - well, those people get the good stuff that is the bulk of your inventory that you purchased through good distributors that have refrigerated trucks - those are the things a retailer can control -
I think you are confusing the 5% of the public with the other 95% of the public that literally don’t have orgasms over a glass of wine - they just drink it -
You mean that everything in this world is treated to the same exact standard of quality, regardless of price? Again, you are talking about a fantasy world and I’m talking about the real world.
And how do you know what kinds of wines are on that truck? Do you imagine that the distributor has a refrigerated truck for their expensive wines, and one not refrigerated for the everyday wines (the ones you don’t mind being damaged)?
If the retailer buys only the $5 wines from that truck, the fact that there are, or aren’t, other wines in that truck is irrelevant.
You know, this isn’t an intellectual exercise we’re playing at here; some of us believe that changes are needed in how wines are handled if we’re going to get our money’s worth from the wines be buy.
That’s why I was pointing out straight away that this isn’t a “how to right every wrong of the wine shipping industry” thread, but a real life thread about making choices as a retailer.
I was talking about business behavior, business ethics, not items. If your sense of business ethics ebbs and flows with the dollar amount of the sale, then, fine, let’s agree to disagree.
How much does a half kilo of butter cost, or a litre of milk? Since they’re both relatively inexpensive, can I sell you some not-so-fresh butter and milk, and save the really fresh stuff for my customers who care?
this isn’t a “how to right every wrong of the wine shipping industry” thread, but a real life thread about making choices as a retailer.
Absolutely nothing in this world gets changed for the better unless people demand it, agitate for it. The reason wine continues to be poorly stored and shipped is that too many people say, oh well, it’s just the inexpensive wines; or, oh well, it probably didn’t get all that hot in the truck; or, oh well, wine is probably more robust that we think; or, oh well, they’ll probably never know the difference (at heart, this is the core rationale – and fervent hope – of those who excuse poor shipping.)
And you really think that costs don’t come into the picture? It’s one thing for a small company that ships out 60-100 cases a day to have a couple of air conditioned vans for delivery - It’s another for a large wholesaler with 400-600 cases on each truck per day (with half of it liquor) - The costs to refrigerate these trucks is huge - shipping costs would literally double - customers would balk at paying $6.00 per case for delivery instead of the $2-3.00 per case that the small companies do -
The biggest issue for shipping without refrigeration is the costs - and the big companies just will not justify the additional costs -
One solution to the problem is for the big companies to have a group of “fine wine” refrigerated vans that only delivery fine wine - the bulk wines can still be delivered with the liquor on the big trucks - and most retailers would have no problem paying a couple bucks extra per case for high end wine (I mean what’s the ultimate difference between $520 and $523?) But with the sales of high priced wines down so much - the big companies won’t even look at that option -
[/quote]The biggest issue for shipping without refrigeration is the costs - and the big companies just will not justify the additional costs -
One solution to the problem is for the big companies to have a group of “fine wine” refrigerated vans that only delivery fine wine - the bulk wines can still be delivered with the liquor on the big trucks - and most retailers would have no problem paying a couple bucks extra per case for high end wine (I mean what’s the ultimate difference between $520 and $523?) But with the sales of high priced wines down so much - the big companies won’t even look at that option -[/quote]
I don’t think the generalization holds, Thomas. RNDC and BDC ship everything refrigerated and they seem to be competing just fine. In fact, better than fine with my account.
Wait a second…So, I have to pay even more for fine wines to be delivered in an acceptable fashion?
The vans cost money, you have labor involved with loading & unloading the van as well as driving the van. Fuel costs would increase. Also, you would have two employees making stops in two different vehicles to the same store presumably in the same day. This would happen (at least in my state) at many stores. Labor costs would have a huge increase.
It isn’t just heat either. Trucks are loaded pretty early in the AM. They may not get to the final customer until late afternoon. Temperatures in the low teens get that wine awfully cold.
I like the idea but I’m not sure that putting refer units on the trucks might be a better investment. Or, even replace unrefrigerated trucks with refer trucks as they need replaced. But they don’t do that either, do they? Fact of the matter is they don’t change because they don’t have to change. And lets not let the wineries off the hook here, either. “We take every step in the vineyard and winery to ensure the very best that XXXXXX has to offer”. Then we don’t give a sh*t what happens after we’re paid.
In many cases its the result of what amounts to a near monopoly.
JD
That’s absolutley not true and a pretty harsh attack. I visit all of my distributors warehouses to make sure the wine is being stored properly, and if there are any issues with wines being delivered improperly, we would want to hear about it and correct it. Do you really think all the hard work wineries put into their wines, they would just say “oh, who cares” if their wine was cooking or freezing on a truck going to the customer? Come on.
And as I stated before in a previous post, if retailers aren’t checking their deliveries, walking into that truck, or opening up each box to check the wines, then don’t you think you should share in the blame by passing those said damaged wines on to your customers?
I’m not trying to pick a fight, just think everyone should work together so the wines get to the end consumer in the best possible condition.
First, other good from eggs to beer are delivered in temp controlled conditions and people seem to make money on those things. I don’t care about the costs, frankly, given the markup everyone takes. Even on a $10 bottle of wine if we’re talking $2/case or so you’re looking at a different of $120 vs $122. Um…
Second, there’s no way shipping costs would double. Please. A reefer unit costs as much again as the truck and it doubles the costs of running the truck, driver included? Again… Please.
Finally, “…with the sales of high priced wines down so much…” Gee, and they were chomping at the bit to do this the last 20 years as sales of high end wine and the prices in general boomed? Oh wait… no, they weren’t.
You may very well check but the majority don’t; or at least the majority of the wineries sold in my state. And the other states where I have seen unrefrigerated trucks. If they did check, or care, then why is non-refrigerated delivery trucks an issue? If all producers cared they would be flocking to those companies who do offer refrigerated trucks.
Yes, of course, its the retailers responsibility. But in my case I wouldn’t be able to order 90% (?) of my wine from late May or June through September-I don’t have an option. And, yes, I have bitched about the situation the wholesalers. So, yes, I share the blame. So do the producers as do the wholesalers.
My point was, and it remains, that there is plenty of blame to go around and while I would accept that on the retail end you must admit that you have many on your side of the equation who should also be blamed, too.
JD
Ok…status report. I received two orders today…about 350 cases. Both were promised refrigerated, but only one was. Thankfully, the non-refrigerated delivery arrived by 10am (still cool here in the Mountains) and was fine. Probably 70-75 degrees bottle temperature. No harm, no foul. The second delivery arrived by 1pm and was pristine. Props to Synergy!