tldr; when you receive wine that you did not order, how do you deal with it?
Last week, UPS unexpectedly showed up with a case of wine I wasn’t expecting. Not a common experience, but it happens from time to time as I sometimes lose track of my wine orders (I am sure that I am not the only one…). However, in this instance when I open the case, I find the duplicate of a Berserker Day order that had been delivered a week prior by FedEx. It wasn’t an order that I had forgotten about - it appears to be a logistics error/double shipment.
The wine is from a small winery, and I am sure that every case counts so I immediately emailed them to inform them of the issue and requesting guidance. I have not heard back but emailed them again a few minutes ago. If I don’t hear back in the next day or two, I will confirm their contact info with Todd and try again.
I will admit that my petty and selfish side is annoyed to be dealing with this - either I am going to end up buying wine that I didn’t plan to (although I do like their juice so that isn’t the worst), or I am going to have to facilitate shipping this case back which is going to take time and energy solving a problem that I did not create. That being said, I also know that it is in my best interest to support small wineries and help keep them in business.
I feel like my options are to: (1) offer to pay the BD15 price, (2) Negotiate some lower price, or (3) work with their logistics company to return the case. I am sure that I am not the first person this has happened to - how have you handled this?
I’ve had this happen a few different times and always gone with #3. In instances where it was extra bottles of rarer wines, we got them returned. In another instance where I got 12 of two different wines instead of the 3 each I ordered, they told me to keep it and enjoy.
Just email them and ask how they’d prefer to handle it
I’ve had this happen twice. The first time, the winery offered it to me at the same sale price, and I accepted. The second time, the winery did not, and arranged to send it back.
I haven’t ever had a situation like this where I ended up having to ship anything back or pay for it. but I would at least expect to have a pretty no stress and no cost way to get it to them
Happened to me years ago with huge retailer. Shipment had not showed up and I called multiple times to figure out why. Eventually I received it in triplicate (I think once for each time I called them). Decided if they could not manage their own logistics it was on them. Totally different scenario though.
Being annoyed at “having to deal with this” is not an option. Mistakes happen. Worst case you’re “out” taping up the box and taking to UPS with a shipping label.
Wait, you just emailed them “a few minutes ago” and are already posting here? Come on.
Come on - read my post. I sent the first email to them a week ago when the case arrived and have not heard back. I sent the second email a few minutes before I posted.
Yes - an unnamed fulfillment company was involved. The odd thing to me is that the first case was shipped FedEx and the 2nd arrived via UPS. Irrelevant I suppose but still curious.
This exact same thing happened to me—one case from FedEx, one duplicate from UPS—from a boutique winery. I emailed them and said, essentially, “hey you sent me two cases, how can I get one back to you.?”
I heard nothing back so after a few months I largely forgot about it and eventually the wines went into my cellar.
Sounds like you are making a good faith effort. I assume the winery will either tell you to keep it, send a shipping label, or you’ll hear nothing, like me.
This happened to me once (slightly different story, they sent first case to an old address but a friend was able to pick it up) and I was told to just keep the extra, I gave bottles away to friends to give the winery some exposure.