JJ Buckley Wine Specialists

[Pat_Burton]

@Ian Dorin

@Doug Schulman

Obviously I’m ITB, so I have no idea if I view these things differently from the average customer. I buy wines from retailers in other areas when I want items that are either too tightly allocated or too expensive for me to reasonably get them in MA. I’ve had good experiences with most places, and great experiences with Crush, Chambers, Rare Wine Company, and Wine Library (you guys have earned your great reputation). That’s not to say anything negative about anywhere else I’ve shopped, but through various types of interactions with those places, including the very occasional problem which will happen with any business, all of those stores have done everything exactly as I would have hoped, sometimes even surpassing my expectations. I’m kind of glad I don’t have a “personal wine specialist” at any of those places.

It’s just interesting to me that they are able to somewhat effectively make it work. I get the pluses and minuses (just like anything else b/c of the human element), but based on the reactions here, it seems like folks are really in to it. I preach finding someone that can help you with purchasing, it’s a good way to make sure you are buying smart. I assume they are selling more expensive wine, and not the latest thing that Parker gave a 94 to that’s $11.99. Having someone that knows your tastes is a huge plus (it’s what I really like to do for sure) for a customer, ITB guys are a whole other breed of character

I thank you for your kind words as well. That’s very good company to be in as well.

The model could work really well, but I’ve never felt like I’ve gotten any personal communication via this approach. Sometimes I think the email blasts are larger than others, so perhaps they sometimes target people but not me specifically. They have some really good prices on a few things I buy every year and I like their access to back vintages from time to time. But their website does indeed suck (even remodeled) and thus I don’t browse form them at all. JJ Buckley receives an ever dwindling amount of my wine money. I buy from four online retailers, and they will be at the bottom (behind Wine Library, K&L, and Rare Wine Company) by the end of the year unless something seriously changes over there.

[SteveBrown]

@Pat Burton

@Daniel Mattisson

To be honest, the sales and occasional PCP is the only thing that really gets me excited. The website is a disaster, pricing (on website) mediocre, and their normal email blasts are often nothing interesting.

Better to deal with someone like WL even if I have to put up with Ian!

I’m no whale myself, but when I ask something like “is it possible to get my wine shipped out next week” I expect an answer within 24 hours. I certainly expect an answer when I ask twice. 96 hours and counting.

edit: I’m not sure why its relevant how much money someone spends at a retailer if they are even remotely a regular customer. I expect to get quality service and timely responses to inquiries whether I’ve spend $1,00 or $10,000+ with them. This is what attracted me to Wine Library, K&L, and Rare Wine Company. Great service all the way around. Problems are few and far between, and those are always rectified without me blowing a gasket.

Good point, and you are right, the basic service level shouldn’t be affected by how much you spend. What I’m talking about is more the “hey, we have a wine coming in that I think you might be interested in” personalized type of service.

[Patrick_Friel]

After skimming through the posts above, it seems like the experience varies a lot by rep.

I’ve worked with Cory Gowen for years now and am very happy. We’ve been through a number a different sales scenarios and he has been extremely quick and responsive:

• items in stock
• distributor checks for items not in stock
• handling the process for items in their close-out sales
• working with me and a friend to buy and ship a pallet to an event in another state

He’s always come through with the best price except in one case; an item they did not stock. He researched it, gave me a price but admitted up front that he couldn’t beat another retailer’s price he identified that was $5 lower. A month later, that retailer’s price was $5 over his offer so I think the original price was an error.

[Z_Scheiner]

I’ve been very happy with Jeff Loo since I started buying from JJB about five years ago. But I haven’t been buying much from them the past year or so.

[DougS]

@Arif F

I think there is a lot of potential with the concept but needs to be executed much better than JJB (many have provided the big negatives - lack of pricing transparency, hit or miss communication, seemingly high turnover, etc).

I agree.

[Lou_Recupero]

@Rob Rippe

I used to deal with Alex Lallos - and he was great, he dissappeared and someone on the board gave me an intro to Devon Magee - I dindn’t order anyting for 3 or so months after that and he dropped me like the proverbial hot potatoe.
I even wrote to him and asked why I haden’t received any offers - no response. Hmmm
But after dealing with a specialist I cant order from the website!

Cheers,
Rip

Also had Alex Lallos, and thought he was great, even though I wasn’t a baller by any imagination. When he left, I think I was turned over to another rep, but after not ordering anything the first couple of weeks, the offers stopped coming. Turns out there are a lot of places for me to spend my wine dollar…JJB just lost my business…

[M_Linzbach]

@Patrick Friel

After skimming through the posts above, it seems like the experience varies a lot by rep.

I’ve worked with Cory Gowen for years now and am very happy. We’ve been through a number a different sales scenarios and he has been extremely quick and responsive:

• items in stock
• distributor checks for items not in stock
• handling the process for items in their close-out sales

I’ve been working with Cory for a number of years and have been very pleased to work with him. I’m not a whale by any stretch of the imagination but like having a dedicated sales person I can work with. When Cory has been out he’s pre-directed me to backup personnel along with detailed contact info. Props for good customer service.

[Kirk.Grant]

@Al Osterheld

I’ve had great interactions with Geoffrey Binder, as well.

-Al

+1 (a couple times…he’s a really great guy. He’s also been cool when I call and ask about some of the other wine specialist’s “private client” offers. Which I’d assume means he’s not getting the comission. He’s been nothing short of excellent to work with in my book.

[Andrew_Kaufman]

I have worked with Andy Frieden.

[Andrew_Demaree]

Devon was my rep. He was quite responsive when I was making purchases. However, there were numerous problems related to shipping, to which he was less responsive. Eventually, it became clear that the majority of the bottles I’d ordered (most of them on futures) had actually been lost. Devon was a lot less responsive then, and a solution to the problem was eventually negotiated between me and another rep. I still receive the occasional email from Devon but not very frequently. Maybe he only emails me about stuff they can’t move? Who knows. Doesn’t matter, as I don’t intend to do business with them again.

[Kirk.Grant]

@Ian Dorin

@Doug Schulman

Obviously I’m ITB, so I have no idea if I view these things differently from the average customer. I buy wines from retailers in other areas when I want items that are either too tightly allocated or too expensive for me to reasonably get them in MA. I’ve had good experiences with most places, and great experiences with Crush, Chambers, Rare Wine Company, and Wine Library (you guys have earned your great reputation). That’s not to say anything negative about anywhere else I’ve shopped, but through various types of interactions with those places, including the very occasional problem which will happen with any business, all of those stores have done everything exactly as I would have hoped, sometimes even surpassing my expectations. I’m kind of glad I don’t have a “personal wine specialist” at any of those places.

It’s just interesting to me that they are able to somewhat effectively make it work. I get the pluses and minuses (just like anything else b/c of the human element), but based on the reactions here, it seems like folks are really in to it. I preach finding someone that can help you with purchasing, it’s a good way to make sure you are buying smart. I assume they are selling more expensive wine, and not the latest thing that Parker gave a 94 to that’s $11.99. Having someone that knows your tastes is a huge plus (it’s what I really like to do for sure) for a customer, ITB guys are a whole other breed of character

I thank you for your kind words as well. That’s very good company to be in as well.

@Daniel Mattisson

Better to deal with someone like WL even if I have to put up with Ian!

Thank you

Ian,

I think WL has the BEST model I’ve come across. It was awesome to pick your brain when I was there and to hear the wines that peaked your interest. I also like that I’ve NEVER had anything even remotely negative or stressful happen when trying to buy, hold, or ship wines from WL.

[MarkAse]

My specialist is Roland. I’m such a low quantity buyer, I don’t expect much priority out of his day. Sounds like other specialists are better, especially if your $ spend is $$$$$$.

Sounds like my Fedex rep…which seems to change on a monthly basis-this time with a cell phone # that has been disconnected lol.

In any case, I will say having run into some of the JJB folks at smaller industry events in SF-overall good people with long experiences in wine retail. Will they change your rep if you request it?

[brianmcbrearty]

Chris Greene. Highest recommendation. Saw him just today as it happens.

[Pat_Burton]

@MarkAse

Will they change your rep if you request it?

My experience indicates yes, they will.

[S_Williams]

We used to buy quite frequently from JJB (several thousand per year) but I was never really impressed with the service from my “personal” rep. (He’s no longer there.) Like others above mentioned, unless I was ordering–and those emails were processed and my card charged almost instantly–getting responses was like pulling teeth. Shipment snafus, wrong and missing bottles. They could care less and it became a major hassle to get ANY resolve.

Simply took my business elsewhere and, honestly, haven’t missed them one bit.

[Warren_Taranow]

I’ve bought through Alex Shaw since John Perry move out of sales. John was great, and Alex seems to be as well.
Several folks have mentioned WL; last I checked, they’re one of the few stores who don’t ship to Washington State.

[Ian_Dorin]

@Kirk.Grant

Ian,

I think WL has the BEST model I’ve come across. It was awesome to pick your brain when I was there and to hear the wines that peaked your interest. I also like that I’ve NEVER had anything even remotely negative or stressful happen when trying to buy, hold, or ship wines from WL.

Thanks Kirk!

The reason this thread drew me in was the concept, and how they seem to have gotten this to stick. We’ve tried a few things like this in the past but with very little response. We always try to connect and identify with customers who are a) big buyers or b) people buying off the wall cool stuff, but it seems like JJB has found a way to get those folks to connect with people up front. The easy ones to service are the one’s who say “Who’s your buyer for XXXXX”. Pretty cut and dry!

[Warren_Taranow]

@Warren Taranow

I’ve Alex Shaw since John Perry move out of sales. John was great, and Alex seems to be as well.
Several folks have mentioned WL; last I checked, they’re one of the few stores who don’t ship to Washington State.

Just revisited their site (WL); they will ship to WA. Sign me up, Ian!

[Markus_S]

@Warren Taranow

Just revisited their site (WL); they will ship to WA. Sign me up, Ian!

Alas, not NYS

[craig_v]

I think they’re a good source for wine but I’m sick of every email heading screaming “95pt wine you must have”. However many points a wine got from Parker or the Spectator doesn’t motivate me to open the offer. Give me some credit and list the producer and tell me briefly why you like it. Briefly, as NOT in Garagieste, which I will be unscribing as soon as they ship my wine. I just unscribed Zachys because thier emails are annoying too.