Spectrum Wine Auctions

[Cris_Whetstone]

Winebid looks even more attractive.

I disagree. Spectrum works better for me. Much better shipping prices, better customer service, easier to search for things I want. Better pictures.

Those two thing are clearly untrue. The photo quality at Spectrum ranges from ok to it doesn’t look like they are trying very hard. It’s generally pretty good at WineBid. The Spectrum auction search is crap for 2022. You still have to work at it.

I’m not here to stick up for either place. Both places sound like they are trying to take a boom time and squeeze as much as they can out of it. I think they have not fully considered how much they are going to contribute softening these markets.

[YLee]

Winebid looks even more attractive.

I disagree. Spectrum works better for me. Much better shipping prices, better customer service, easier to search for things I want. Better pictures.

Those two thing are clearly untrue. The photo quality at Spectrum ranges from ok to it doesn’t look like they are trying very hard. It’s generally pretty good at WineBid. The Spectrum auction search is crap for 2022. You still have to work at it.

I’m not here to stick up for either place. Both places sound like they are trying to take a boom time and squeeze as much as they can out of it. I think they have not fully considered how much they are going to contribute softening these markets.

Well as I said, it’s just my preference. I gave up on searching for anything on winebid.

[Alex_Valdes]

Winebid looks even more attractive.

I disagree. Spectrum works better for me. Much better shipping prices, better customer service, easier to search for things I want. Better pictures.

Those two thing are clearly untrue. The photo quality at Spectrum ranges from ok to it doesn’t look like they are trying very hard. It’s generally pretty good at WineBid. The Spectrum auction search is crap for 2022. You still have to work at it.

I’m not here to stick up for either place. Both places sound like they are trying to take a boom time and squeeze as much as they can out of it. I think they have not fully considered how much they are going to contribute softening these markets.

Selection isn’t bad but of all the players, for me it’s clearly the worst experience

[Joe_W_i_n_o_g_r_a_d]

How do you get $41? $41 x 22% is $9.02. $45 x 22% $9.90. Only at $46 do you cover the min

You are right - sorry.

[Cris_Whetstone]

I disagree. Spectrum works better for me. Much better shipping prices, better customer service, easier to search for things I want. Better pictures.

Those two thing are clearly untrue. The photo quality at Spectrum ranges from ok to it doesn’t look like they are trying very hard. It’s generally pretty good at WineBid. The Spectrum auction search is crap for 2022. You still have to work at it.

I’m not here to stick up for either place. Both places sound like they are trying to take a boom time and squeeze as much as they can out of it. I think they have not fully considered how much they are going to contribute softening these markets.

Well as I said, it’s just my preference. I gave up on searching for anything on winebid.

I’d love to know your gripe. I thought WineBid did great with their search selections. They give you every possible selection as a mere click on the left. They also made favorite searches easy to save and access. Its been this way for at least a few years now. I haven’t even had to type anything into the search bar for a long time. For certain, everything at Spectrum requires typing into the search bar or you are stuck scrolling for hours.

[Arv_R]

I suspect its just that vintage fine wine sales doesn’t scale, even if they have a website. So they have to pay more for this specialized labor involved. At some level auction houses are always going to have the throttle that they need staff who can evaluate all this arcana accurately. If a platform/vendor/merchant doesn’t want to pay for that skill, they’ll just suffer higher turnover as well as angry buyers (i.e. chargebacks).

My LWS has lost its last two managers in the last two years, and only now gotten a replacement (from a liquor store) and he’s in shell shock.

=======

I can’t really understand griping about Winebid’s search / UX etc.

[Ken_B_r_o_w_n]

For a website that lists ‘Earth’ as one item on their Country and Appellation list, I am surprised they are still in business. As a 2022 gift to their customers, I wish they would cancel the website and send out the inventory on mimeographed sheets. It’d still be a better experience than the website.

[Dennis_Atick]

Biggest plus at Spectrum for me used to be grabbing a bottle here or there and adding additional bottles from retail with no additional shipping charges. Retail ships free if you have auction winnings. Used to be able to do ok with that.

[Alex_Valdes]

For a website that lists ‘Earth’ as one item on their Country and Appellation list, I am surprised they are still in business. As a 2022 gift to their customers, I wish they would cancel the website and send out the inventory on mimeographed sheets. It’d still be a better experience than the website.

[ToddFrench]

Tried to find the answer in this older thread but couldn’t find it…one issue I wonder about is buyer’s premium - minimum $10 - I assume that’s per lot? Silly if so as they have SO many single bottle lots in the $20-40 range

[Nate_Simon]

@ToddFrench

I assume that’s per lot?

It is per auction item. Yes, since most items are singles, it is quite steep for lower priced bottles.

[Joe_W_i_n_o_g_r_a_d]

Yes it’s per lot.

[ToddFrench]

That’s crazy - why have all these silly single-bottle lots? (well, I understand from Spectrum’s perspective, but not their customers!)

[Pat_Martin]

It is annoying and a major impediment to bidding on cheap lots, but some stuff is priced so low, it’s still a good deal even with a $10 premium per bottle.

[Nate_Simon]

@Pat_Martin

Some stuff is priced so low, it’s still a good deal even with a $10 premium per bottle.

True. If the buyer knows the rules going in (requires reading the fine print), it can still get you some good prices. I’ve certainly gotten some.
No question, though, it scares off some bids, and I’m reticent to take a chance at what would otherwise be attractively priced, if somewhat speculative, wines.
Their business, they set the rules, I guess.
Interested to know if anyone here has inquired about the policy and/or encouraged them to modify it.

[CFu]

makes sense to me, not many auction houses will even bother taking these cheap $20-30 bottles. So to incentive taking pictures, storing the wines etc they gotta make a little extra money off them.

Easier for them to sell them in singles than sell them in 6 packs. Not many people are buying those same wines in 6 pack + quantities

[David_K2]

Agree. I think the alternative is not having the wines on offer at all. Just not worth it to the auctioneer. I have no issue with it.

[MThomasMartin]

There are some lots priced at less than $5. Some of these are actually nice bottles. So for $15 ish, you can get a nice wine.

[Tico_D]

No issue here either. I find many wines priced in the $20-$30 range that are easily $70 at retailers, and sometimes higher direct from winery. The $10 minimum BP is still well worth it.