My response to the VM debacle is that one can only assume that they have surmised that wine drinkers (and buyers) don't communicate and therefore there is no risk of issues arising between the "haves' and the 'have-nots'. In the wonderful world of the interweb that is scarcely plausible....
AC, you attempt to value your argument by debasing me personally, pretty ordinary stuff I suggest.
I don't care what they do, already said that.
My buying habits have become more selective and thoughtful these days,
My opinion remains , it was an ill conceived bit of pr that will probably result in losing sales rather than increasing them.
Finally , you are doing the 'fo no favours by canvassing the matter in such an aggressive manner.
You keep batting the ball and I will keep patting it back
The '08 Cab and Shiraz Shirvingtons are up now on VM. I've picked up a 6 pack of the '08 Shiraz which seems to rate well on Vivino. I was told by my broker that they're just about to put up the '07 vintages of each too.
It seems to be just that ( a face slap) ; a divisive and largely negative business decision poorly planned and executed.
Disenfranchising customers who have previously been rewarded for loyalty without explanation is poor business.
What do they achieve ?
It seems quite bizarre given that one of the attractions of the 'fo has been their building of loyalty by positive reinforcement.
Now they go overboard with negative reinforcement.
Someone has stuffed up...
Frequent flyer programs discriminate , but they do it transparently on clearly available terms and conditions.
Still following this thread with some degree of interest, it's funny how something as seemingly insignificant as postage/shipping costs can rapidly become a source of friction amongst our esteemed members.
I tend to only deal with online retailers whose shipping costs are low or non-existent so it IS a factor in my purchasing requirements and VM's are very reasonable when looked at in terms of their competitors.
Still following this thread with some degree of interest, it's funny how something as seemingly insignificant as postage/shipping costs can rapidly become a source of friction amongst our esteemed members.
Has anyone have any first-hand experience with this one? I could be wrong, since I havent put much effort in, but with the 'new' reviews floating around I take it to be [h=1]2016 Haselgrove Il Padrone Shiraz[/h]
https://www.vinomofo.com/wines/red-wine/black-market-deal-shiraz-2016-25510
Pretty sure that's it. Mine is on the way.
nice, i grabbed a case - I have been chasing some Catkin, but this may be an even better choice.
Thanks chonka and redbigot you guys were spot on mine arrived today.Thanks for the heads up, I boomed; been waiting myself. Cheers Rug
I'm a huge fan! Big, black, powerful and oaky. Needs a good hour or so in the decanter though to settle down, but i have had every vintage since 2010 and it just keeps getting better. I buy mine from winedirect.com.au as they have had it for years. they charge $20 a bottle, but its free delivery if you get 2x 6 packs. They have the same returns policy which I have used many times, so makes a bit more sense. I love these guys and when they have something that mof_ do as well, they will quite often price match. The link to the secret pack for $120 a 6 pack is below along with the link to the product for tasting notes. IMHO a stunning McLaren Shiraz and the best vintage to date and I'll continue to buy it from these lot. However for anything they don't have, I still love VM.
Secret Super Premium McLaren Vale Shiraz 6 pack - $120
Hi Kevviek; I bought a case late last year and was not impressed although there were others who given its points must think its ok at least. I tried one a month with aeration but no real improvement. Different taste buds and palates dictates not all of us will agree on a wine but thats the joy of the wine journey. Cheers Rug
I cracked one of these last night and I think the weight of expectations may have gotten to me. Perhaps it's too young or perhaps I drank it too quickly but I found it quite sour. Interesting that it's under cork. Based on other viewpoints I'll try another one next week and reserve final judgement until then...
nice, wasnt 100% sure due to price - let us know the verdict please
Most smart e-tailers/wineries who charge for delivery charge less than the actual cost of shipping, many choose to have lower prices plus freight unless you buy more than a certain amount. It's a shock to see the real cost sometimes, when a winery with desirable offerings charges full rate or when an Aus Post parcel turns u with a price sticker on it.
Mine have fallen away too I must admit, but I still get a little jittery when a red hot deal comes around and free shipping isn't on offer (Sexton Merlot from Giant Steps being a case in point), I'm just a common garden variety of VIM but that's OK with me.My VM buying habits have certainly reduced in the last 12-24 months but i don't remember missing any deals i wanted to buy in that time by waiting either.
I get VIM emails but didn't receive the latest offer, spent about $1,300 last 12 months, but haven't paid for shipping anyway so couldn't care less.
It's not about the free shipping.
Where was the outrage when VM introduced VIM in the first place? Nowhere.
So, why is this any different?
To be honest I didn't see any massive advantage when the VIM first tier came around, most of the wines under the "exclusive offer" banner were too pricey for the more budget-minded buyer like myself to take up, in any case, I think free shipping 24/7 is obviously important to those that missed out and that's the difference.
As RedBigot said, there's no such thing as "free shipping" - NexDay still needs to be paid, and as a buyer you pay for it in higher prices or less choice (aka some deals aren't economical for VM to offer anymore). It appears they've crunched the numbers, and if you buy at least a certain amount of stuff (or maybe if you buy more of the higher priced stuff that has better margins), they can "waive" the shipping by eating into their margin. But rest assured, they're still making enough money off you to justify their investment.
Budget-minded buyers probably aren't their end-state target market TBH. You need to be the equivalent of a Walmart, or an Amazon.com to compete in that space. It's just about making pennies on the dollar, but selling many dollars worth of stuff. Unless you can shift more than anyone else, you just get beaten buy the next guy that can sell for $0.01 less.
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