Buying
wines online from an online merchant should be
a totally hassle free experience; after all, there’s
no rushing out to the shop or lugging around heavy crates!
However there are certain things that you will need to watch
out for to ensure that you not only get what you want, but
that you get the best possible deal, your payments are secure
and the company delivers your purchase quickly and efficiently.
With the rise of online wine clubs and communities we are lucky
enough to be able to access multiple opinions from other customers.
Customer reviews should be the online-buyer’s best friend;
stick to merchants who display customer reviews of their products
and service. If you notice a pattern of negative reviews
or a particular problem that keeps re-appearing then it’s
best to steer clear. If you have absolutely no idea where
to start when you buy
wine online then the best thing to do is to use a
comparison website. From the huge array of sites available
it’s important to make a selection you will be happy with.
There are a few things to watch out for…
Sites that are either too cluttered or too sparse can be off putting.
No one would want to buy wine from a shop covered in dust and cobwebs
so an old fashioned website which looks like it could do with some
tlc isn’t particularly inspiring. A website with sparse information
is also a no-go, we want to we able to access delivery and payment
details easily, before we part with our money! Conversely too many
words can equal an instant headache; no one wants to be bombarded
with cluttered information. Buying wines online should be as easy
as reaching up and taking a bottle off a shelf… you wouldn’t
trawl through a stockroom looking for a particular bottle so you
shouldn’t have to do it online. It’s nice to be able
to view particular offers and refine your search but sometimes
a customer just wants to browse, so all the products should be
easy to peruse and laid out attractively. Obviously looks aren’t
everything but they’re a definite start! Merchants like Virgin
wines, Naked wines and Laithwaites wine, provide interesting, attractive
sites, which are easy to navigate and don’t swamp the customer.
Make sure the merchant makes a note of the products which are
out of stock or unavailable, it would be pretty frustrating to
spend time trying to buy something and then at the last minute
find out it’s out of stock. Avoid sites that don’t
provide shipping information, you don’t want to purchase
a product only to find out afterwards that the company can’t
deliver to you! Additionally it’s highly useful for merchants
to provide different shipping options, and a tracking process so
you can keep an eye on your order. Information about the merchant
should be on the site too, it’s nice to know who runs the
company and where it is based.
Finally, when signing up with a website or processing an order, be
aware of mailing lists - the merchant should give you the option
but it can be easy to sign up to a mailing list without realising
and then you may find yourself bombarded with a constant stream of
emails and advertisements. As long as you’re savvy, then buying
wines online should be fun and rewarding, make the most of the online
discounts to expand your tastes and wine collection. |
