klezman wrote:Now you're just going all semantic on us

Never would I do such a thing!

mschauber wrote:I asked in a # of offer threads but never received an answer...

When does summer shipping start?

That greatly affects whether or not I place some orders now since I know the wine will sit in delivery trucks at minimum for a few hours and often a few days.

I know the feeling... It is 90 here and my pedrocelli 3 shipments are on their way..... keeping my fingers crossed!

Winedavid39 wrote:Yea, there really is alot going on.

i can tell you without hesitation that wine integrity is by far the most important consideration. the amount or ratio of "spoilage" is, in my opinion, bay far the best in the industry. I'll stand by that claim til the cows come home. We've gotten really good at it.

and movement and timing of when to release the packages is a very big part of the dance. so for example, we will hold a package going to the east coast until Thurday even if it's ready on say monday because we've identified that the package will be in almost continual movement during the delivery process to the east coast when departing on Thursday. and not sitting in a warehouse on a weekend. So the delays you are seeing are to a degree by design.

logistics is cool !

And I appreciate all you do to make sure my orders don't arrive "cooked"!! Thanks!

Winedavid39 wrote:Yea, there really is alot going on.

i can tell you without hesitation that wine integrity is by far the most important consideration. the amount or ratio of "spoilage" is, in my opinion, bay far the best in the industry. I'll stand by that claim til the cows come home. We've gotten really good at it.

and movement and timing of when to release the packages is a very big part of the dance. so for example, we will hold a package going to the east coast until Thurday even if it's ready on say monday because we've identified that the package will be in almost continual movement during the delivery process to the east coast when departing on Thursday. and not sitting in a warehouse on a weekend. So the delays you are seeing are to a degree by design.

logistics is cool !

WD,
You mention delaying transport for east coast deliveries. That makes sense. Except that multiple times since the weather has been hot, tracking info has shown it arrived at the FedEx depot and on truck for delivery Friday evening. So it ends up being in a hot truck for 60 hrs before delivery. Most recently, the Pedroncelli Sonoma County Port 500ml and Port Wine Lover’s Dark Chocolate. That arrived at a NJ Location last night (Th) and isn't set for delivery until Monday. I've been in both the NJ and NYC FedEx depots. Even in the dead of winter they are 75 degrees or hotter.

I know you have a great corked bottle replacement policy. But what happens when I open a bottle months or years after delivery? While I may be storing the wine appropriately, there's no way for you to know that. So unless I were to open every bottle shortly after delivery, there's no way to know if it's corked.

I'd also strongly urge you to go to summer shipping starting in April. It's very sad that fall, winter, and spring are very short seasons these day (thank you those who don't believe in global warming and hate those who love to ski,) but April through November are essentially hot months now and personally I'd rather pay a little more for shipping yet know that the wine has actually stayed at a proper temperature from the winery all the way to my glass (or wine locker.)

Thanks.

A co-worker just received delivery on the Pendroncelli mixed case. She ordered hours after I placed mine, and my tracking info still shows no action. Guess WineDavid thinks the thermostat in my office is currently set too high for delivery....

REF: Pedroncelli mixed case red wine deal (May 2)

let me add my .02 to this shipping discussion. I bought 2 cases about an hour apart on may 2; one for me in OH and one as a gift sent to NY. The NY wine arrived yesterday while my wine is somewhere in limbo. Have a tracking number but no movement. Seems odd.

Interestingly, based on WD comment about East Coast destinations, the NY-bound wine originated from California on a Thursday (5/3) and was delivered to NY the next Thursday (5/10)...

I know...Blame George Bush

mcc17ss wrote:REF: Pedroncelli mixed case red wine deal (May 2)

let me add my .02 to this shipping discussion. I bought 2 cases about an hour apart on may 2; one for me in OH and one as a gift sent to NY. The NY wine arrived yesterday while my wine is somewhere in limbo. Have a tracking number but no movement. Seems odd.

Interestingly, based on WD comment about East Coast destinations, the NY-bound wine originated from California on a Thursday (5/3) and was delivered to NY the next Thursday (5/10)...

I know...Blame George Bush

It's easy to blame everything on a evil man like 'W'... But I don't think this is one of the things that he purposely did to undermine the people of our country.

I too ordered the mixed case, live in NYC, and have seen NO movement on the tracking. Info received 5/3/12 at 1:32am, then NOTHING. Pedroncelli Dry Creek Valley Petite Sirah info received 5/7/12 at 9:06pm, nothing since, yet the Pedroncelli Sonoma County Port 500ml that also showed info received at 5/7/12 at 9:06pm, has arrived in NJ and is set for delivery 5/14/12.

There definitely seems to be a real lack of consistency.

Update for WD

The fedex tracker updated overnight. It says the wine originated in KC, MO on the 12th (today) and will be delivered to OH on the 15th. Still under 2 weeks overall.
Thanks for the response and looking forward to this great deal...

***********************
May 12, 2012 7:17 AM Left FedEx origin facility
KANSAS CITY, MO

May 12, 2012 5:04 AM Arrived at FedEx location KANSAS CITY, MO

May 12, 2012 Picked up KANSAS CITY, MO

May 3, 2012 6:05 PM Shipment information sent to FedEx

I think what we need to take away from WD's comments is that we don't Need to know how Willy Wonka makes the everlasting gobstoppers; we just need to enjoy them.

kylemittskus wrote:I think what we need to take away from WD's comments is that we don't Need to know how Willy Wonka makes the everlasting gobstoppers; we just need to enjoy them.

Let's just be thankful he isn't using biodynamic logistics.

kylemittskus wrote:I think what we need to take away from WD's comments is that we don't Need to know how Willy Wonka makes the everlasting gobstoppers; we just need to enjoy them.

I agree for myself, especially being within the 1-2 day shipping zone for WCC. I think maybe for those who are more anxious or need to know more for planning purposes here's a (potentially easy) suggestion for WD and his dev team - have a w.w.-side package status that has a few useful milestones:
-Location of the wine (e.g. en route to WCC, with FedEx, somewhere in limbo)
-label printed with link to tracking number
-estimated packing date for the boxes
-estimated shipping date for the boxes, including whether to the end stage carrier or to a different carrier (e.g. the refrigerated trucks going across the country). This includes info on a weather hold or other delays.
-Estimated arrival date of the package to the final shipper (almost always FedEx now, yes?)

This layout just helps make it clear to those who care where the delays in the system may be and if a particular package is delayed due to random FedEx crap or a weather hold on WD's end. Hopefully it would also cut down on the shipping-related kvetching If you stop to think about it, WD is shipping on the order of 5000-15000 shipments a week...and that we all get our wine relatively speedily is an amazing triumph on his part.

kylemittskus wrote:I think what we need to take away from WD's comments is that we don't Need to know how Willy Wonka makes the everlasting gobstoppers; we just need to enjoy them.

I don't care what the logistics are at WW's end concerning the shipping. I just want an email sent when the wine is being shipped. That way I can track it and make arrangements to have someone at home to sign for it. I don't want an email telling me a label was generated because too often it sits in limbo till whenever. And...I don't want an email telling me it is being shipped to only find that it was delivered that day. Pretty simple.

jmdavidson wrote:I don't care what the logistics are at WW's end concerning the shipping. I just want an email sent when the wine is being shipped. That way I can track it and make arrangements to have someone at home to sign for it. I don't want an email telling me a label was generated because too often it sits in limbo till whenever. And...I don't want an email telling me it is being shipped to only find that it was delivered that day. Pretty simple.

If you get a label creation notification before the package moves, then you can easily check on a daily basis to make your delivery plans. Just keep a browser window open with a tab for each order and refresh as you wish.

North316 wrote:Let's just be thankful he isn't using biodynamic logistics.

Buwhahaha

Winedavid39 wrote:with all due respect i wouldn't call it lack of consistency, rather it's behind the scenes moves on a large quantity of packages designed to create efficiencies so that one can price and deliver a case for 104.99.

i'm looking into the pedroncelli port move specifics. i know that there is a very short window, weather wise, where our ops team has the freedom to ship "willy nilly" and freight moves right when the label is affixed. March/April historically can be in that period. those packages may have fell under that time frame.

also, when wine is impacted by extreme temperature (cold or hot) it most always gives an indication. i.e. cork protrusion and or leakage. if you see either of these, absolutely contact service@woot.com.

straight from the vineyard delivery of wine to your door, i've always argued, is the best, least invasive way to recieve wine. Better than traditional 3 tier.

thanks,

Here's the link for tracking of the port. You'll see that as we speak it is on a truck out for delivery. Yet FedEx doesn't deliver on Sat or Sun

http://www.faranow.com/track/FedEx/747796862814254

Thanks for looking into it.

Winedavid39 wrote:Manure filled horns were not used in the shipping of your wines.

I see nothing here about quartz...

I generally don't care when the stuff gets here. But it's taken long enough now that I'm leaving town tomorrow and I won't be back for a week. My tracking pages all say this:


Hold at FedEx Location service is not available for this shipment.

Doesn't that mean I can't have it delivered to a fedex store? I'm good with that for a solution if it works.

I have three cases: one scheduled to be delivered tomorrow(Pedroncelli 1 of 2), one scheduled to ship on May 3(pedroncelli 2 of 2) and one scheduled to ship on May 2 (Copa del Rey from the 4/25 wootoff).

saschabates wrote: My tracking pages all say this:


Hold at FedEx Location service is not available for this shipment.

Are you sure that they ALL say this? I have found that option is not available until the package has actually been picked up and begun shipping. From that point, until the day (or day before, I can't remember) it is supposed to arrive, the option should be available, so you may want to look closer. I know it is not idea, but the option should also be available directly following the first failed delivery attempt (this could mean the wine sitting in a truck overnight though, not ideal).

Oh. Well aren't you clever? You're totally right. My drama meter just went way down. I haz releefs.

North316 wrote:Are you sure that they ALL say this? I have found that option is not available until the package has actually been picked up and begun shipping. From that point, until the day (or day before, I can't remember) it is supposed to arrive, the option should be available, so you may want to look closer. I know it is not idea, but the option should also be available directly following the first failed delivery attempt (this could mean the wine sitting in a truck overnight though, not ideal).

Re the Pedroncelli, I placed one order for two cases going to the same address. One arrived and the other didn't. (One tracking number said it'd come 5/14 and it arrived 5/11, the other says nothing) Is this a "spread the love" tactic so everyone gets one case before anyone gets two? Or at some point should I wonder if a case got lost on the way?

Hi WineDavid, just wanted to drop my two cents over here based on your comments on the main thread.

I don't really care about how long it normally takes for woots to get here, but I find the really worrisome time of year to be when I order right about now and the Woots don't end up shipping till June when temperatures are very high.

Often we are already in the mid-90s here in Texas by this point, this year isn't as bad as last year. I've had a few Woots ordered in this "right before summer shipping starts" gap that have gotten cooked.

I guess I'd like to feel more confident in ordering around this time of year. It'd be great if we could hold woots through summer (I know that would be a huge hassle though), or at least choose to get summer shipping early.

My personal experience after about two dozen woots and an equal number of shipments from competitors is this.

I get an email from the company I paid my money to (woot in this case) telling me something like:

Your order for 1 Copa Del Rey Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon on 04/25/2012 has been recently shipped via FEDEX.

and giving me a FEDEX tracking number. (Same thing for companies that use UPS.

I know that this means that a tracking number has been generated, not that the package has actually moved into the hands of FedEx/UPS. At this point I can go to the shipper and set up email alerts that will be sent from FedEx (or UPS).Personally, I don't usually do that.

I work out of my home so someone is almost always here. The robo lady at FedEx usually calls here a day or so ahead of time and tells me a shipment is coming. I say usually because I am not always here to answer the phone and my answering machine or their robo thingy may not record a message if I am not here to watch for it. Not sure it is their fault or mine...but the net is that I almost always get I call, I think. Sometimes my wife answers and she forgets to tell me... well you get the idea.

If it is important to me, I sign up for email alerts from the FedEx/UPS folks.

Since I have to be sure to be here to sign for the thing, I keep a Excel sheet with the list of incoming wine shipments. I just check for the ship dates and estimated arrival (I have found both companies to be very accurate in their estimated arrival date once the package is underway).

Suggestion: It would be simpler and save me a little time if the company to whom I paid my money (woot in this case) sent me an email when the shipment actually occured OR pre-requested that FedEx/UPS send me that notification when they actually received the package.

Issues that I have encountered:
1) I have had one package go missing - happend on the delivery truck. The delivery dude got in a hurry, grabbed the wrong package by mistake and left it on someone else's doorstep...went back the next day and...gone...woot service case in progress on that one.
2) I have had a situation (wine coming in today) where the package arrived in Colorado Springs on Saturday in the wee hours and was loaded on the delivery truck on Saturday. It has been sitting on the truck from 3:16am Saturday. We had cool weather here this weekend (rain, sleet, snow) so I am more worried about the temps in the truck as it rolled across the US last week (New Jersey to Colorado) than I am about the temps in that delivery truck this weekend. I will get more concerned about things as the weather warms up... (this is not a wine woot shipment).

Bottom line - nothing horrendous has happened (pending resolution of the lost shipment). Once the wine gets over to FedEx it only seems to take 3-4 days to get to me. No cooked or frozen wine so far.

i am appreciative of all wine woot does and is! I am also concerned for my Ped. Port and chocolate cause my fed ex notification says it was loaded onto a truck on May 12 and sat in the truck in Roanoke all weekend to be delivered today. I have only been a member since late Feb so I have not had to encounter the hazards of warm weather delivery yet. Once again, I appreciate the great customer service and all WD does to make this such a worthwhile place to get great prices on terrific wine and delivery right to my door!!

Here's a weird one for ya...my Scott Harvey 1869 Vineyard Zinfandel is getting shipped from Kansas City, Missouri!
http://www.fedex.com/Tracking?tracknumbers=747796862779430
What's up with that? Since when is Scott working out of Missouri???

Just tell me it ain't some bottles that have been stashed in someone's storage shed...

I am sure there is a logical explanation, but there has got to be a good story behind it!

liverman wrote:Here's a weird one for ya...my Scott Harvey 1869 Vineyard Zinfandel is getting shipped from Kansas City, Missouri!
http://www.fedex.com/Tracking?tracknumbers=747796862779430
What's up with that? Since when is Scott working out of Missouri???

Just tell me it ain't some bottles that have been stashed in someone's storage shed...

I am sure there is a logical explanation, but there has got to be a good story behind it!

My Pedroncelli case, and Copa Del Rey Cab are also coming from KC. I'm wondering if it was cheaper/safer/easier for WCC to ship a ton of Midwest/East Coast orders directly to the KC hub for shipment (maybe in a refrigerated truck) and then pay Fed Ex to do the leg work from there.

North316 wrote:My Pedroncelli case, and Copa Del Rey Cab are also coming from KC. I'm wondering if it was cheaper/safer/easier for WCC to ship a ton of Midwest/East Coast orders directly to the KC hub for shipment (maybe in a refrigerated truck) and then pay Fed Ex to do the leg work from there.

I am guessing it is a reefer shipment CA->KC and from there via regular ground to the destination. Three other shipments that were in FedEx limbo with a tracking number but no action on the ground magically showed up yesterday with a actual shipment date...again from KC, MO.

Destinations are probably anything east of the Rockies. All my previous orders have progressed from Sacramento through Nevada thence to Denver and then to me. I bet anything east follows that same route to Denver. I think that ride through Nevada and Utah is mighty warm already :-)

Received 2 shipments today. In one of the shipments 2 of the bottles had raised corks. I do not know if this is because of the weather, but lets get this climate controlled shipping started. A couple of extra dollars to protect this wine is well worth it. I hate contacting Woot for things that aren't their problem, even though they are stellar people to work with.

EDIT: disregard some of my mindless ranting. I opened the 1 bottle and it tasted fine, however I am ready to get climate controlled shipments especially out here in the desert.

First a kudos to the code monkeys! Now an assortment of ship-to locations and billing options seem to be implemented.
However;
Order Status in STUFF YOU BOUGHT still pretty much sucks, as I've received, on Friday, a shipment that still reports
Status: Awaiting Shipping
Thankfully it just goes to FedEx, but not all are so lucky.
Hopefully improvements here too are in the works.
Thanks WD, we do appreciate your your efforts, and the $5 summer shipping too...

In an interesting development, I received a shipping notice this morning for my Page Cellars order from 5/16. When I clicked on the tracking link, it seems it was already delivered, this morning, via UPS (not Fed-Ex). Apparently, UPS left it at my front door, which should be interesting given that I live in a building with 96 units and no doorman. I wonder if it will actually be there when I get home this evening? Anyone want to take bets??

karenhynes wrote:In an interesting development, I received a shipping notice this morning for my Page Cellars order from 5/16. When I clicked on the tracking link, it seems it was already delivered, this morning, via UPS (not Fed-Ex).

I also received an email at 1:06 pm this afternoon with UPS tracking numbers for my Page Cellars order. Because I was "in for 2," I actually received two separate tracking numbers - apparently they did not combine the four bottles into one box.

I live in Harlem, and in general I greatly prefer UPS. I know my delivery man well, and he consistently delivers between 6:30pm and 7:30pm, which is great for me. FedEx is totally random, and they OFTEN claim a delivery exception because no-one was home, when in fact I have been here waiting all day for the delivery!

But in the case of wine, I do suspect my 7:30pm delivery has been riding around town in a van for 8-12 hours.

I use Junecloud Sync/Delivery Status to track packages, and that works really well on a mac/iPhone/iPad combo. Last week I was working at my Mac and Delivery Status pinged a FedEx delivery exception from 4 minutes earlier. So I called up FedEx to tell them I was, in fact, home, and where was my package?! The fact that I was alerted so quickly made a big difference to the credibility of my complaint.

blakewoot wrote:I also received an email at 1:06 pm this afternoon with UPS tracking numbers for my Page Cellars order. Because I was "in for 2," I actually received two separate tracking numbers - apparently they did not combine the four bottles into one box.

Yes, the Page seems to have been packaged in one-woot-lots, as I too received two boxes last week.

My "stuff you bought" still says it not shipped.

I had never had an issue with shipping (except that the last four or five shipments have consistently come a day before fedex tracking estimates their arrival) until I read this thread. At first I was like, "man I am glad that this kind of stuff doesn't happen to me." Then my pagex2 showed up and was dropped off on my doorstep without any tracking number being delivered while I was out of town and it was 90*. Still says it's awaiting shipping on stuff you bought. It's a good thing to have great neighbors! I guess this type of thing can happen to anybody and solidifies my conviction to my siwbm until the fall.

I bought the Wellington Cab Franc and Port on the plus deals and it appears the shipping is much better this summer. I received the notice late last week before it was shipped. The wine is shipped two day air and within 24 hours, it was picked up in California and arrived in Denver with a brief stop in Tennessee. Delivery will be tomorrow by 430pm at less than 48 hours transit time. I'm not sure if all Wine.woots will have this delivery (or if it's just this particular plus deal) but I am very impressed! The only minor complaint is that both pairs were shipped separately so I had to fill out two 'Hold at Fedex' requests and I'll have double the boxes to recycle.
So if anyone is still worried about summer shipping, WineDavid seems to be taking care of the wine for us.

Since I set up my CT account in March, I have spent $1,967.90 at wine.woot. I myself was surprised by the total, but I guess that's what happens when you start building a collection! I live in NYC, and considering the distance the wine must travel and the size of my investment, the shipping logistics are of great interest to me.

On May 30th, I received four bottles from Page Cellars, and three of them were cooked. They came via UPS ground, and I suspect the damage occurred on the delivery day, as they had been in an unrefrigerated truck for about 12 hours and the outside actemperature was in the 80s. I emailed service@woot.com, and they graciously offered refund or replacement.

While I appreciate the great service from woot in taking care of the problem, I was thinking that I should probably cool it on the summer wine buying, but I had already ordered another bunch of wine. So I have been waiting for my large shipment of Wellington and X wines with some trepidation. I am extremely happy to report: five boxes arrived in NYC today via FedEx two-day air, and everything is in perfect condition.

I am very impressed that the summer shipping really does make a difference, and my faith in the entire process here is restored and actually improved. I'm sure FedEx two-day air service is significantly more expensive than UPS ground, and yet I was not charged any additional shipping fee.

I thought it would be worth sharing all this, in light of the concerns raised on the boards lately, and the suggestions from some people that they might not buy during the summer. To summarize my position: I buy a lot of wine from woot, I live far away, and am VERY HAPPY with the summer shipping program. Kudos to Winedavid, winecountryconnect, and the entire winewoot team. I almost feel like ordering MORE wine under the summer shipping program!

I use tracking info with my order information under "stuff you bought" . So far tracking info and deliveries have been dead on, no gliches.

Today I received Henson Syrah 3 pack ordered on 5/29. This is the good part. It shipped 6/11/12, received 6/13/12...2 DAY SHIPPING!

Checked my Black Zeppelin, it was ordered 6/4/12, shipped 6/12/12, and should receive it tomorrow, 6/14/12, again marked 2 DAY SHIPPING.

Both Fedex shipping /tracking invoices generated on WW designated 2 Day Shipping.

All I can say Yeah! BTW, I live in Ohio and as everyone can see, I don't have a "black box" ...yet

Just sharing what I am experiencing now. Not sure if any others are....doesn't sound like it though.

Why don't the new shipping notification emails have the tracking numbers in the email? It seems like an extra step or two to click the stuff i bought link and possibly have to log in to see the tracking number.

cortot20 wrote:Why don't the new shipping notification emails have the tracking numbers in the email? It seems like an extra step or two to click the stuff i bought link and possibly have to log in to see the tracking number.

Agreed, this seems to be a major oversight on their part. Use the beta feedback button next to your login name to request they go back to including the tracking.

Personally, I use faranow.com and have delivery notices from woot automatically forwarded to faranow and included in my account so I get all notifications. Unfortunately without the tracking info in the email, there's nothing for faranow to parse out of it