How hard is it? Shipping wine

OK, this isn't major, but I gotta kvetch a bit. It astonishes me the number of wine stores and wineries that can't handle shipping. I don't order much winery direct, but every summer I have friends who get unexpected shipments in the heat.

My latest was a retailer. I got a wine from Chambers St that I loved (Chambers is great about shipping, but I usually pick up). CSW had sold out before I reordered. Found a few more bottles at Grapes/Posner, tried another, decided I needed a case but Daniel was also sold out. Checked Winesearcher, no place I had a relationship had the wine in stock. Ordered from a RI winestore online. Got autoconfirmation. After about 5 days emailed to inquire if this would be shipped. No response, but 2 days later got the FedEx shipping/tracking info.
The problem was that despite having my office as shipping address, they were sending to my home (billing address) and I was in GA (and Betsy had a concert that day). Luckily it was FedEx, I was able to redirect to a FedEx Office where I got when I returned (my experience is that redirecting is harder with UPS).

No harm done. But how hard is it to ship to the shipping address listed on order (a business address, so would have been cheaper for them!)? I realize shipping packers aren't highly paid, but can't a supervisor just do a quick check? This is probably the 5th or 6th time that a retailer has sent wine to my house.

Correct address, correct wine, no weather holds. 3 things - how hard is it?

So concludes this segment of Complaining about First World Problems.

[David M. Bueker]

Interesting. I have a much harder time with redirecting FedEx. Dealing with one of those right now - 17 mile detour to the nearest place they will let me redirect to.

For some reason this spring the wineries have been lax in sending "your wine has shipped" emails. Had a few surprise UPS door tags.

[Jenise]

I feel your pain, Dale, and I also 100% agree re Fed Ex. UPS is my last choice shipper. The round trip for me on collecting a redirected shipment is about about 45 and 50 miles respectively so not much different, but UPS is only open for pickups Tues thru Fri, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and that's IT. Moreover, a redirect or placing a hold pre-delivery costs $5 and a hold only lasts five days, where if you let them attempt to deliver it and then drive it around for two days, they'll then default to holding it for five days for a total delivery delay of 7 days. And all that extra trouble on their part is free.

Meanwhile, if it's FedEx, redirects are free and easy to make, and it goes to a Kinko's that's open 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

I used to have to drive about 15-20 miles for a FedEx pickup facility but they now have a location much closer. UPS has a facility near Fayetteville Airport that is a reasonable distance. I missed a FedEx home delivery last week when I was home all day Friday until 6:30 PM and they tried to deliver it sometime later that evening. I ended up asking them to hold it at the local facility because I was out Saturday when they stopped by and was going out Monday evening. Also asked UPS to hold at local facility but they had it on the truck and caught me at home Monday afternoon so that saved me a trip to the facility near the airport. All the shipments I'm receiving now remind me that I have to cut back on my wine purchasing (I keep saying that and don't follow through very well.)

[David M. Bueker]

All the shipments I'm receiving now remind me that I have to cut back on my wine purchasing (I keep saying that and don't follow through very well.)

You and me both!

Reverse here. The UPS guy parks in front of my building, I get my packages all the time, any way I want.

FedEx, on the other hand, are a bunch of inflexible a-holes. They don't know me, they don't know the neighborhood, they won't let me redirect my packages to their nearby store, the make me travel way, way, way out of my way. I avoid them if at all possible.

Reverse here. The UPS guy parks in front of my building, I get my packages all the time, any way I want.

FedEx, on the other hand, are a bunch of inflexible a-holes. They don't know me, they don't know the neighborhood, they won't let me redirect my packages to their nearby store, the make me travel way, way, way out of my way. I avoid them if at all possible.

When I order wine, I'm never given the option of choosing FedEx or UPS. That's generally a chocie made by
the shipping winery. Is that not generally the case??
Tom

Reverse here. The UPS guy parks in front of my building, I get my packages all the time, any way I want.

FedEx, on the other hand, are a bunch of inflexible a-holes. They don't know me, they don't know the neighborhood, they won't let me redirect my packages to their nearby store, the make me travel way, way, way out of my way. I avoid them if at all possible.

When I order wine, I'm never given the option of choosing FedEx or UPS. That's generally a chocie made by
the shipping winery. Is that not generally the case??
Tom

Usually, but not always. Sometimes they just have a preferred vendor but they'll work with the other on your request.

There are a few retailers which offer choices of carriers on dropdown at checkout, but only a few

FedEx vs UPS will vary according to your location and local depot, where you are on route list, your local driver, etc. Though afaik UPS won't let recipient change destination till after delivery attempt. I'm lucky that I have good drivers for UPS, FedEx Express, & FedEx ground). But that' s all dependent for me on the damned store using the DELIVERY address.