Comments on: A nickel’s worth of truth

By: Tish

Tish — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:30:52 +0000

Excellent post and comments, Arthur. It is also worth noting that it is the 100-point scale that made this kerfuffle all possible. And it is deception (or even perceived deception) such as this which is souring people on ratings in general.

Like Wine Evangelist, I have moet Wilfred and consider him to have an excellent palate and be a professional of integrity. As far as the shadiness of the nickel program goes, I trust that it falls on Corporate BevMo.

By: Jack Rose

Jack Rose — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:57:32 +0000

Perhaps I am missing something in all these repies. Yes, it is always buyer beware, yes, you should have already checked the prices locally. I live in California, and for the most part there are some good wines at Bevmo during the 5 cent sale,where the prices are not inflated. for instance, a 2006 Beringer Napa Valley sauvigon blanc for $12 is the standard retail price. Get a second bottle for 5 cents is a good deal.

What you have to watch out for are all of labels you have never seen any place else; except Bevmo.

By: Wine Evangelist

Wine Evangelist — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:25:34 +0000

This is being beat to death but I never said the consumer was wrong – just that consumers need to be aware.

By: Larry Chandler

Larry Chandler — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:12:25 +0000

There is a difference here. Ads that say “Merlot, 95 points” or “Delicious Cabernet” are hype or puffery and are perfectly fine. They are value judgments and can and should be taken with the proverbial grain of salt.

It’s also fine for a wine shop to decide to sell a wine at whatever price they choose (within their agreements with the wholesaler or winery.)

But it is not fine to provide a false “original” price simply to give the appearance of a bigger bargain. It’s actually illegal in several states, which is why you see phrases such as “sold elsewhere for” or “intermediate markdowns have been taken.”

It’s not that a retailer has to offer the best price. Wineries mostly sell at list prices and a store can say “winery price is this, our price is that.” But don’t, in effect, say “we sold this wine yesterday for $50 but today it’s $25″ when in fact you always sold it at $30.

Buyer beware is a good policy to follow in general everywhere. But the wine business is and should be subject to the same rules of truth in advertising as any other business.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:10:23 +0000

I’m not angry. I just don’t see the need to excuse BevMo if they did, indeed, do something wrong. The excuses seem even feebler if BevMo is breaking the law. I’m not sure if they are, but if they are I think we’ll all be in for a discount coupon or something of the like.

Saying that it’s ok for them to lie because it’s up to the consumer to figure that out seems wrong. On the other hand, I completely agree that consumers need to be more aware of these things. Both “parties”are culpable here, but saying that the consumers are partially to blame shouldn’t excuse BevMo’s part.

By: Wine Evangelist

Wine Evangelist — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:57:04 +0000

Kyle, you really sound angry on this. Do you believe every advertisement that you read, see, or hear? Consider the source and make an educated decision before trying or buying any product.

Deals on wine are not as clear cut as cars. Prices on wine vary from state to state, winery tasting room prices are often higher than large retailers, and restaurant pricing is another situation all together.

When you shop at any retailer and they say 2 for 1, it is your job to define if the price is advantageous. There are a few sites that offer wine price comparisons. One is http://www.wine-searcher.com and there are some apps too.

It goes back to what I said before. Buyer beware. There your dollars to spend, spend them wisely.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:34:46 +0000

The problem Bill is that BevMo says that you’re getting a deal. This is a blatant lie. Obviously, buyer beware but since when is it perfectly fine for a company to lie to their customers?

By: Larry Chandler

Larry Chandler — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:15:08 +0000

Interesting, Bill, that you mention car sticker prices. These were introduced precisely because a dealer would make up a retail price and then offer a discount off that, when in fact no real discount was being offered.

It is not the dealer’s job to offer you the best price. But it is the dealer’s job to be honest about the existing price. It’s up to you to buy it or not.

By: bill

bill — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:00:05 +0000

I’m not sure why the point is to get BevMo to stop doing it. I don’t exactly see them doing anything illegal. I guess we’ll find out. If I walk into a car dealer and pay sticker price is it the car salesperson’s job to make sure I bargain for a better deal? Again, buyer beware.

By: Larry Chandler

Larry Chandler — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:01:20 +0000

The point is not to get people to hear about it, but to get BevMo to stop doing it. And yes, we know collectors don’t go to BevMo. People who buy wine in supermarkets don’t deserve to be taken advantage of, just as collectors don’t. Saying a wine is a $30 wine when it’s a $20 wine is no more honest than saying a wine once belonged to Thomas Jefferson when it didn’t.