Langtons Sold

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 8:19 pm

Hi All

Long time reader first time poster - been user of Langtons for 3 or 4 years - just wondering on the reaction to the news of the sale to Woolies/Dan Murphy

orpheus · Post by **orpheus** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 8:34 pm

If it's true, my gut reaction is it's bad.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 8:41 pm

True - the age - online today

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 8:49 pm

Woolworths buys online wine businessLema Samandar
February 2, 2009 - 5:44PM
Woolworths Ltd says it has bought upmarket online business Langton's Fine Wines Auctions Pty Ltd in a move to shore up its already extensive liquor business.

The supermarket giant did not disclose the purchase price.

Langton's owner Stewart Langton started the business 20 years ago selling expensive wines as an auction house, then moved online seven years ago.

"I've had a number of approaches over the years to sell and I've always turned them down," Mr Langton said on Monday.

"In this case, the Woolworths approach was one that suited because it will enable me to grow my business in way that I want to," Mr Langton said.

"As a small independent operator, it's very difficult, so quite simply it was the right deal for me and my business."

A spokeswoman for Woolworths said Langton's was a small but smart purchase for the company.

"It's a really good business, Dan Murphy's has been a customer (of Langton's) for quite some time," the spokeswoman said.

Dan Murphy's is Woolworths liquor arm.

The Woolworths spokeswoman said the two business would work together but remain separate entities.

"It's a really good fit for us in the fine wine and liquor market and it also gives us access to their online fine wine liquor channel."

Mr Langton will stay on with the online business after the sale.

"It will left to operate, the way it's been operating - that won't change," Mr Langton said.

"(Woolworths) will look at the business over a period of time, the same way they did with Dan Murphy's when that was purchased - for the first four years nothing was done, it was just allowed to operate and they learned to understand it.

"And of course it went from five shops to 96 at the present time I think and with Langton's they will look at it and discuss with me what I want to do."

Woolworths shares closed 55 cents lower at $27.15

orpheus · Post by **orpheus** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:26 pm

I see the statement "Dan Murphy's has been a customer of Langtons for some time".

As a seller, I suppose?

Or as a buyer???

The march to a duopoly moves on.

dave vino · Post by **dave vino** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 11:22 pm

I'll be letting my Langtons subscription lapse.

TORB · Post by **TORB** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 6:20 am

Sauce,

Appreciate the heads up on this subject. Here is a link to the article. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-business/woolworths-buys-online-wine-business-20090202-7vm6.html

I suggest you remove the text from your post, as copying a whole article is a breach of copyright that can cause the board owner (and you) problems.

Red Bigot · Post by **Red Bigot** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 7:34 am

dave vino wrote:I'll be letting my Langtons subscription lapse.

I've never paid a subscription, although I do buy and sell there a bit, I contacted them and explained I didn't think it was approriate to pay a subscription so I could pay them commissions on any sales or purchases. They have renewed my account without charge for several years now.

ufo · Post by **ufo** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:53 am

Red Bigot wrote:
dave vino wrote:I'll be letting my Langtons subscription lapse.

I've never paid a subscription, although I do buy and sell there a bit, I contacted them and explained I didn't think it was approriate to pay a subscription so I could pay them commissions on any sales or purchases. They have renewed my account without charge for several years now.

I let my subscription expire 3 years ago but still active buying and selling. They never asked to renew the membership

markg · Post by **markg** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 3:02 pm

Woolys paid 13 Million for Langtons. Jeez, I would have let them have mine for 10 !! :wink:

Davo · Post by **Davo** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 6:07 pm

markg wrote:Woolys paid 13 Million for Langtons. Jeez, I would have let them have mine for 10 !!

Don't panic just yet, Coles will be looking for an auction house to add to their portfolio now :lol:

markg · Post by **markg** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:08 pm

Davo wrote:
markg wrote:Woolys paid 13 Million for Langtons. Jeez, I would have let them have mine for 10 !!

Don't panic just yet, Coles will be looking for an auction house to add to their portfolio now

Woo, hoo, drinks on me :-)

GraemeG · Post by **GraemeG** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 7:58 am

ufo wrote:
Red Bigot wrote:
dave vino wrote:I'll be letting my Langtons subscription lapse.

I've never paid a subscription, although I do buy and sell there a bit, I contacted them and explained I didn't think it was approriate to pay a subscription so I could pay them commissions on any sales or purchases. They have renewed my account without charge for several years now.

I let my subscription expire 3 years ago but still active buying and selling. They never asked to renew the membership

Perhaps there's a buy/spend threshold. I'm a very small (though longstanding) customer at Langtons, and they cut me off pretty quickly last December when my sub expired.
cheers,
Graeme

Red Bigot · Post by **Red Bigot** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 8:03 am

GraemeG wrote:
ufo wrote:
Red Bigot wrote:
dave vino wrote:I'll be letting my Langtons subscription lapse.

I've never paid a subscription, although I do buy and sell there a bit, I contacted them and explained I didn't think it was approriate to pay a subscription so I could pay them commissions on any sales or purchases. They have renewed my account without charge for several years now.

I let my subscription expire 3 years ago but still active buying and selling. They never asked to renew the membership

Perhaps there's a buy/spend threshold. I'm a very small (though longstanding) customer at Langtons, and they cut me off pretty quickly last December when my sub expired.
cheers,
Graeme

You have to ask nicely. ;-)

I never paid a sub ever, told them I had some wine to sell (and sent them a list) and got complimentary subscription, had to ask again each year until the most recent renewal which happened automatically. I don't buy much, sell 2-3 times a year.

Christo · Post by **Christo** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 5:33 pm

orpheus wrote:I see the statement "Dan Murphy's has been a customer of Langtons for some time".

As a seller, I suppose?

Or as a buyer???

The march to a duopoly moves on.

DM buys alot of rare & older wine from auction to sell in their stores!

c

ufo · Post by **ufo** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 7:26 am

Christo wrote:
orpheus wrote:I see the statement "Dan Murphy's has been a customer of Langtons for some time".

As a seller, I suppose?

Or as a buyer???

The march to a duopoly moves on.

DM buys alot of rare & older wine from auction to sell in their stores!

c

They also dump heaps of el-cheapo wines that they can not sale to Langtons to get rid of it at a buck or two

DaveB · Post by **DaveB** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 11:52 am

ufo wrote:
Christo wrote:
orpheus wrote:I see the statement "Dan Murphy's has been a customer of Langtons for some time".

As a seller, I suppose?

Or as a buyer???

The march to a duopoly moves on.

DM buys alot of rare & older wine from auction to sell in their stores!

c

They also dump heaps of el-cheapo wines that they can not sale to Langtons to get rid of it at a buck or two

Not in the 4 years I spent working at Langtons they didn't......

Christo · Post by **Christo** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 7:20 pm

DaveB wrote:
ufo wrote:
Christo wrote:
orpheus wrote:I see the statement "Dan Murphy's has been a customer of Langtons for some time".

As a seller, I suppose?

Or as a buyer???

The march to a duopoly moves on.

DM buys alot of rare & older wine from auction to sell in their stores!

c

Agreed.. only heard of DM buying stuff to sell in their shops.
c
They also dump heaps of el-cheapo wines that they can not sale to Langtons to get rid of it at a buck or two

Not in the 4 years I spent working at Langtons they didn't......

Paul T · Post by **Paul T** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:31 am

Red Bigot wrote:
dave vino wrote:I'll be letting my Langtons subscription lapse.

I've never paid a subscription, although I do buy and sell there a bit, I contacted them and explained I didn't think it was approriate to pay a subscription so I could pay them commissions on any sales or purchases. They have renewed my account without charge for several years now.

Langtons always gave 12 mths free subscription to anyone who sold wine while i worked there.. even if it was one bottle.

Hippy

Paul T · Post by **Paul T** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:39 am

ufo wrote:
They also dump heaps of el-cheapo wines that they can not sale to Langtons to get rid of it at a buck or two

Crap - Dave is speaking the truth. While I worked at Langtons as Cellar Manager a few years ago.. Dave being my boss... Woolies / Dans NEVER sold any booze through Langtons while i was there. They only ever purchased.