The Auswine Forum

My first post although very frequent daily visitor to the forum and Auswine.

I was going to buy the current vintage of Lazy Ballerina Shiraz 2007 until my Google results achieved the inaugural 2004 vintage. I snapped the last carton and eagerly awaits delivery. Note that delivery was free for orders over $200 and I supposed not insured. When it didn't show I contacted the supplier who contacted the courier Fastway.
Fastway record shows that it was delivered.

Now I specified in my orders to leave carton at my front door if no one is at home. This is my usual instructions (with no insurance) for many years now without any problems until now. I have observed always that couriers would leave carton at door, ring door bell and then walk away without waiting for any response. Their job is done.

My front door is about 20 metres from road and inconceivable for carton to be taken away by outsiders.

As far as Fastway is concerned, carton delivered and left at door, job done. Ironically I was at home Tuesday (I remember as I have cheap Dominoes pizza for lunch). My concern was that the courier left carton at some other address. Fastway wouldn't let supplier contact courier directly.

Now what recourse do I have. What can I do. What can I say?

Thanks
08meltdown

A grey area, but definitely take it up with the merchant. Good merchants will just replace them and take it up with fastway - particularly as in that case, they have no actual proof of delivery.

Incidentally, did you have delivery instructions specified? Some merchants have disclaimers on responsibility when delivery instructions like 'leave at front door' are indicated.

08meltdown wrote:My first post although very frequent daily visitor to the forum and Auswine.

I was going to buy the current vintage of Lazy Ballerina Shiraz 2007 until my Google results achieved the inaugural 2004 vintage. I snapped the last carton and eagerly awaits delivery. Note that delivery was free for orders over $200 and I supposed not insured. When it didn't show I contacted the supplier who contacted the courier Fastway.
Fastway record shows that it was delivered.

Now I specified in my orders to leave carton at my front door if no one is at home. This is my usual instructions (with no insurance) for many years now without any problems until now. I have observed always that couriers would leave carton at door, ring door bell and then walk away without waiting for any response. Their job is done.

My front door is about 20 metres from road and inconceivable for carton to be taken away by outsiders.

As far as Fastway is concerned, carton delivered and left at door, job done. Ironically I was at home Tuesday (I remember as I have cheap Dominoes pizza for lunch). My concern was that the courier left carton at some other address. Fastway wouldn't let supplier contact courier directly.

Now what recourse do I have. What can I do. What can I say? :

Thanks
08meltdown

Hello

I cannot answer specifics of this order

but

I use Fastway

and

all shipments are insured.

The merchant/sender should be able to replace, and claim insurance!

Just preliminary thoughts.

Since you specified the wine to be left without requiring a signature you probably don't have a leg to stand on. Unless the merchant is willing to do what Gavin described.

I always specify "If unattended, leave a card, not the wine". If it goes missing you can ask them to provide proof of delivery, ie a signature.

Deliveries via Fastway are usually insured, they do a good deal on Aus-wide delivery and insurance, that's why merchants still use them.

BTW, the "ring the bell, dump and run" behaviour is quite common, particularly it seems for Fastway. I had wine dumped at the front door by Fastway so many time despite the explicit instructions that I contacted their head office and received a prompt email response from the CEO. Service improved for a fair while after that and then lapsed again.

I mostly buy from e-tailers who use Aus Post, it's a bit slower, but I can pick it up at a nearby mail centre if I'm not home to receive it and they (almost) never leave the wine without a signature on their little handheld device.

As I am still gainfully employed, unlike the old codger above, I get all deliveries made to my office. I never get anything delivered to the house for the reason you have noted.

As I am still gainfully employed, unlike the old codger above, I get all deliveries made to my office. I never get anything delivered to the house for the reason you have noted.

Brian isnt that old is he??

Yeah im the same. Deliver to work, never to home

Davo wrote:As I am still gainfully employed, unlike the old codger above, I get all deliveries made to my office. I never get anything delivered to the house for the reason you have noted.

I am so gainfully employed, in the buying (and drinking) side of the wine industry!

Thanks for the response. Since I gave them Carte Blanche by just leaving at door I guess I haven't got any legal legs to fall on.
BTW I am currently not employed and normally at home (surfing wine sites, where else) and this still happen to me.

Hopefully some honest folks with a carton of Lazy Ballerina 2004 shiraz ring Fastway of wrongful delivery.

Just worked out your username, unfortunately very apt.

Davo wrote:As I am still gainfully employed, unlike the old codger above, I get all deliveries made to my office. I never get anything delivered to the house for the reason you have noted.

For a while I had wines delivered to my home with the instruction to leave under front stairs (easily accessed) so the box would be in some shade and somewhat out of sight but it would not infrequently be left on the stairs, possibly in full sun for up to several hours.

So, like you Davo, I started to get wines delivered to the office. I get a bit of occasional good-natured ribbing from some workmate or other. Hardly surprising really when on average a box a fortnight gets delivered and occasionally two boxes in the same week

Cheers

daz

I had boxes from Langtons, Winestar, Paringa, Clonakilla, Eldridge, Bellbrae, Kooyong, William Downie, Scotchmans Hills delivered to work this week. But they know I'm an alcoholic.

dave vino wrote:I had boxes from Langtons, Winestar, Paringa, Clonakilla, Eldridge, Bellbrae, Kooyong, William Downie, Scotchmans Hills delivered to work this week. But they know I'm an alcoholic.

I think it is time to get a private mail box.

John #11 wrote:

dave vino wrote:I had boxes from Langtons, Winestar, Paringa, Clonakilla, Eldridge, Bellbrae, Kooyong, William Downie, Scotchmans Hills delivered to work this week. But they know I'm an alcoholic.

I think it is time to get a private mail box.

A bloody big one at that!

Daryl Douglas wrote:

Davo wrote:As I am still gainfully employed, unlike the old codger above, I get all deliveries made to my office. I never get anything delivered to the house for the reason you have noted.

For a while I had wines delivered to my home with the instruction to leave under front stairs (easily accessed) so the box would be in some shade and somewhat out of sight but it would not infrequently be left on the stairs, possibly in full sun for up to several hours.

So, like you Davo, I started to get wines delivered to the office. I get a bit of occasional good-natured ribbing from some workmate or other. Hardly surprising really when on average a box a fortnight gets delivered and occasionally two boxes in the same week

Cheers

daz

It's not the odd weekly delivery that gets the staff's knickers in a twist, but the stack that comes in following the annual boy's roadtrip to SA that really gets them going. It's a lovely sight looking at the eyes rolling as % to # dozen get delivered.

dave vino wrote:I had boxes from Langtons, Winestar, Paringa, Clonakilla, Eldridge, Bellbrae, Kooyong, William Downie, Scotchmans Hills delivered to work this week. But they know I'm an alcoholic.

As long as you're passionate, Davo, I don't see a problem.

Davo wrote:As I am still gainfully employed, unlike the old codger above, I get all deliveries made to my office. I never get anything delivered to the house for the reason you have noted.

I guess that's one good thing about the US - delivery of wine requires the signature of someone 21 or older.

I've had wine delivered here at work but its a potential problem as the institution frowns on the consumption of alcohol as we have minors (below 21) working here. Never asked how they fit that with all the alcohol consumed in the faculty club; booze is free just pay your membership.

I have the majority of shipped wine sent to my wife's work. And I know when a box comes because she will come home and say "There is a box of wine in the car."

Mike

KMP wrote:I have the majority of shipped wine sent to my wife's work. And I know when a box comes because she will come home and say "There is a box of wine in the car."

Mike

What, she doesn't carry it in for you?

Red Bigot wrote:

KMP wrote:I have the majority of shipped wine sent to my wife's work. And I know when a box comes because she will come home and say "There is a box of wine in the car."

Mike

What, she doesn't carry it in for you?

You're joking! All I get are complaints about sore wrists. Which is pretty amazing when you consider that she can still wrestle the odd pit-bull into submission. I was even told a few nights ago, after a less than memorable Mexican wine, to get a bottle of "good" wine from the cellar. I was tempted to ask who's cellar she was talking about.

Mike

A happy ending.
The carton was wrongly delivered. The recipient kindly return the wine to it's rightful owner.

All the good and ingenious advice provided (like under stairs and discreet places) would not help if it's delivered to another address.

I opened the Lazy Ballerina 2004 shiraz last night and it was so smooth and beautiful, especially with the Woolworths roast chicken.

BTW, these unfortunate things/happenings seems to be following me around.
Gavin deleted my account "08meltdown" over the weekend.

08meltdown

08meltdown wrote:BTW, these unfortunate things/happenings seems to be following me around.
Gavin deleted my account "08meltdown" over the weekend.

08meltdown

Don't feel picked on, Gavin deletes a few real people amongst the hundreds of spam registrations, even if he has replied to their posts.