I was initially quite loathe to saying anything on a public website. Not my style to criticize like that, especially at these times when we have bigger issues to worry about. But then my problem with this retailer morphed into a bigger problem, compounded by a snarky and contemptuous response by them, over this weekend. Now I’m just pissed.
So let me set this up. I’ve been buying from B21 the entire period of my wine sojourn. No telling how many thousands of dollars I have spent there Since 1992/93, this being one of my prime retailers. Plus I have turned many friends, family members and colleagues onto this wine store. What I like about this retailer, in particular, is that they make special van deliveries to key markets in FL, so I can build an order over time, and once I hit the purchase threshold, they deliver it by van. With the heat in FL, this is a big plus.
I had just hit a threshold and lined up some wine, like 2+ cases, for delivery. That day, only about 1/3-1/2 of the order shows up. While there was one wine I was waiting for, it was really no big deal, people make mistakes (so I thought). I send them an email just to let them know, assuming they would remedy things immediately. No response. Sent another email. No response. I think it was the 3rd or 4th email I sent near the end of that week, where they finally respond. It was clear that they did not know what transpired, so supposedly would look into it. Come next week, I hear nothing, so reach out again. After some more delays and emails, I am advised they located my order. So I ask them to put it on the next van delivery. I am advised that the remainder of the order does not meet the delivery threshold. And asked if I wanted to add more to cross the threshold. Of course I’m a bit peeved, and point out, that they messed this one up and should deliver it as I am only below the threshold because they didn’t deliver the whole order.
Over the next week or so, I am advised again that they are looking for my order (huh?), then they put it on for the next delivery. I’m like, cool, they realized belatedly that they messed up and are fixing things. The day before the delivery, the van is cancelled. No word as to why, nothing. I finally just ask them to cancel the order, and nicely ask for the contact information to the owner (Bob Sprentall), whom I know from the past. They would not give it to me. I asked twice. Then I called, and the call-in system is 100% computerized, no live voice, and no directory. I think that I asked again, but still nobody would give me his contact.
At that point, I’m like, f@ck them, I get Am Ex involved. I dispute the payments on wine that was never delivered, which to this day I do not know if they even located it. I emailed B21 to tell them that and specifically advised them to cancel all my orders, including some pre-arrivals (those are pay on delivery). I hear nothing.
About 6 weeks go by, I call Am Ex, and they say they’ve received no response from B21, but I have a temporary credit on my account, and they normally give the retailer 6-8 weeks to respond. If they do not respond, I get the permanent credit.
And within the hour, I get an email from B21, like nothing is wrong, saying that one of my pre-arrival wines was in and they charged my card. Again, this is after I told them to cancel. I has previously directed them to delete my credit card information. I call up Amex Ex to dispute it, and put B21 on total block. I email B21 to tell them this was an unauthorized charge and to refund it. To their credit, they did. Weren’t very nice about it, and even though I had yet again asked for the owner’s contact information, they would not respond to that specific question. I emailed them again to confirm that ALL orders are cancelled, then I get a snarky email from the customer service manager, saying they are doing that, and I will be charged a 10% restocking fee. Yes, I sent them I terse response, told them they have no authority to charge my card that 10% (called Amex Ex again to ensure a block was on), and asked for the owner’s contact yet again. No response whatsoever. This is from Friday.
Consider me very surprised by this. I am a businessman. I had a business fail during Covid, too. Times are tough for some folks. Wine retailers are NOT struggling, they are killing it right now. Everything I have been taught about customer service is that you bend over backwards to keep a good customer happy. I’ve been a loyal, 25-year customer of B21. I would love to have 25+ year clients. They treated me like I was dirt. Ironically, I am on a cycling/wine getaway with some buddies, all of them buy from b21. I laid out the whole story, showed them the emails - they were here when I got the snarky one - and they all said totally out of line. And they are pulling their business as well.
I remain most disappointed because the relationship was so good for so long. Does anyone know if the business has been sold, whether Bob Sprentall remains the owner? Every time I spoke with him, he was a class act. This just does not seem like his business anymore. I cannot do business with them.