Italian Wine Merchant as fallen so far

[Eric Guido]

It's crazy to think that I used to shop religiously with Italian Wine Merchants. It had a lot to do with the rare bottles they would find, the great care taken with temp and humidity control of their stock, and a really good salesperson, who knew me and my interests in and out.

Then the e-mails stopped being so personal.
Then my beloved salesperson left.
Then they started selling a lot of the same stuff as everyone else... and at much higher prices.

Now, they have started cold calling. I've received three calls in the last month from them. With salespeople that sound like they're reading from a script and trying to sell me wine that anyone on wine-search can find at a better price.

How could they have fallen so far?

[Daniel Posner]

Eric

I never found their prices great, but their customer service was always thought of with high regard.

Since they were sold, at a foolishly high price, I have heard that their business is booming. I guess they must be offering someone good customer service, but their prices, to me are just the same, too high.

[Eric Guido]

When you go there, they do manage to make you feel like a king. In the past, they would opened bottles for me on the spot, just to taste, when I was considering a purchase. There was also a feeling like you could just take a seat and chat about wine. I guess there was a time when the service and selection outweighed the cost. This was also at a time when Sherry Lehmann, Morels and Zachys were the regular places that I shopped at. If you take that list into consideration, you can see why I preferred IWM for customer service.

However, when the same selection was available from so many different locations and retailers like yourself (Dan) provided the same excellent storage, cust service and the like... where does that leave IWM?

The cold calling is just icing on the cake. If they have a new associate who wants to pick me up as a revived customer, call me with a real deal or a rare bottle that I would flip for. Or even call me just to introduce yourself and don't even try to sell me wine. These tactics work with customers. But don't cold call people with prices that are laughable and make it sound like they're doing me a favor.

[BBoykin]

I bought ocaasionally from them before the sale,and the bottles were always in great shape and the prices were......OK,but you had to have specific bottles in mind,otherwise,it was gouge city,but.....it's a business and one man's exorbitant price is another's bargain.Not everyone scours for deals,and I'm thinking that's the last thing on most of their clientele's mind........it's just business.

For a few moments,back in the day,they had what could be the one of the greatest modern day Giacosa deals.......ever.
2000 Asili Riserva @$134

[Eric Guido]

I'll pay up for good customer service. There's just a point where you start to feel like the markup is an insult to your intelligence.

[Daniel Posner]

I remember when I interviewed for another wine merchant, back in the day, before I bought out Grapes. They asked me how many phone calls I made throughout a day to sell wine (mind you this interview was back in 2002...before BBs, I Phones, etc). I said that I made about 6...per year. They were astonished. I told them that I did not feel comfortable calling someone, at the ir place of work, just to sell them some wine. I felt an email was adequate.

The interview went downhill after that.

[Ken_Birman]

Well, let me say this in favor of IWM. First, while their prices are high, they have a great selection of wines and the location is very helpful. Sometimes I've needed a bottle of wine to offer (e.g. if invited to dinner down in the financial district) and they can be useful. Second, they have an in-store reception/dinning thing you can recent for classy events; this isn't useful often (expensive) but is extremely attractive and well done. Haven't eaten a full meal there but have it on my mental list next time I run that kind of workshop down in NYC. And finally, the salespeople really are charming.

As for the cold calls, while I have not been "biting" on the ones from IWM, I have no real objections. In fact George, the saint of wine salesmen, used to call me all the time from Crossroads. I don't think I ever said no on one of his offers, and I never regretted a single bottle. Cold calls have their place in the wine world...

[Eric LeVine]

Does anyone know anyone who uses their cellar management tool? http://www.iwmcellars.com/
They must have a lump of cash burning a hole in their pocket.

[Daniel Posner]

I heard that they partnered with My Wines. TO create an unstoppable force.

[Eric LeVine]

Nice Dan!

[Eric Guido]

Does anyone know anyone who uses their cellar management tool? http://www.iwmcellars.com/
They must have a lump of cash burning a hole in their pocket.

I used to use their cellar management software before I was introduced to Cellar Tracker. The only thing that stood out were the pie charts. They ain't got nothin' on you Eric.

[Kevin Klym]

I got "the call" this past week, so they must REALLY be hurting.

I am not kidding, I've been in the store exactly once and cannot remember ever buying anything. They were super nice, I was of course amazed at the store, selection, etc., but I am as far from having any relationship with them as the next guy who walks in off the street.

Call was not returned.

[Eric Guido]

I got "the call" this past week, so they must REALLY be hurting.

I am not kidding, I've been in the store exactly once and cannot remember ever buying anything. They were super nice, I was of course amazed at the store, selection, etc., but I am as far from having any relationship with them as the next guy who walks in off the street.

Call was not returned.

It's really strange, right. Getting cold-called from a wine retailer is strange in and of itself, but for it to be IWM, makes it even stranger. Especially since they're supposed to be known for their customer service.

Let's keep in mind, I have no issue with a wine retailer calling me for any legitimate reason. Such as, a new release they know I'd like or a great price / restocking on a bottle I've bought before. But these calls from IWM are not the enjoyable kind.

[Daniel Posner]

I have just hired someone who worked at a another cold call wine selling environment. She said that that % success rate is miniscule, but since you are calling up to 150 people per day, it does not take much to get it right.

Crazy.

Guys, what are your cell phone #s?

[Ray Quincy]

I turn down the cold callers every time. i know that out here there is kind of an unwritten law to not purchase from these channels.

[Ken_Birman]

Guys, this negativism is misplaced.... there are calls I personally am very happy to receive. Dan McCallum, for example, doesn't call, but sometimes drops me a note about some amazing deal that he's stumbled on involving a wine I certainly want. Call that a cold call and frankly, I'll drop what I'm doing to take it. Daniel does this too from Grapes now and then, and RWC too.

What makes an unsolicited offer interesting to me is: the caller knows my taste, has something I'll love, and it isn't something (or at least isn't a price) that I'll want to pass on. Give me those parameters, and I'll take that call!

PS: And if anyone happens to have the 2009 Charvin at the country's lowest price...

[Eric Guido]

Guys, this negativism is misplaced.... there are calls I personally am very happy to receive. Dan McCallum, for example, doesn't call, but sometimes drops me a note about some amazing deal that he's stumbled on involving a wine I certainly want. Call that a cold call and frankly, I'll drop what I'm doing to take it. Daniel does this too from Grapes now and then, and RWC too.

What makes an unsolicited offer interesting to me is: the caller knows my taste, has something I'll love, and it isn't something (or at least isn't a price) that I'll want to pass on. Give me those parameters, and I'll take that call!

PS: And if anyone happens to have the 2009 Charvin at the country's lowest price...

Sure, but that isn't what they are calling with. The calls I'm getting are for wines that can be found elsewhere and are far from a great price. Seriously, I find myself laughing after some of the offers they make. I wish they'd come around, I used to shop there religiously and frankly miss the experience.

[Daniel Posner]

Ken

I prefer to email, not call.

[Ken_Birman]

Calls from Daniel, or Dan, I would take. But calls pushing plonk... If Italian Wine Merchants has sunk that low, I accept your point! The last time they called me I was busy so can't really say what they wanted to offer...