WineXpert Winexpert port kits

[GaDawg]

This was sent to me from somewhere in Florida.
Effective immediately, Winexpert and their distributor LD Carlson have most likely colluded and implemented a price fixing MAP scheme (MAP = Minimum Advertised Price) to screw you, the consumer into paying higher than ordinary prices in the marketplace for your Winexpert Port wine kits. This policy voids free competition and a free marketplace which causes higher than ordinary consumer prices. Proponents who support MAP will disagree and say we have the right to sell it for whatever we choose but we cannot advertise it for less. This ultimately forces higher than ordinary retail pricing and makes finding a bargain much more difficult which is the goal of MAP. VOTE NO with your pocketbooks.

This new policy has been started with the scheduled release of their annual Chocolate Raspberry Port and Blackberry Port wine kits. The announcement states one of the reasons for doing this is for the "fairness to all retailers". In-other -words, they are fixing the prices to be higher than would be set in a free marketplace so as to allow fairness in competition so that all their merchants can make more money. Or it can be interpreted as screw the consumer and let the merchants make all the money. No more bargains for the consumer.

Last year we sold the Chocolate Raspberry Port kits for $69.95 up to $79.95 and we've even sold them for $99.95 delivered. This year they want everyone to price them at $104.95 each. You'll see every web site pricing these kits at the same $104.95 - that's not the America we know nor is that a free and competitive marketplace.

If a merchant doesn't "comply", the retailer will be "prohibited from participating in the promotion". How do you like these strong arm tactics!


Sent from my iPad using Wine Making

 

[the_rayway]

Yikes. To be completely honest, if this is the case I likely won't but another WE Port Kit.

There are lots of other great tasting port kits on the market that I can get.

Thanks for the update GaDawg

 

[peaches9324]

George is having an anniversary sale save 11% on almost everything. This includes the pre order port kits until midnight June 1

 

[heatherd]

To your point Rayway, I pre-ordered the RJS coffee and caramel from fine vine wines. George is running an 11% off everything on their website special with a code OTP1029115 and also has the growers club discount on top of that, so the kits are in the $80 range. Not a bad deal.

They don't have blackberry port, but they have plain bodega port kits that you could flavor with blackberries or extract.

Heather

 

[geek]

I never bought/made a port style and wonder about the varietals and comparison between the WE and RJS brands.
A HBS around 15 miles from me still has the RJS (Orange, White Chocolate and Coffee) for $95.

My online retailer, as mentioned by the GaDawg, is advertising their WE for $104.95 and have free shipping. WE has Chocolate Raspberry and Blackberry.

I am wondering which one to choose ....

 

[salcoco]

I am not surprised at the price fixing thoughts by Wine Expert. the normal markup on a wine kit by the retailer is 100%. that is a kit from the wholesaler at $50 is sold by the retailer at $100. The quality of wine kits is pretty good, I would shop around and get the cheapest. Be wary of free shipping or $7.99 shipping, when you do the math against low cost with shipping versus no or low shipping cost the price for the kit at your front door may be cheaper if the shipping is paid, because the advertised price includes a shipping cost it is just not advertised as such.