ComplaintsforVinesse Wines

• Initial Complaint

  04/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 4/1 I ordered a web advertised shipment of 8 bottles of wine for $39.95 from Vinesse. An email confirmation that day said the first shipment would be sent in the next few days and my second shipment was scheduled for 4/29. A box of wine arrived on 4/9, but contained only 6 bottles of wine. When I checked I found that because I had ordered a box of wine in 2022 they had "automatically" changed my order to a regular wine club shipment at the regular price of $129.95. There are many wine clubs and I had tried a few, but did not remember ordering one from Vinesse. I most certainly did not authorize a payment of $129.95. Through email I was told that there was only one introductory box per household. That information did not appear on the web page for the offer. On that page there was a box to check to certify that one is over 21. This box contained a small print link to "terms and conditions'. Far down in these conditions was the single introductory box per household limitation. Through email with Vinesse I offered to go to the trouble of returning the wine if they would send me a prepaid mailing label, but they did not respond to this offer. I see from complaints at the BBB and on other sites that rate businesses that this switching from the introductory offer to a regular much more expensive shipment is common. I have to wonder why Vinesse has not improved their site to avoid this problem. I never authorized the payment of $129.95, and I want my money back.

  

  Business response

  04/15/2024

  We apologize for your recent experience with Vinesse. We have reviewed your account and see that you enrolled in our American Cellars Wine Club in 2022. In the terms and conditions on the offer, it explains that promotions are valid once per household and that you may enroll but will not qualify for the promotional offer. This was agreed to upon the terms of enrollment which reactivated your prior membership. The wine shipment was delivered signed for on April 8th. The FedEx tracking number is *********269. We do not offer return labels as wine is a perishable item and we are unable to resell the product upon return. All delivered items are final sale as listed on our website, ****************. Your membership has been cancelled and you will not receive any additional shipments or charges unless you place them. Thank you and have a great day. 

  Customer response

  04/16/2024

  
  
  Complaint: 21568096
  
  I am rejecting this response because:It is unreasonable to expect that I would remember that I had enrolled in the wine club in 2022.  It is unreasonable to change a $40 order into a $130 order without notification. I should have received a notice from you saying that I had previously received the introductory offer and was not eligible for another and would I like to reinstate my membership and place an order
  
  Regards,
  
  A**** ******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Business response

  04/16/2024

  We do not send notifications prior to orders being processed informing you that you were a member in the past. Since all promotions through Vinesse are once per household, you were disqualified. We do not provide return labels and the shipment was signed for and accepted. Once it is signed for, it is no longer returnable. We apologize for any inconvenience, we are unable to issue a refund at this time.

• Initial Complaint

  03/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I placed an order, the amount shown was $42, but $129.99 was charged to my credit card! I wanted to cance my order,but vinesse refused it,saying I was once in the club,and would have to pay the club price ! I replied that I was given an amount of $42 and I did not get a reply! Then I was told that the order had already been shipped, which is not true, I neither got my money back nor received the item! It is clearly fraud,after my order,about 30 min later I canceled my order and then got the statement that it is not possible! These are criminal activities at vinesse !!!!

  

  Business response

  03/28/2024

  We apologize for any misunderstanding. The promotional offer that you enrolled through is valid once per household within a 24-month period. Since you did not qualify for the offer, you reactivated your membership to receive a shipment at regular price. We were able to cancel that shipment for you and a full refund in the amount of $129.99 was issued to your account. Please allow 7-10 business days for that to post. Your membership was also cancelled as of 3/18/2024. If you need any further assistance, please don't hesiate to ask. Thank you and have a great day. 

• Initial Complaint

  03/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I recently made a purchase of an offer via Amtrak Guest Rewards for 6 wines priced at $41.95 from Vinesse Wines. However, upon completing the transaction, my PayPal was charged $129.99 instead. Given that the Vinesse policy specifies 'all membership special offers are limited to one per household' (a detail I was only made aware of after making the purchase), I believe that the website should have recognized me as a returning user and adjusted the price accordingly before I proceeded with the purchase. This would have allowed me to make an informed decision about whether to proceed with the purchase at the higher price and for the Amtrak points. This is a very basic feature of every online seller I have ever dealt with, and overcharging customers after they have completed a transaction is not only misleading but also fraudulent. After contacting the company, I received an inadequate and dismissive response and will also be disputing the transaction via PayPal.

  

  Business response

  04/02/2024

  We apologize for your recent experience with Vinesse. On all of our promotional offers it explains that it is valid once per household within a 24-month period. Since you did not qualify for the offer, you just reactivated your old membership account at the regular club rate as listed in the terms prior to activation. However, I see your last shipment was back in 2022. Although you were not fully at that 2-year timeframe, we will go ahead and honor the price for you. Please allow 7-10 business days for a refund in the amount of $88.04 to post back to your account. Unfortunately, since your original account was not linked with Amtrak, we are unable to honor those points. Thank you and have a great day.

  Customer response

  04/02/2024

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 21450983, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. However, I would strongly suggest revisiting your cart and checkout capabilities to adjust the price based on if a visitor already has an account. There is no practical justification for burying the cost of your products and service instead of being transparent like virtually every other online business. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *** ****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  01/31/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I recently made a purchase of an introductory offer for 8 wines priced at $39.99 from Vinesse Wines. However, upon completing the transaction, my credit card was charged $129.99 instead. Given that the Vinesse policy specifies 'all membership special offers are limited to one per household' (a detail I was only made aware of after making the purchase), I believe that the website should have recognized me as a returning user and adjusted the price accordingly before I proceeded with the purchase. This would have allowed me to make an informed decision about whether to proceed with the purchase at the higher price. Furthermore, I have only received 6 wines instead of the 8 that I ordered. Specifically, I had ordered 8 red wines, which included 2 bottles of Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, but the 2 extra bottles were missing from my delivery. I feel misled by Vinesse Wines, particularly since I have been receiving promotional flyers advertising introductory offers (even after my first purchase) that do not align with the actual merchandise received and the price charged. Overcharging customers after they have completed a transaction is not only misleading but also fraudulent. As a company that emphasizes its commitment to prioritizing customer satisfaction, I am disappointed by the lack of transparency and adequate customer service I have experienced, as well as by not receiving the merchandise I ordered, which has further compounded my frustration and dissatisfaction with the overall experience. Despite multiple attempts to resolve this issue, it remains unresolved, and I have not received a satisfactory response from customer service.

  

  Business response

  01/31/2024

  I have credited the $90 back to the member's payment method on file (a Visa ending in 3808) and the member should see it in the next 5-7 days.  

  Customer response

  02/04/2024

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 21229074, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Regards,
  
  D****** *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  01/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Placed a order for a $49.99 package, but was charged $129.99. Called within 24 hours and to get resolved, but they would not refund me or allow me to cancel.

  

  Business response

  01/22/2024

  We sincerely apologize for your recent experience with Vinesse. We have reviewed your account and do see that you enrolled through the American Cellars Wine Club on 8/26/23 online. All of our promotional offers are valid once per household. When enrolling online, you are required to check a box agreeing that the terms and conditions have been read. It lists that you will be able to enroll, but you will not receive the promotional price or offerings. We do apologize if this information was missed prior to enrolling. Since your membership was reactivated, you were charged the regular club pricing for the shipment that is processing. We do not issue any monetary refunds. If you choose to return the shipment, you will receive a merchandise credit for a future order. Again, we do apologize for any misunderstanding in the promotional offer. Thank you and have a great day.

• Initial Complaint

  09/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  While registering with the Vinesse.com wine club website, I was charged without my knowledge for a wine shipments that they had on the wine club perks. As soon as I figured out their scam I cancelled my subscription and requested for a refund. Vinesse claims that the shipment was processed and they can not refund the money. I do not need their shipment and I cancelled my registration with their website. No shipment slip was issued nor sent to me up to this point, thereof I need Vinesse to refund me for the money they fraudulently charged me.

  

  Business response

  09/20/2023

  I see you enrolled yesterday in an introductory offer for the American Cellars Wine Club. This offer includes 6 bottles of wine and 2 complimentary bottles as a gift for joining at a highly discounted price of 29.99 + shipping and taxes. Once an order is submitted its our understanding the order is desired. We see that you canceled the club 2 hours after enrollment and with our speedy warehouse system, we want to ensure on-time delivery—which is the reason that we cannot cancel queued orders and club shipments; we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. That said, we were able to have this shipment rerouted back to warehouse, and accommodate a refund in full. In order for this to be completed the dispute that was raised would need to be dropped. We can not offer refunds or discounts on disputed transactions. Please let us know once the dispute has been dropped and we are happy to make that accommodation for you. 

  Customer response

  09/20/2023

  
  
  Complaint: 20628068
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I did not request any shipments from Vinesse. I only put in my info and accepted your Membership terms. 
   On the Vinesse webpage you have the space one introduces the personal info (on the left side of the page).There is a button to confirm the membership. (under the Membership Terms on the right hand side of the webpage). The button calls clearly "Accept terms above" which are clearly immediately below the Mentorship Terms and therefore one is clearly approving for the membership. At the top of the page there is an add that shows the Wine Club options and also is presenting the savings that one would benefit upon getting the membership, but there is NOTHING about a shipment of any kind. The only "submit" button is clearly the button for the Membership .  I need you to fully refund the money because there was NO approval for any shipment and additionally there was no shipment  made. Therefore you have no right to keep the money.
  
  R**** ********
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  08/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  There were major problems with the first introductory shipment--they didn't send the bottles that were listed in the included brochure (what's the point, if you can't learn about the wines?), there was a duplicate (rather than 6 different wines to sample), and there was no bonus wine as promised. Because of my dissatisfaction, I sent an email to cancel my subscription to the email address they listed (service@vinesse). But still they sent me (and charged me) for another shipment. What?! So I sent another email to cancel. And I received a third shipment, None of those emails bounced back, by the way. This time we called. The woman on the other end of the phone insists that the "service" email listed as the contact is not answered. (What?!) She said our only option was to bring the package to a fedex location but we would still need to pay for shipping. This business has very unethical practices on multiple levels. Our experience was very similar to another complainant, so this is clearly their standard practice.

  

  Business response

  08/09/2023

  We apologize for any inconvenience. You replied to an automatically generated eMail and so this reply was not received. Your account is now cancelled, with cancellation ID 852102. Regarding the introductory offer you received, the two complimentary bottles do show as delivered. The introductory offer is for a total of eight bottles and according to the packing slip this is what was sent. I apologize that you were disappointed by the presence of a duplicate bottle. This is the standard composition of our orders. We stand behind every wine we sell and back this with our Vinesse Satisfaction Guarantee. While taste in wine is uniquely personal and can vary widely among individuals, all the wines we feature exceed our high standards of quality and value. If you are dissatisfied with a delivered wine, don't hesitate to contact us within 45 days of your purchase to arrange a replacement. Again, we apologize for the issues you had. As a further accommodation, please keep the wine you received on 8/3/2023; we will issue a refund in full for that shipment. Please let us know if this solution is acceptable and we will proceed with the refund. We do wish to note that you you mentioned going to your financial institution; if a dispute is raised we are unfortunately not able to make any accommodations until such time as the dispute has been dropped and proof of such has been provided.

  Customer response

  08/13/2023

  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 20419959, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Regards,
  
  K******** ******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  07/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  we order the $29,99 promotion to receive 6 bottles and 2 free 2/24/2023, ordered all white as we don't drink red. We where shipped 6 bottles of red and 2 white so i called to have replaced and was told they had option to ship what ever they wanted and read the find print. At that time i told them to cancel my membership, close account because i won't order again and they gave me ref # 185843197 operator (Zeek) 3/2/2023 Then got notice they where going to ship next months order (we didn't order) that arrived 5 days later by fedex when you don't have a account. I believe this is the old bait and scam that RC Records ran 40 years ago. To be fair they should keep $9.99 shipping charge and return the rest $127.80 . Not even asking them to replace the 6 bottle of red with white from first order.

  

  Business response

  07/05/2023

  
  I do apologize for any misunderstanding. I see on your account you redeemed an introductory offer to join the American Cellars Wine Club on 2/24/2023 online. You then called back on 3/3/2023 to go over the shipment content where you were informed of the mix option and the amount of each was correct. The representative did inform you of our satisfaction guarantee policy for unliked wines. As well as why you received a replacement per our policy and reason again is some wines are in very limited supply, substitutions for wines similar in character and of equal value may occasionally be made. You contacted us one again on 3/21/2023 to cancel your membership. At that time a shipment had already processed on 3/20/2023. Once processed wine orders are perishable like a meal at a restaurant, and each shipment is custom-prepared for each customer and guaranteed by our Vinesse Satisfaction Guarantee. Upon shipping, all sales are final. In the event a shipment is returned to us for any reason, a Vinesse merchandise credit will be issued to the purchasing customer's Vinesse account. The amount is the amount paid for merchandise plus taxes paid less deductions for any unsaleable condition merchandise, shipping, handling, and any applicable surcharges found in the current shipping pricing, regardless of the amount paid for shipping for the original returned shipment. Merchandise credits are subject to terms and limitations (see terms). We may destroy returned merchandise or restock it, at our discretion. We are happy to send a replacement shipment and can customize the order with 6 wines you would like. If no more wine is desired we can issue a refund of the Merchandise Credit that is on your account for returned shipment as a one time accommodation. We do see that a dispute was raised and won in our favor. I am happy to offer these two accommodations. 

  Customer response

  07/05/2023

  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Their offer to ship 6 bottles doesn't state what they will charge for this or that they will ship white wine only, as stated in their response they can ship what ever they want.

  Other offer doesn't state dollar amount that they will refund so could send $.01 and call it even in their mind. Tell me you will ship all white or give me a dollar amount so this can be finished!
    
  Regards,
  
  G*** ******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  

  Business response

  07/13/2023

  I'm sorry you feel that that offer is unsatisfactory and as mentioned your financial institution ruled in our favor and as a courtesy we have offered the best accommodations. You may receive a custom shipment of six wines of varietals you like or a refund in the amount of 107.79. Have a great day. 

  Customer response

  07/14/2023

  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 20273040, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Regards, ALTHOUGH Vinesse reply states my credit card ruled in their favor, Citi card has blocked Vinesse from charging in the future!
  
  G*** ******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I never reviewed my wine shipment and asked for a refund due to paying for something never received and they stated I would be refunded to my bank. I have not received mu refund either and am wanting a full refund for services and merchandise not provided The amount I want refunded is the full amount of $136.49. Thank you, M******* ******

  

  Business response

  05/01/2023

  We are Sorry for the misunderstanding that happened back in December 2022. Seems when you last spoke to us on 12/15/2022 we informed you of the return policy and was awarded merchandise credit. I see we honored a refund of that Merchandise credit which is breaking our return policy and have already issued that refund on 4/28/2023 and should be available in a few business days. Again, we apologize for the inconvenience this has caused. Please let us know how we can further support you.  Hope you have a great day. 

  Customer response

  05/02/2023

  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I am not returning an item so that policy is not applicable to this situation.  I never received the product and can not file a complaint with the shipping company on my end since I'm not the sender. Therefore, I am requesting full refund not merchandise credit or partial refund when you guys could file a complaint to get the money back for not sending the product to me correctly and I can not. 

  
  Regards,
  
  M******* ******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On April 10, 2023, I clicked on a "reservation" button contained in an unsolicited email add, not intending to buy anything, but simply intending to view a product description. I immediately received a "Thank you for your order" response in the amount of $284.34, advising that a case of wine would be shipped. By email I advised [email protected], Order No CC0****381 10****789, that the order was placed in error. The email also contained a member no. 185090845, which I thought had been previously cancelled. I advised vinesse that the order was cancelled and directed that no wine be sent, and that any charge be cancelled. The following day, April 11, 2023, the charge appeared on my credit card statement, and I called vinesse by phone, spoke to a person named Jessica, and asked that the charge be cancelled. Jessica informed me that she could not reverse a credit card charge, even if the product had not yet shipped, but she could credit my account and send other things. I informed Jessica that I wanted a refund of the full amount. I filed a dispute with the credit card bank on that day, disputing the charge. That's where it stands, I want a refund and vinesse refuses. In the mean time, FedEx has delivered the product, April 13, and I have declined to accept it, directing it be returned to sender.

  

  Business response

  04/13/2023

   

  We apologize for any inconvenience this order may have caused you. The eMail in question offered a Luxury Lot Clearance sale, which as per the copy of the eMail “features ‘a little of this’ and ‘a little of that’ from some of the most prestigious wineries throughout the world.” It goes on to state “You can rest easy knowing your mystery case of premium wine includes high-quality, rich wines;” as such, these collections are random, and the exact bottles featured in them would not be able to be enumerated in the eMail as this would differ for each order. Clicking “reserve yours now,” as you say you did, takes you to the ordering page, where the various bottle counts and their pricing are displayed in a drop down menu. You then have the option to join the club from which this surplus order was generated if you wish, and then, if one clicks “complete your order,” the system does process the order in question. I include a screenshot in attachments for review. We regret that this was done in error and you elected not to receive your purchase. We show it is en route back to our warehouse now. When it arrives, we will be able to offer a full refund to you, but it will be necessary to drop the dispute with your financial institution in order for us to action this item. Once the dispute has been dropped, please let us know, and we can take care of that for you.

  Customer response

  04/17/2023

  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  The credit card bank informs me they have contacted you regarding the disputed charge and have NOT heard back from you.  Please respond to the bank and I will drop the complaint
  
  Regards,
  
  H***** ******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Business response

  05/17/2023

  We see that you have filed the dispute and for us to make the accommodation as promised. You would need to drop dispute in order for refund to be issued on the specific transaction. 

   

  Thank You,

  Customer Support 

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