Last orders for your email to Santa

IT’S coming up to last orders at Ireland’s online wine shops, with most of them bringing down the metaphorical shutters in the next few days — although of course most online wine shops do also trade in physical bricks-and-mortar stores, most of which will remain open up to Christmas Eve.

These final days for orders do allow a little margin of error — for instance the delivery information on Wine Online (at www.wineonline.ie) says, “the last official day for accepting orders for delivery by Christmas is Sunday December 19...” But they go on to say that orders received after that date will be processed but may not be delivered before Christmas.

The online retailing boom (and not just the wine sector) in Ireland has been accompanied by faster and more reliable delivery systems. Apart from goods like computers (which aren’t held in stock but imported and/or assembled when your order goes in) the bulk of consumer orders from online stores seem to take two days and often less.

Well another online retailer, Curious Wines, is taking that confidence to the next level. Their store at the Kinsale Road roundabout near Smyths Toys will be closing on Christmas Eve at 4pm as you’d expect. But remarkably they’re taking orders for Christmas delivery up until Wednesday December 22.

If you’re considering buying wine online, I’d suggest the criteria to decide which site to choose are broadly similar but crucially different to those you might use in bricks-and-mortar stores.

You ought to be looking obviously for the quality and value of the range of wines it sells; comprehensive information on each wine; free or reasonably-priced delivery; ease of use of the site.

The one overriding deal-breaking factor is clear and accurate information on price, delivery, terms and conditions. These should be made clear to the shopper before s/he starts the purchasing process. If any of those issues are in question, forget about it.

If you’re considering buying online, you might like to start with my blog, blakecreedon.wordpress.com. There I have posted a comprehensive up-to-date listing for Irish retail wine websites, as well as information such as the last days they’re accepting Christmas orders.