Amazon.Com steps into the wine market

Internet retail mogul Amazon.com has recently announced that they will enter the online wine sales market. Their partner-in-crime and newest affiliate is the online wine retailer Wine.Com. Yes, the same Wine.Com that performed its own sting operation last year by ordering wine from competitors websites and having it shipped to states where the action was illegal (read about it here). So maybe it’s not a new partner in crime as if it were crime, Wine.Com would turn themselves in!

This news (which I first read over at Vinotrip) is a big downer for me. I often buy things on Amazon.Com, from books to cookware, as I appreciate their layout, , prices and customer service. But I really don’t like Wine.Com. Their prices are ridiculous, their selection is mostly predictable, big label stuff, and most of all, they took the low road when they snitched on their competitors! To spend time and money setting up your competitors so you can have them shut down is absurd. Why not save your money, lower your wine prices (with the money saved on the stink operation, this would be possible) and enjoy the increased sales through good customer service and great deals? The people who wasted their time on the sting operation could have been finding new wines from smaller producers giving consumers a reason to shop there.

I’ll continue to support Amazon.Com for other products, but for wine…it’s the local shops or the many really great wine retailers online (winelibrary.com comes to mind).

Direct Shipping Bill goes to vote tomorrow

For those of you who missed this post, this post, and this post...the Maryland state senate will be in session tomorrow to vote on SB-616 (among other things) which, if passed, will allow Maryland consumers to order wine online and have it shipped to their homes. This legislation would finally give us wine consumers a free market that 32 other states have access to. Time’s running out- call your local representatives or send e-mails today! If you can join me tomorrow at the hearing, let me know: michael@foodandwineblog.com.