It finally happened. On August 4, I purchased a bottle of Champagne at auction on WineCommune from a seller called "Xantero". Didnt' take long for me to receive my PayPal request and for him to get his money.

Since then, he has responded to none of my seven emails including a request to set a shipping date.

Before bidding, I checked his feedback: January - August 72 postives. September 7 negatives. I think he has absconded with the wine and the money.

After doing a little investigation, I am beginning to wonder if the wine he was selling belonged to him. He used to work as the winebuyer and a server at a restaurant in Miami Beach. Appears he left there to open his own restaurant which has since been closed.

I knew my luck wouldn't last forever but what a shame. I reported this expected "fraud" to WineCommune but have yet to receive a response. Thank goodness for credit card transactions. I should say he was also a verified seller.

Thanks, for posting, PlanoWino. I've thought about pulling the trigger on a WC purchase here nad there, but still have reservations for this exact reason. I know most have very satisfactory transactions, but it still worries me. I hope this eventually works out in your favor and you get the wine you purchased!

I have had many great transactions on WC. I always check to see if there is feedback and I always pay with a credit card usually through PayPal.

If buyer and seller are both "verified", WC has fraud coverage up to $300 with a $25 deductible which is some help.

The biggest help is in disputing the charge with your credit card company. I don't expect to get my wine but I do expect the charge to be removed from my bill. In all likelihood, the credit card company is also covered by holdbacks so no one will lose.

This experience hasn't soured me on WC. I will still continue to buy being as careful as I can be. I have scored some outstanding wines of good provenance at outstanding prices including two I just bought yesterday.

I wouldn't bid on anyone with that many negatives vs positives. If I read your feedback numbers correctly, this person had a bad transaction every ten times they sold something. Thats a huge RED flag.

Laker, I think what he said is the guy had nothing but positives up until August when he bought the wine and then overnight the guy got 7 negatives all in September.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by PlanoWino:


I reported this expected "fraud" to WineCommune but have yet to receive a response. [/QUOTE
]

That is inexcusable!

You understood correctly wiml. There were 72 positives ONLY when I placed my bid on August 4. In September, the negatives began to hit and there have been no more positives.

wine+art, I expected a quick response from WineCommune but still none so far. I am beginning to think WC is either getting to big for its britches or it is getting shaky. There have been too many questions lately. I still have a few bids placed but I will be careful.

On the other hand, I did just pick up a '91 Solaia from a good source for $64 and a '95 Valandraud from another good source for $151. Wins like that are what keep me coming back.

quote:

Originally posted by PlanoWino:


wine+art, I expected a quick response from WineCommune but still none so far. I am beginning to think WC is either getting to big for its britches or it is getting shaky. There have been too many questions lately. I still have a few bids placed but I will be careful.

ALL signs point toward shaky.

I'm getting my wine shipped as soon as the weather allows, then will sit on the sidelines for awhile.

I hope it isn't shaky. They have been a good source of wines at reasonable prices and many of the sellers that use the site are top notch.

Looks like 6 of the negatives came from the same guy, who bought 6 different lots. Still, it's inexcusable unless the guy croaked.

PlanoWino, you need to call customer service at WS. They are terrible about returning emails.

I only once had a serious problem there with a seller who wouldn't honor the auction. It was a magnum of something I don't remember. He started it @ $1 w/no reserve, and I was the only bidder. I complained to WC, and I've never seen him there again; although he could have changed his account, I suppose.

meeley490, I wanted to call but I can't find a phone number on the WineCommune website.

I too noted that six are from the same buyer but they did represent 6 different lots and probably along with my lot, some of the last lots sold.

Try the JJ Buckley # 888-859-4637. I believe they're the same company.

Thanks mneeley490. Funny WC doesn't list a phone number in the contact us panel.

I did call Buckley and spoke with customer service. They said they would email (good luck) the seller and get back to me. I don't suspect they will get an answer either but I do hope they do. I could already taste the '94 Taittinger I purchased.

quote:

Originally posted by PlanoWino:
Thanks mneeley490. Funny WC doesn't list a phone number in the contact us panel.

I did call Buckley and spoke with customer service. They said they would email (good luck) the seller and get back to me. I don't suspect they will get an answer either but I do hope they do. I could already taste the '94 Taittinger I purchased.

You might be glad you did not get it.

I have not had a really special Champagne from 1994.

Could be right but at about 1/2 the lowest price on Wine-Searcher Pro, I figured it was worth a lowball bid. WS 88 which is in line with your observations, I suspect. I have to rely on you and wiml if I want to taste really special Champagne.

quote:

Originally posted by PlanoWino:
Could be right but at about 1/2 the lowest price on Wine-Searcher Pro, I figured it was worth a lowball bid. WS 88 which is in line with your observations, I suspect. I have to rely on you and wiml if I want to taste really special Champagne.

If showing at an 88 level, nice wine I would say really.

I just had few '94's showing well.

All that said, if you get it, let's drink it!

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
All that said, if you get it, let's drink it!

Champagne whore!

Sorry for your loss, PlanoWino.
Suffice to say, the odds have rewarded you well over the time you've been purchasing through WC. You've sniffed up some incredible deals several times.

quote:

Originally posted by KSC02:

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
All that said, if you get it, let's drink it!

Champagne whore!

Hey, call me a whore, call me a slut, just call me if a fine wine is involved!

quote:

All that said, if you get it, let's drink it!

Not likely I will get it but it will certainly show up at an offline if I do. Problem is, you are always on the road and don't show up at many local offlines. Not sure if you will be at the Pinot offline on Oct. 11 either. How about the one at my house Nov. 15?

I'm sorry you seem to have gotten ripped off, and I hope you get the champagne, or your money back. The same thing happened to me a year and a half ago. When I reported the fraud to WineCommune, they closed the seller's account, which does nothing to prevent the same seller from opening a new account under a new name.

However, I did notice that WC recently began requiring members to keep a credit card account on file with WC. I wonder if that means that WC might be able to charge the seller's credit card, and get you a refund that way.

Now a slight thread drift -- PayPal has settled a class action lawsuit, in which it agrees to compensate victims of fraud who paid for transactions using the direct bank transfer function of Paypal, thinking (wrongly) that they were protected against fraud. If that describes your situation, do some research and find out about the class action settlement.

quote:

Originally posted by wineismylife:
Laker, I think what he said is the guy had nothing but positives up until August when he bought the wine and then overnight the guy got 7 negatives all in September.

I stand corrected

Dealing with the JJBuckley auctions is safer, IMO. At least you're dealing with them and their state of disorganization, but you won't get screwed.
However, I have purchased outside of that on rare occasion. Dealt with a couple of real oddballs, certainly. But always got the product at the end.
As has been said prior, most people dealing on the site are straight up and a pleasure to deal with.

quote:

However, I did notice that WC recently began requiring members to keep a credit card account on file with WC. I wonder if that means that WC might be able to charge the seller's credit card, and get you a refund that way.

That works if the credit card is still good and if the vendor or card issuer has holdbacks. WC's fraud insurance can also come into play if both buyer and seller are verified - this link explains the program.

http://www.winecommune.com/help/insurance.cfm

Any coverage is better than no coverage. I suspect that my credit card company will cover the loss.