FAQ

  1. About Wine Direct (Sussex) Limited

    1. Who is Wine Direct (Sussex) Limited?

      1. The registered office address: 1 The Courtyard, Poundfield Road, Chalvington, East Sussex, United Kingdom, BN27 3YD
      2. The warehouse address:  5, Blackbarn Farm, The Dicker, Lower Dicker, East Sussex, BN27 4BZ
      3. Phone: 01323 671700
      4. Email: info@winedirectsussex.com
    2. How is the winedirect.co.uk website different from other websites?

      1. Our exceptional range of wines from around the world are independently rated and critiqued by the world's top wine critics - so that you know what you are buying and you have the information necessary to confidently explore new grape varieties and enjoy new wines.
      2. We're passionate about wine and believe that knowing more about where the wines come from , the grape varieties and wine styles, can enhance your wine drinking experience and embolden you to experiment with the wide selection of wine styles and grape varieties on our list.
      3. We aim to offer the most competitive prices available on the internet for all our wines. We do not believe in artificially increasing our prices so that we can pretend to offer huge discounts. We benchmark all our pricing on the world's leading wine price comparison site, Winesearcher and you are welcome to compare our prices at your leisure . If we cannot offer a competitive price proposition then generally we do not stock the wine.
      4. All prices are offered in £ Pounds Sterling and are inclusive of UK VAT.
    3. Is Wine Direct (Sussex) Limited able to source wine not offered on the site?

      1. Yes - we have a searchable database of over 30,000 wines and excellent relationships with wine producers and wine agents. We can respond to most enquiries within 24 hours.
  2. How to order wines on winedirect.co.uk

    We hope to make your shopping experience with us as easy as possible. There are 4 steps to buying on winedirect.co.uk:
    1. How do I search for wines ?

      1. The home page is the best place to start your shopping with winedirect.co.uk. On the left hand side you will find a table of drop down menus. Click on the arrow to display the list of options - for example Wine Type displays White Wine, Red Wine, Rose, Dessert Wine, Champagne and Sparkling Wine - then click on the type of wine you wish to browse and you'll be taken to that page.
      2. We have lots of ways for you to search for wine. You can search by Wine Type, the Country and Region where the wine is produced, the Grape Variety / Blend, the price and name of the Winery - and you can even search by the ratings of the leading wine experts featured on the site.
      3. You can narrow your search by clicking on multiple search criteria - for example, select Country / Australia, Grape / Cabernet Sauvignon and Price Range / £10.00-20, to go straight to the Australian Cabernets in that price range.
      4. You can reset your search and start again by clicking on the Reset button. And you can reset a single search criterion by clicking on the "xxxx +" at the top of each drop down menu eg if you selected Australia and then Cabernet Sauvignon, and would then like to look for a Cabernet Sauvignon from another country, you can click on "Country +" in the Country drop down menu without resetting the whole search.
      5. These search options are dynamic - this means that they only display what is actually available in our wine list and relevant to your first selection. So if you click on Country / Australia and then Grape Variety , you won't find "Malbec" , but only those grape varieties which are planted in Australia. Similarly if you then click on Region, you will only get a listing of wine regions in Australia and not those in other countries.
      6. When you have finished a search and wish to start another one, simply press the Reset key to go back to the original search menu.
      7. Having narrowed the search according to your criteria, the wines will be displayed in price ascending order. You can reorder in price descending order. And you can also choose the number of items you wish to display on the page.
    2. Is there a minimum purchase on winedirect.co.uk?

      1. No you can purchase as many bottles as you like. We do not charge any additional packaging costs for orders of less than six bottles. It is most cost effective to purchase 12 btls since our case 12 prices are cheaper and the shipping charge is only a little more than a case 6 shipping charge. Some wines however are only available by the case and, for these wines, a minimum purchase quantity is stipulated on the webpage.Can I save my wine purchases and return at a later date?
    3. Can I save my wine purchases and return at a later date?

      1. Yes. When you purchase an item you simply click on the Add to Basket icon on the wine detail page and the item will be saved to your basket. When you click on Add to Basket you will be taken to a Shopping Cart page where you can view your selections so far and decide whether to Continue to Checkout or Continue searching for wines
      2. The value and number of items of your shopping to date is permanently displayed on the left hand side of the screen. You can either click on this or on the "My Basket" link in the menu bar on the top right of the page to display the details of your order. If you want to remove something, simply tick the 'remove' box next to the item in your shopping bag that you wish to remove, and then click the 'update' button. This will then remove the products which you "ticked" to be removed.
      3. Your selections in "My Basket" will stay there until you delete them. So you can log off and return to finalise your wine purchase at a later date.
      4. If you would like to simply note down wines that you might like to purchase at some later date then the best thing to do is to click on the "Add to My Wish List" button. This will be saved even if you do not register with us. When you return you can access the Wish List simply by searching for another wine to add to it. The Wish List will then reappear on the left hand side of your screen. Please note though that if your internet security software is switched to Cookies Disabled, the Wish List will not be able to remember items added to it.
    4. How do I complete a purchase?

      1. When you have all the items you wish to purchase in your basket, it is recommended that you read the terms and conditions, shipping information and privacy policy, then go to your basket and click the "checkout" button which will then take you to the payment area to pay for your selected items.
      2. To order on the web:
      3. You will first need to register your details and create an account within the online shop. Registration is quick and easy. If you have previously registered you need only need to enter your e-mail address and password to continue. This will then pre-fill most of the checkout requirements for you based on the information supplied during previous orders and the details stored in your account with the shop. Otherwise you will need to set up a new account by filling in the simple form provided.
      4. For your convenience, you may enter an alternative delivery address and any other specific details on the account and checkout pages in the applicable areas which are clearly represented. The system will remember delivery addresses of 3rd parties as well so that you can reorder and send gifts easily. These details are stored for you in My Account.
    5. Are my payments secure?

      1. All payments to winedirect are secured by Paypal. Your payments could not be safer.
      2. We recommend that you check the details of the items you are ordering before making your purchase. Clicking on the "Continue" button takes you through the required pages to the point at which you can enter your payment details and complete your order securely online. You will need to choose from one of the card types that we accept for online payments. We accept MasterCard, Visa, Switch and Debit cards, and American Express. You can also email us to request bank details for a bank transsfer payment.
    6. Can I send a message or card along with a wine gift?

      1. Yes you can. Simply add your message in the Message box at Checkout.
    7. What if I want to reorder a wine but have forgotten the name?

      1. All your order details are stored in My Account. These include not only the wines you have ordered for your personal consumption but those you have sent to friends as well. You can reorder any of the wines you have purchased with a simple click of the Reorder button in My Account.
  3. Shipping with winedirect.co.uk

    1. What are your UK delivery charges?

      1. Please note that the following standard delivery charges apply for UK retail orders :
        1. UK deliveries are undertaken by APC and DPD: £9.95 shipping in UK for 6 btls; £11.95 for 12 btls. (per address) and £7.50 per subsequent case provided that the wine is in stock and the order is received by 1pm.
        2. We are happy to deliver to the the Isle of Man, the Isle of Wight, Northern Ireland, the Shetlands, Orkneys and Channel Islands. Unfortunately these charges are quite a lot higher. We charge £17.95 per case 6 and £27.95 per case of 12. Each additional case of 12 is £20.00.
    2. When will I receive my shipment?

      1. Standard delivery timeframe is 3-7 days. Due to the large volume of orders not all wines can be in stock . Orders in stock will be despatched within 24 hours.
      2. It is our policy to stock all items which we list on our website and to ensure that our suppliers are able to restock us every week. Due to the large number of premium wines listed on our site it may be the case that several people have ordered cases of the same wine over 1-2 days and therefore we will not be able to fulfil the order until the next delivery from our supplier.
      3. If a particular wine is in high demand and is out of stock we will contact you only if delivery of the item is likely to take more than 14 days. In these rare cases we will advise you of the delivery time frame we can meet, or recommend an alternative wine or refund your payment if you do not want to proceed with the order.
      4. Orders for Northern Ireland, Scilly Isles, Isle of Man, Scottish Highlands and the Orkneys - please allow 3-5 days even if the wines are in stock. It may also take longer to deliver to remote areas - including the following post codes: AB, BT, DD 8-11, HS, IV, KA 27-28, KW, PA20-23, 28-29, 31, 34, 41 onwards, PH8, 10, 16, 18 onwards, TR21-25, ZE.
      5. If you need the wine for a particular date, or before a particular date please make sure you mention this in the comments section when placing your order.
      6. Actual time of delivery is based upon 9am-5.30pm.  Please contact us for any specific delivery requests.
      7. After you have placed your order online, we will send you an order acknowledgement email with the subject 'Thank you for your purchase at winedirect'.
    3. What if no one is home to meet the courier?

      1. If no one is home, the courier will leave a card to say she/he has been. Alternatively, you may authorize the courier to leave the order in a certain place. There is a textbox in the shopping checkout where delivery instructions can be left should no one be home to meet the courier. Let us know if you want the courier to leave your order in a certain spot (e.g. at back door or in shed etc). IMPORTANT NOTE: if a request is made for wine to be left unattended we cannot be held responsible if the wine goes missing after the courier has delivered it.  Our main courier is Parcelforce so if there are repeated failed deliveries then the order will be made available at your local post office for collection within 7 days. 
    4. Can I return the wine for any reason?

      1. Yes you can.
      2. We are committed to giving you complete satisfaction. If you are not completely satisfied with any Wine Direct (Sussex) Limited product, simply return it within 28 days of receiving it, and we will promptly issue a refund for the value of the item, or replace the product (your choice) free of charge.
      3. It must be in a saleable condition in its original, undamaged packaging, and we will consider the overall condition when making a refund (this does not affect your statutory rights in the event of faulty goods or your rights to cancel under the Distance Selling Regulations explained in our Terms and Conditions).
      4. If you intend to return any part of your order, please contact us. Then return the goods along with a letter explaining why you are returning the product and enclose it with your shipment. Carefully secure and package the merchandise to prevent damage in transit.
      5. If there are breakages in transit please save the merchandise, and the package it arrived in, and notify us immediately.
      6. Please note: Generally exchanges or returns must be despatched by you within 30 days of receiving your order together with a letter detailing why you are returning the product. Shipping and handling charges are NOT refundable. If however the goods delivered were incorrect, damaged or faulty then this time limit does not apply and our shipping charges are refundable.
    5. Can I order from overseas or request an overseas delivery?

      1. Yes you can. We have been shipping globally for over 10 years , use only reliable couriers such as Interlink DPD and TNT and are familiar with customs requirements at both ends. Please note however that you must pay for international shipments via bank transfer only.
        1. Delivery charges are £20.00-£40.00 per case of 12 to most European Union destinations reducing to £30.00 per case of 12 if you order 5 cases or more. See detailed tariff sheet in pounds here.
        2. Delivery charge discounts - we discount the delivery charges to all overseas destinations depending on the price of the wine purchased. Details are as per the tariff sheet in pounds here. Examples
        3. Asia and USA - we can ship to most SE Asia, East Asia and Australasia destinations plus the USA. For the USA we are able to offer a deferred oceanfreight service to most inland points - but these rates are not automated and so please contact us for a quotation. Please note that the US oceanfreight service takes around 4-6 weeks and prices per case do decrease dramatically for orders of 5 dozen or more.
        4. For all other countries please see our international delivery tariff and please note that you will have to contact us by phone for a firm quotation and to pay the delivery charges.
        5. All and any customs charges at destination are for the account of the buyer. There are many countries we cannot ship to due to restrictive duties or customs regulations - examples include Canada, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia and many others. We reserve the right to refuse any shipment to any country if regulations to not permit us to ship to those destinations. If you are located in a country to which we cannot ship then you will receive a full refund to your card within 48 hours of placing an order.
      2. Please click here for our International Delivery Tariff.