Outline:
As if we haven’t suffered enough over the past two years, 2022 seems to be piling on the pressure for many people. Rising expenses across the board are just the tip of the iceberg. I think that for many of us a glass of wine at the end of a hectic day is our way of taking a breath and finding some calm in the storm.
With that, I thought to myself why not talk about wine subscriptions? And, more importantly, why not have a conversation about the cost/benefit and see if they’re for you.
What is a Wine subscription?
The basic premise is rather simple. Pay a set amount every so often for a pre-specified amount of wine. Easy! However, if that was it, I wouldn’t still be typing now, would I?
There are many different kinds of wine subscriptions, all with their own niche/gimmick.
1. There’s the ‘exploration’ subscription; customers can try something new every time and delve into the weird and wonderful of the wine world. I’m a fan of these subscriptions because, in my mind, something new is never bad. However, the possibility of not enjoying a box could put you off and I wouldn’t blame you for that either.
2. How about the ‘tailored’ box; My favourite (I know, who could have guessed). The idea is that you get a box that you will enjoy every time but with an element of exploration about it. The wines won’t be repeated so hopefully, you will always be trying something new, while not taking as much of a risk. There are also downsides, you may know that you like Sauvignon Blanc or Malbec and may want to avoid it because you want to see which other wines you’ll like as much. This can be difficult for us to mitigate but nothing a quick email can’t solve.
3. Many people go for the ‘pick your poison’ subscription; The system gives you options and you choose which wines you want. This isn’t as popular here, but it has merit. The idea is to hand much more control over to the customer and I love that idea. However, I think many people enjoy the surprise element of the other boxes which is lost here.
These are the three most popular and I can see the merit and flaws in each but the idea is the same; Expose wine-loving people to more wines that they will love.
Once you find the subscription that’s for you, it’s important to make it your own! We all drink different wines at different speeds. All wine subscriptions should give you the option to alter how often you get your deliveries and should give you the chance to say “I only drink X”, or “I never drink Y”. If these options aren’t available, send an email. We love to hear from you about how we can improve your experience with us.
You have now received your first box, what’s next?
I would think that all of the companies offering wine subscriptions in Ireland now offer you the opportunity to give feedback. For me, this is how you can get the most out of your subscription. I love feedback. We aren’t perfect but we do our best to attain that unreachable goal and the only way to do that is through communication with our subscribers (even when it hurts!).
I believe that there is a wine subscription service for everyone. If one doesn’t fit your needs, let the company know. If that doesn’t work, find another. There are so many wonderful people providing amazing wines, I know there’s one for you!
If there’s anything that I didn’t cover or if you have any questions at all, our email is info@boxofwine.ie and we would love to hear from you.
Kind regards and drink up,
Neil