Customer FAQs

If I don't find the answer to my question here, how can I find help?

If you can't find the answer to your question here, please contact Customer Services by email on info@drinksdirect.com or call the Corporates Sales Team who can help with most enquiries on 0113 365 1000 (office hours 9.00am - 5.30pm, Monday - Friday).

Most email enquiries are responded to within 1 hour during business hours. We aim to respond to all enquiries within 24 hours.

Can I shop at Drinks Direct without logging in or registering?

Yes. You can purchase on the Drinks Direct website as a Guest - no login required. However if you register an account, you can view past orders, download invoices, create a favorites list, save addresses in your address book and experience a much more streamlined checkout experience. At Drinks Direct we endeavour to make the purchase experience as simple and user-friendly as possible.

How can I specify a delivery address which is different to the invoice address for my order?

In the checkout you enter your shipping address first. You are then prompted whether your invoice address is the same as the delivery address. If not, simply make sure the slider says NO, and you will be prompted for the invoice address below. It's really simple.

How can I pay for my order if I have problems paying online?

To avoid most issues which can occur when paying for your order online, please make sure the Invoice Address you enter on the Drinks Direct website is the same as the address to which to which your card is registered.

Providing an incorrect Invoice/Billing Address can result in the transaction not being authorised and the order may be subject to further transaction checks which can delay dispatch.

Also please make sure the security code entered is exactly as shown on your card. The security code is the last 3 digits printed on the signature strip. With American Express cards, the security code is the 4 digits printed just above the card number.

If you experience any problems using the online payment method, you can also call Drinks Direct on 0113 365 1000 for assistance in paying for your order.

Do you have a minimum order level?

There is currently no minimum spend on the Drinks Direct website. So you can buy just one bottle or more. It's up to you! The delivery charge starts from £5.99 no matter how much you buy for delivery throughout mainland UK.

FREE Mainland UK delivery is provided for orders over £350 in value.

Further information is provided in the Delivery Section.

My order is a gift and I want to choose my own Gift Box, how can I do this?

Simply click on the Gift Box Options sub-department and you will be presented with a range of Gift Boxes.

Choose one and then add to basket. You will also be prompted for a gift message which must be entered and will be included with the order. You can also specify a delivery date here (Monday - Friday or Saturday).

Then simply browse the Drinks Direct website and add the product/s you wish to include in the Gift Box and we will automatically add the items to the gift box. It's that easy!!

If a Gift Box is not chosen, then your order will be dispatched in our standard protective packaging. You can still add a gift message for such orders. The gift message for such orders can be added during the checkout process in the "Gift Message / General Information" section, on the second checkout page.

On the DrinksDirect.co.uk website there are all these Case of 6 Deals but I only want to purchase one bottle, how can I do this?

Simply click on the add to basket button for any particular product (the quantity box is 1 by default unless you change it) and this will add the respective quantity of the selected product.

To take advantage of the Case of 6 Deals simply change the quantity of the product to 6 (or however many items you require) and click on the add to basket button. The discounted bottle price will automatically be calculated. It's that simple!!

Can I pay using my American Express card?

We do not currently accept payment by American Express. Orders can be paid using the following card types: Visa, Mastercard, Maestro. You can also pay by bank transfer. However, if you have a Paypal account, you can use your American Express card when using the Paypal payment method.

Does Drinks Direct deliver on a Saturday?

Saturday delivery is available for Mainland UK delivery addresses only (excludes Scottish Highlands, Offshore Isles, Northern Ireland and other remote locations).

Saturday delivery must be selected in the Delivery Method section on the checkout pag,e for an order to be dispatched on the Saturday delivery service. Please note the Saturday delivery charge is fixed at £8.99. For further details on Saturday deliveries please contact us on info@drinksdirect.com.

I don't want my personal address, which is the address to which my card is registered, to be shown on the Packing Sheet?

All orders placed on the website have a Packing Sheet enclosed with the order. The Packing Sheet contains the order number, invoice address, delivery address and product/s ordered. No pricing or discount information is provided on the Packing Sheet.

After paying for my order I got an email message advising "Drinks Direct would not accept the transaction due to an insufficient fraud checking score", what do I do?

This can be due to :

- the 3 digit Security Code (this is the last three digits above the signature strip on your card or the last 4 digits on the front of your card for American Express) being entered incorrectly.

- your Invoice/Billing Address entered during checkout is incorrect (this is the address to which your Card is registered)

- your Card Issuing bank has put your card on hold.

If you originally entered any of the above details incorrectly please amend accordingly for any future transaction attempts. Please note the Invoice/Billing Address entered during checkout must be the same as the address to which the Card is registered.

If you continue to experience any difficulties paying for your order, you can call Drinks Direct on 0113 365 1000. A member of the team will then be able to assist you in placing your order (office hours: 9.30am - 5.30pm, Monday - Friday).

As an alternative payment method, you can select "Payment by Bank Transfer". You will then be sent bank account details to send payment for your order.

Can I send a personalised message with my order?

Yes. All Gifts in the Gifts Department include a gold gift tag with your personal message written inside. When you purchase a gift from the gifts department you will be prompted for your personal message. This is part of the shopping process on the website.

We can also include your personal message, even if you have not purchased from the Gifts Department. For example, if you have purchased a mixed case of drinks for a friend.
Simply enter your personal message in the appropriate box in the "Gift Message / General Information" section on the second checkout page.

For corporate orders, businesses may have their own company stationary included in an order. Please contact us on 0113 365 1000 for further information.

Can I specify a delivery date for my gift?

Yes, you can specify a delivery date for Gifts from the Gifts Department or if you select a Gift Box Option and choose your own product/s to include in the gift box.

In the box "Please select a delivery date for your gift" simply select the date you would like your gift to arrive at the delivery address, Monday-Friday (working days) or Saturday. Please note if you select a Saturday delivery date, "Saturday Delivery" must also be selected in the "Class of Service" drop-down box on the second checkout page.

For gifts from the gift department to be dispatched the same day as the order is placed, orders must be received before 4pm (on any Working Day) to be guaranteed to be processed for dispatch, provided the required product/s are in stock and the order is authorised for dispatch.

Please note that our courier partners collect parcels from our Dispatch Depot Monday to Friday only, with the exception of Bank Holidays and other Public Holidays.

Example
If today is Monday 25 October 2023. In the box, Preferred Delivery Date on thecheckout page, you select 28 October 2023. Your gift will be dispatched on Wednesday 27 October 2023 using our Next Working Day delivery service for expected delivery at the delivery address on Thursday 28 October 2023.

If you leave the preferred delivery date as the default blank date, this will be interpreted by the dispatch warehouse as the order requiring dispatch asap.

What if the recipient of my order is not in when delivered?

Most orders are dispatched with the message "Leave with neighbour if not in". Please note our courier partners are instructed not to leave orders without first obtaining a signature for the receipt of the order.

Our couriers will attempt delivery on up to 2 separate occasions. The second delivery attempt is usually made the following working day unless the courier is instructed otherwise by the recipient, using the couriers contact details on the delivery attempt card left.

If delivery is not possible on the second attempt the order can be collected from the recipient's local delivery depot for free. Our couriers will hold the order for up to five days after the second delivery attempt, thereafter the order will be returned to the respective Dispatch Depot.

A majority of orders are delivered successfully on the first attempt however, where possible, we recommend a work address be provided as the delivery address to ensure the best chance of a successful delivery the first time.

You can also track the progress of your order by clicking on the link provided within the email you will receive once your order has been dispatched.

Many of our courier partners send a text message on the day of delivery, to advise the order is on its way. This can only be sent to customers providing a mobile contact number. Many of our courier partners are now also moving to sending a text message with an estimated delivery time window on the day of delivery .

What is Body?

Our body ratings for wines and champagnes have been devised to help you choose a wine or champagne that you will like by grading our red wines according to their taste and our white and rose wines according to their sweetness.

Red wines have a rating from A to E. An A rating is an undemanding, light and easy to drink
wine. At the other end of the scale, an E rated wine is a bigger and more concentrated wine with a greater sensation of depth and fullness.

Our white, rose wines and champagnes have been rated from 1 to 9, according to their sweetness. A number 1 rating indicates the driest wine e.g. Champagne (Brut) and Chablis. A number 9 indicates an exceptionally sweet dessert wine. The numbers in between span the remaining dry to sweetness spectrum.

Will you deliver to my area?

We deliver to addresses throughout Mainland UK, Scottish Highlands, Scottish Isles, Isle of Wight and Isle of Man. We do not deliver to the Channel Islands and the Republic of Ireland. In addition, we longer delivery to Northern Ireland, due to the additional processes required for delivering into this location. For further information on delivery please see the Delivery Section

A same day delivery service may be available for large orders requiring delivery to Leeds and the immediate surrounding areas. Please contact Corporate Sales on 0113 365 1000 for further information.

How do I cancel an order I placed?

Cancelled orders yet to be dispatched.

If your order has not yet entered our dispatch process, it can be cancelled by sending an email with details of your order to info@drinksdirect.com. Your order will be cancelled and a full refund issued.

Cancelled orders already dispatched.

Orders which have entered our dispatch process or have been dispatched can be cancelled by sending an email with details of your order to info@drinksdirect.com. These orders will be provided with a full refund less all courier charges.

Please do not send back cancelled orders without first emailing info@drinksdirect.com to obtain your RMA (Return Merchandise Authorisation) number.

For full details please see our Terms and Conditions

What are the recommended PC requirements for using the Drinks Direct website?

In order to be able to use this site most effectively we recommend the following PC requirements:

Operating software: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Android, Macintosh OS X

Browser Software: Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer 11 and above, Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, Android or Opera and most other popular browsers.

What if my goods are damaged, lost or has missing items when received?

On the rare occasion where your order is damaged, lost or has missing products these will either be replaced free of charge or a credit will be issued. Please see our Terms and Conditions for full details.

Can I contact Drinks Direct by phone?

You can contact Customer Services at Drinks Direct by email on info@drinksdirect.com. Most enquiries are responded to within 1 hour during normal business hours. We aim to respond to all enquiries within 24 hours.

If you require any assistance in placing an order, require stock availability information or if you would like order tracking information, you can contact the Corporate Sales Team on 0113 365 1000, who will be happy to help.

Is it safe to give my credit/debit card details online?

Your order and transaction details are encrypted using 256-bit SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology. Encrypting private information ensures your order details are transmitted safely and securely through the Internet. We hold a DigiCert Inc SSL Security Certificate. DigiCert Inc is a market leading provider for SSL security certificates. Please see our Security Section for further details.

If you have any further questions or concerns about the security of our service on the Internet, please contact the Customer Services Team on info@drinksdirect.com

Can I pay by cheque?

No. Cheques are no longer accepted as a form of payment. This option may become available again in the future.

How does Drinks Direct protect my privacy?

We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only collect, administer and process information in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. We will not sell your information to any third parties. Please see our Privacy Policy section for further details.