Online Policies
Houston Wine Merchant
2646 S. Shepherd Dr.
Houston, TX 77098
tel. (713) 524-3397
Returns & Exchanges
Please contact us directly at our store if you would like to discuss returning wine that was shipped to you from the Houston Wine Merchant. You can reach us by email at customerservice@houstonwines.com or call us directly from Monday through Saturday at 713-524-3397 between the hours of 10AM-6PM (Central Standard Time).
Shipping & Handling
- We have negotiated special shipping pricing through UPS in order to offset the costs of shipping for our customers. All wine orders for UPS delivery are shipped in our high quality, molded foam insert shippers, custom fitted to sturdy cardboard boxes that provide optimal protection to your wine in transit. The cost of the shipper (which you can use to store your wine safely in your cellar, or re-use to ship wine again) is INCLUDED in your online UPS shipping quote. This is our way of saying thank you for trusting us with your online wine shipping and delivery needs.
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Despite our efforts to ensure that your wine is safe from the elements, there is no way to guarantee that the conditions on the truck or in the UPS warehouse will be favorable. For this reason, we do not recommend shipping wine using "Ground Service." However, should you choose to elect to have your wine shipped UPS Ground, you can rest assured that we take every precaution to make sure the wine is safe and protected from the elements. Our shipments are picked up at the end of the business day, and we are the last stop on our driver's route before he returns to the UPS distribution center where your package is processed and expedited. This will ensure that your wine spends minimal time exposed to the risk of the elements during transit.
- Many of our customers choose to have us hold the wines they purchase during summer months to ship once the weather is more conducive. We are happy to keep your wine until shipping is safe. Your credit card will be charged initially for the cost of the wine so that we can hold it for you. When shipping is safe, we will call/email you to let you know that your package is on its way. Due to the fluctuation in gas prices, we can not anticipate shipping costs months in advance, so your credit card will be charged when the wine is shipped to cover the cost of delivery.
- In the case that you elect to ship your wine during months that we feel are too hot, you are assuming the risk that the wine may be spoiled in the process of shipping. Should you elect to do so, please be advised that no returns or refunds will be accepted.
Our Privacy Statement
We neither sell nor share your information with outside companies or third parties.
When you purchase from our online store, we collect your name, billing and shipping addresses, phone number, e-mail address, and credit card information. You provide this information so we can process and ship your order. We respect your privacy by not selling or sharing this information.
We encourage you to sign-up for our e-mailing list. These letters provide you with advanced notice of store sales, new merchandise, and other store-related events. But, of course, you have the freedom to add or remove your name from our list at any time.
Online Security
Your credit card is completely safe.
Protecting your information is our highest priority. We have developed several safeguards to keep your information completely confidential. To proceed to checkout, you must enter your e-mail address and create a password. The checkout process itself employs Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)* technology to insure your safety.
*Secure Sockets Layer encrypts your order information and sends it to a secure server, making it impossible for that information to be decoded by a party outside of the store you shop with.
Furthermore, only our store will have your information; other members of the Modern Retail community will not have access to your information unless you decide to shop with them.
To check the security of your connection during checkout, look for the unbroken key or closed lock at the bottom of your browser window. This indicates SSL is active.
Shopping Online
To add an item to your bag, simply click the add to bag button next to it. (Items you put in your bag will not be bought by you until you have completed the checkout process.)
To remove an item from your bag, simply click the remove link next to the item you wish to discard.
To view what is in your bag at any time, click the "shoppingBag" link in the page header.
To purchase what you've selected, click on your shoppingBag and click "checkout". Follow the three simple steps to purchase your items.
Once we have confirmed your order, an account for you is automatically established for the Modern Retail community of stores.
To access your account in the future, click the "myAccount" button in the header of any page and enter the e-mail address and password you created at checkout. (If you have not been through checkout, but would like to create an account, simply click on my account and follow the steps to create a new account.)
