Definition: resell one's wines

Seller's thoughts:
To find the right buyer for their bottles, sellers must answer two questions: What is my wine worth? Is anyone likely to be interested in it? There is no point in going to all this trouble for a small batch of mediocre wine or a poor vintage. If your wines are worth it, you still need to find the best method to sell them. Among the various means at your disposal that we want to explore, which are not necessarily competitive but complementary, let's analyse what the same sale can yield through these different channels:

1. If you know a restaurant owner well and are a regular customer, you may be able to negotiate a sale without additional transport costs or commission to an intermediary.

2. Classified ads: For this type of offer, it all depends on the amount. First of all, you need to choose the right publication for your ad, as this will determine its impact on potential buyers. Choosing a specific medium, such as a magazine specialising in wine, cooking or gastronomy, will make it easier to reach your target audience than if your ad is lost among the classified ads of a major daily newspaper. Above all, you need to consider the relationship between the cost of the advertisement and the expected value of the sale. Classified ads also do not allow you to include a photo showing, for example, the level of the bottles, the condition of the labels, etc.

3. Auctions: As there are several types of auctions, here too, preference should be given to auctions specialising in wine and spirits. These specialist auction houses have a large address book of enthusiasts, restaurateurs and collectors who are accustomed to buying through this channel and who receive the catalogue before the sale. The auction house will carry out an initial provisional valuation of your bottles free of charge and, if you agree with the estimated price, the bottles can be delivered. The provisional valuation will be confirmed, either upwards or downwards, depending on the actual condition of the bottles.The bottles are then sold, and if they find a buyer at the lower limit or above, depending on the bids of interested buyers, you will be paid after a deduction of 15 to 18% for auction fees and any transport costs. These fees include the expert's valuation and the publication of the lot in the catalogue. Auctions are particularly interesting for the sale of a large number of bottles of high-end wines, which are always in demand, or even an entire cellar. The higher the value of the lots offered for sale, the lower the fees, which are charged on a sliding scale as a percentage of the total value offered for sale.

4. Online sales sites: for example, http://www.ebay.fr or www.2foismoinscher.com allow you to negotiate your wines at relatively lower prices for the seller. You can add photos and detailed descriptions of the wines on offer, and set the duration of the sale. The interface of these sites is relatively easy to use. However, if there are a large number of lots, the system can be quite tedious to enter them all. Do not overlook the methods of transport and their cost. It should also be noted that the quality of the wines offered does not depend on such serious expertise as that described under specialised auctions, and that the buyer cannot see the wines or obtain a neutral description before the sale. It must be admitted that the seller is better protected than the buyer. It is possible to acquire fine bottles that have been stored in appalling conditions, even though the seller presented themselves as an enthusiast in their advertisement.

5. Specialised online auctions: the quality of a site such as iDealwine http://www.idealwine.com/fr/home/index_home.jsp, which is a model of its kind and operates with the intervention of an auctioneer. The valuation of each wine is easy to obtain using the database based on the entire sales history. Your wines will then be listed by the auctioneer. Your lots are then put up for sale on the website for a week. You will be able to view the price trends, with the buyer assured of a transaction under favourable conditions. Fees of around 15.5% should be expected. The advantage of this type of online auction is the large number of potential buyers it reaches from all over Europe.

6. Use an expert: Experts in old vintages, such as Peter Thustrup Vins Rares http://www.vins-rares.fr in Paris, or Laurent Vialette, Les Caves d'Ausone, 14 Rue Ausone 33000 Bordeaux, tel. 05.56.48.53.08, who are looking for large batches of wine or entire cellars. They travel throughout Europe to examine how the wines are stored. A cellar consisting of wines from a single region is easier to negotiate than cellars containing a multitude of origins.

7. Fixed-price purchases: This last option guarantees a lower price, but it is net of all taxes and deductions, whereas an auction does not guarantee the final price.

As it is quite difficult to estimate the price of a wine based on its purchase price, it is essential to consult the various price guides available. One of the most reliable is http://idealwine.com or http://www.amadeawineprice.com, where prices are adjusted as auctions take place. However, you will find that estimates vary considerably from one site to another.