I was looking through the various wine subreddits the other day and came across one that proclaimed in all capital letters that FIRSTLEAF WINE CLUB IS A SCAM.
I'm fairly used to seeing these kinds of posts when it comes to wine subscriptions because 1) people often don't read what they are actually ordering, and 2) wine tastes are very subjective.
We've ordered from Firstleaf a couple of times at Wine Club Group (you can read our actual Firstleaf review), so I feel pretty confident addressing both of these.
Did You Get What You Ordered for Firstleaf for the Price You Were Advertised?
Firstleaf is clear that their regular price for members is around $90 for 6 bottles. As an INTRODUCTORY offer, you can often get 6 or 7 bottles for around $45. Every place on their site where they advertise the $45 price it says “first box of 6 wines.”
On the order summary page, it clearly shows that you are getting an “intro discount” on the first box.
Anyone who claims they were scammed because the price of the second and subsequent shipments were higher than the first shipment didn't pay attention to what they were buying. This isn't a case of terms being buried in small print or changed after the first order.
It's not unusual at all for a company to give new customers a substantial discount on their first order to get them in the door. This is especially true with products such as wine, where tastes and opinions can vary greatly. Which takes me to….
Was the Quality from Firstleaf as Advertised?
Anyone who has ever tried more than one glass of wine knows that every wine is different and everyone likes different things. I've seen blind taste tests before where “experts” couldn't tell the difference between a $15 bottle of wine and a $50 bottle of wine. In fact, there are a lot of people who flat prefer a $15 bottle of wine.
Firstleaf doesn't even pretend that they are selling $50 bottles of wine. Their “Retail Prices” tend to be listed at about $19 to $27 a bottle. Most people understand that “Retail Prices” are often inflated a bit–whether it's the “sticker price” on a car or the non-discounted sweater at Kohl's that seems to ALWAYS be on sale.
At the intro price of $45 for 6 bottles, that puts the cost of Firstleaf at around $7 a bottle. Even when full price for subsequent orders, the shipments become about $14 a bottle.
I've tasted both reds and whites from Firstleaf and they were definitely worth $7-14 a bottle. But maybe I'm not as picky? And I tend to drink whites, which are often cheaper. But Todd also recently got a new Firstleaf shipment, and he is a red drinker who thought the reds were completely worth it.
On top of the wine being decent for the price, the shipping was FREE and the wine came with tasting notes, which is an added bonus.
Firstleaf is Not a Scam
Firstleaf may not be the best wine club for everyone, but that doesn't mean it is a scam. If you are someone who enjoys $50 bottles of wine, you can't be surprised when a bottle you paid $7 for doesn't taste the same. And if you don't read the VERY obvious terms when you sign up for a subscription, that's on you.
