I Can’t Believe This Hasn’t Come Up Before

My wife and I visited Napa recently. We got my wife some wine from some of the vineyards there. Given that we’d flow in, we had it shipped. Everywhere we went was all set up for that. Now, I know that someone was going to have to show ID to prove the recipient can legally buy alcohol when this showed up. I knew this. However, I did not expect that it would have to be AT MY HOUSE.

Seriously, both vineyards we went to configured their shipment (one UPS and one FEDEX) to require that we had to show ID at our house and could not have it held at a UPS or FEDEX location where we could come pick up and show ID then. This was an option, and they both chose the one that wouldn’t work. After all, UPS and FEDEX both only would deliver before 5 and my wife and I both worked.

Why not let us have it held at a UPS or FEDEX location where we could show ID at pickup? Why would they do that? What benefit? Do all their other customers have someone who doesn’t have to work or has a butler or something to accept packages?

I just couldn’t understand how this was their standard way to ship. The other way still satisfied the law, and would work better in most cases. We had to to go back and forth with both vineyards, UPS, and FEDEX. We’ll see if we can get it all straightened out. If not then my wife can go back to cheap locally available wine. I’ve had enough.