cracka guaranteed!

Every wine, every minute,
we stand by our brands!

Help


Getting Started

Register as a Member

While it’s possible to buy wine at Cracka Wines without pre-registering, to ensure your experience is as simple and enjoyable as possible it is best to set yourself up as a Member as soon as possible. Register now − it’s fast, easy and free.

What do I need to be able to join?

Things you will need when you join:

  1. An email address
  2. A delivery address in Australia
  3. Your good looks!

Additionally, you will need to supply a valid credit card if you want to purchase any wine or place a bid in our Cracka Wines’ Auctions.

Your responsibilities

When you sign up to a Cracka Wines account you undertake that you will:

  • Keep your account safe by not sharing your sign in details or storing them in an un-secured location.
  • Notify us immediately if you suspect your account has been tampered with.
  • Make sure your credit card details are up to date and that your credit card details are valid.
  • Familiarise yourself with our website’s terms and conditions.

Signing In

If you've already registered, you can sign in to your Cracka Wines account. If you haven’t previously registered, select the Register Now link to create your Cracka Wines account. To protect your identity and privacy, you will be asked for your password when updating certain account details.

How do I sign in to my Cracka Wines account

  1. Click on "Sign in" in the middle at the very top of the website
  2. Enter your email address and password
    • Optional: to stay signed in until you sign out
      Select the Keep me signed in for today check box
    • For safety: If you're using a public or shared computer
      Always click the Sign out link near the top of the page when you have finished using Cracka Wine.
  3. Click the Sign in button

I forgot my password!

Click to Sign in and then select the “I forgot my password” link.

Having Problems?

Having problems getting registered or signing in? Contact us and we’ll sort things out for you.

> Back to Top

Cracka Wine Auctions

Overview

Cracka Wines' Auctions are different to other auctions - but relax they’re not complicated. Take a few minutes familiarising yourself with the information provided below and you’ll be a Cracka Wines Auction expert in no time. Note that we also have a "How It Works" area that is accessible from all auction pages which includes video tutorials and a comprehensive overview of everything auction related.

Basically, the price starts falling in Cracka Wines' Auctions at either 1pm or 8pm (AEST & AEDT) every day. Each auction runs for an hour, is for a specific product, and will have a pre-determined number of Cases of that product allocated to it. Each auction will also have a specific Starting Price, which will generally be the Recommended Retail Price (RRP). When the auction clock starts, the price starts falling!

You can purchase a case at any time during an auction for the "Current bottle price" being displayed - by clicking on the "Buy" buttons. You can also place a bid at any time before or during an auction by clicking on the "Bid" buttons. Auctions end when all of the available Cases have been purchased, or when the "Last Chance" period concludes.

Bid or Buy

With Cracka Wines there are two different ways you can participate in our auctions:

Firstly, you can immerse yourself in all of the action of the live auction and "Buy Now" when the time is right - taking your chances and basing your decision on the current price, the number of cases remaining, and your best guess of when to get in before other Cracka users grab the last remaining cases from under you! Alternatively - and particularly if you can’t be there for the live auction - you can place a bid prior to the start of, or during a live auction at a price which you are happy to pay and a price at which you hope there will be some cases left for you to win. The strategy you choose is entirely up to you!

1. BUY NOW − this is the best and most exciting way to buy products in Cracka Wines’ Auctions.

You can watch the live auction and see the price reducing whilst at the same time watch other buyers purchase the available cases at different prices. Buying this way lets you try to anticipate the best time to get in before all of the products are sold. However, be careful not to wait too long as there could be a group of sealed bids waiting to win all of the remaining products at any time!

To Buy Now, just wait until the current price of an item reduces to your preferred amount and then click on the BUY NOW button. When you click on the "Buy Now" button you will be shown the total cost of the case together with the delivery costs. You will then be asked to confirm that you are happy to pay the total amount. Once payment is confirmed, the wine is yours!

Remember, if you’re not registered or even signed in then your purchase will take a little longer and other buyers could buy all of the remaining cases whilst you are in the middle of processing your membership or signing in. To avoid the risk of missing out, be sure to register and sign in before the auction starts.

2. BIDDING - this is most useful for people who can’t watch the live auction.

Bidding in Cracka Wines' auctions is a lot like bidding on other auctions - but there’s a big difference! With traditional auctions you place a bid that is higher than the previous bid, is visible to all other participants, and will be the winning bid should no other person bid higher. With Cracka Wines' auctions you place a bid at a price you would like to pay in the hope that it is slightly more than what other members are willing to pay for the available cases – but no one can see how much you’ve bid. Your bid becomes a winning bid if there are Cases available when the 'Current Price' reduces to the value of your bid.

With bidding, you can submit your preferred price at any time in the 7 days prior to or during the live auction. Once the auction starts, if the ‘Current Price’ reduces to your bid value with cases remaining, then you win. It’s as easy as that.

It’s important to note that early bids rank higher than identical bids of the same value. This means that if 10 people bid the same amount for the last remaining case, then the earliest bidder will be the one who wins – so it’s always best to get your bids in early.

Auction Terminology

Auction Start Time

Unless otherwise shown, Cracka Wine Auctions start at either 1pm or 8pm (AEST/AEDT) and run for one hour.

Starting Price

The starting price is the price of the product before the live auction begins and the price starts to fall. Typically the price of all wines start falling from their RRP (or the LUC for Trade Only auctions).

Some auctions will not display a starting price to prevent a special product from being sold prior to the live auction process. This provides all users the opportunity to review the product prior to the start of the live auction. Once the live auction starts, however, it’s game on!

Current Price

The Current Price is the price of the product being auctioned at a particular point of time during the live auction process. The price of auction items in Cracka WInes' auctions reduces throughout the auction process, so the longer you wait the cheaper it gets. Beware; if you wait too long you might just miss out!

Reserve Price

A reserve price is the lowest price at which the seller is willing to sell a product. Cracka encourages all sellers to list their products without a reserve price so that you get to set the price that you want to pay.

Price Reduction

The main difference with the Cracka auction process is that the product for sale will have a starting price - usually the Recommended Retail Price (RRP) - which continually reduces throughout the live auction until all cases are sold or until the reserve price is reached. Each price reduction step is determined by the “Current Price” of the product at the time. The higher the product’s current price then the larger the price reduction steps.

Sealed Bids

Bids allow you to set a price that you want to pay for a product prior to, or during a live auction. By lodging your bid in advance you don’t have to be watching the live auction to be ready to click on the “Buy Now” button when the product reaches your preferred price. Other buyers will see that you have placed a bid, but the value of your bid will be ‘sealed’ when viewed by all other buyers - the value of your bid will, however, be visible to you when you are signed in. This is part of what makes Cracka Wines’ Auctions fun. It’s a game of skill as you try to guess what the other buyers have bid or what they are willing to pay as you watch the price fall.

> Back to Top

Cellar Door Sales

Overview

Our Cellar Door Sales area is like a LASTMINUTE.com.au for wine - allowing you to buy excess inventory directly from wineries at prices set by the winemakers.

To help you decide what to buy, we have compiled a vast amount of information about each of our winemakers and their wines – including reviews from some of Australia’s leading wine writers. In addition, all of the wines listed for sale have been tasted (tough gig!) and rated by our expert panel.

This combination of information, great prices and independent reviews – ensures that you get greats wine at unbelievable prices.

Please note that all the wines sold via our Cellar Door Sales are direct from the winery to you. As a result we are unable to bundle to reduce delivery costs, and delivery prices and times may vary for you across different wine purchases.

> Back to Top

My Cracka

Overview

MyCracka is the place to go for everything relating to your Cracka Wines membership account.

Within the MyCracka section of the website you can update all of your account details, including items like your auction 'Display Name', as well as manage your email preferences, address details, credit card information, etc.

MyCracka also allows you to

  • View your auction bids
  • Increase your auction bids
  • Review purchase information
  • View and print Tax Invoices
  • Manage auction reminders

> Back to Top

Questions & Answers

Auctions

Who can bid?

Only registered Cracka Wines members can bid on auctions. Register now!

How do I place a bid?

Click on the auction in the auction schedule to view the detailed auction page, then simply select the price you want to pay using the up/down arrow buttons that display above/below the bid price field, then click on the ‘Place Bid’ button.

Does it cost anything to bid?

No, there is no cost to bid. Your credit card will only be charged if you win. Please note that if you use PayPal for bidding then PayPal will secure your total bid value as a 'pending' payment - where a bid is unsuccessful then this 'pending' payment is released by PayPal 30mins after the close of the auction in which the bid was placed.

What buyers fees do you charge?

None. Nada. Zilch. Zero. Blot. What you see is what you pay.

Is a bid binding?

Yes, our Terms & Conditions stipulate that once a bid is placed it is binding. If the bid is successful, you will be charged for the products.

Can I increase a bid?

Yes. Simply click on your bid under the “Your Bids" section on the right of the auction clock, and follow the prompts. Note that you must be signed in to see your bids

Note also that if you want to increase the number of cases your bid applies to you may also have to increase the value of your bid so that your bid price is higher than other bidders trying to secure the remaining cases.

Can I decrease a bid?

No. Because your bids can cause another member’s bids to be out-bid, then you are committed to this bid value and subsequent purchase if the bid is successful.

Can I cancel a bid?

No. Because your bids can cause another member’s bids to be out-bid, then you are committed to this bid and subsequent purchase if the bid is successful. Please refer to "Wine Auctions – Your Obligations" on our Website Terms & Conditions page.

I bid on multiple cases; but only won some of them, why?

Your bid becomes a winning bid when the current price reduces to your bid value. If you bid for multiple cases you will win all of those cases if the number of cases remaining is equal to or greater than the number of cases you bid for. If the number of cases remaining is less than the number of cases you bid for then you can only win the remaining number of cases. We will email you every time you are outbid on one of the cases you have bid for so that you will always know how many cases you are still in the running to win.

Can I set a high and a low bid?

No. This type of bidding is not compatible with our unique reverse auction system. This is because at any time during the auction another player can use the "Buy Now" option to secure the last remaining case(s).

Do you have a proxy bidding system?

No. This type of bidding is not compatible with our unique reverse auction system. This is because at any time during the auction another player can use the "Buy Now" option to secure the last remaining case(s).

How does a bid become a winning bid?

Your bid will become a winning bid the instant the current price of an auction item reduces to the value of your bid.

How do I know if my bid becomes winning bid?

You will get a confirmation email if your bid becomes a winning bid.

I’ve been Outbid, what does this mean?

It means that more people have bid higher amounts for the remaining auction Cases. If cases remain then you can increase your bid or place a new bid to say in the game.

How do I tell if I’ve been outbid?

We will send you an email the instant your bid is out-bid.

I have placed a bid, but now want to “Buy Now”; what can I do?

Just click to “Buy Now” and your purchase will cancel your bid. Note that if your bid was for multiple cases then you must purchase the same (or more) number of cases you originally bid for.

Why can't I bid a lower price with the Bidding tool?

The system ensures that the bidding tool will only accept the lowest price that will ensure your bid is in-play. Any bid lower than the lowest value accepted by the bidding tool would immediately be 'out-bid', so this system saves you from inadvertently placing 'out-bid' bids!

About "sealed" bids

Because Cracka Wines auctions work differently to other auctions, the bids of other members remain sealed so that they have a chance of securing the product for the price that they want to pay. If the bids were not sealed then members watching the live auction would be able to purchase the product just before the price reduces to match the bid placed. Which isn’t fair, really! Note that you do not have to do anything to place a sealed bid as your bids will always appear sealed to all other website users, but will be visible to you if you are 'Signed In'.

Can I purchase a product prior to the live auction?

Yes. Just click on the Buy Now button. Note that for some special products, pre-auction purchases will not be available.

Can I sell my wine on Cracka Wines?

No, not at this stage. Cracka is dedicated to bringing you the best available wines from the best producers at the best prices. We also personally endorse and guarantee all of the products sold on Cracka.

When does an auction close

Auctions usually run for one hour, but will also end when all available Cases have been purchased, or when the product’s reserve price has been reached.

What is a display name?

A Display Name is the unique name used to identify you within Cracka Wines’ Auctions. It is seen by other Cracka Wines users when you are active (buying or bidding) within auctions.

Payment

Why does Cracka Wines need my credit card when placing a bid?

We require a credit card to prevent fraudulent auction activity which may adversely affect other Cracka Wines customers.

How do I update/change my credit card?

You are able to update your credit card details whenever you place a new bid or click to Buy Now. You can also update your credit card (and all of your other account details) within the "My Cracka" section of the website - look for the link to the "My Cracka" section at the top of the website.

Are my credit card details secure?

Absolutely! Cracka Wines uses the eWAY Payment Gateway for its online credit card transactions. eWAY processes online credit card transactions for thousands of Australian merchants, providing a safe and secure means of collecting payments via the Internet.

All online credit card transactions performed on this site using the eWAY gateway are secured payments.

  • Payments are fully automated with an immediate response.
  • Your complete credit card number cannot be viewed by Cracka Wines or any outside party.
  • All transactions are performed under 128 Bit SSL Certificate.
  • All transaction data is encrypted for storage within eWAY’s bank-grade data centre, further protecting your credit card data.
  • eWAY is an authorised third party processor for all the major Australian banks.
  • eWAY at no time touches your funds; all monies are directly transferred from your credit card to the merchant account held by Cracka Wine.

For more information about eWAY and online credit card payments, please visit www.eWAY.com.au.

When will I get charged?

Your credit card will be charged as soon as you confirm a “Buy Now” purchase or as soon as your bid becomes a winning bid.

What happens if my credit card payment fails?

Unfortunately, if your credit card payment fails then your Cracka account will be suspended until you update your credit card details. When your account is suspend all of you current bids will be cancelled and you will not be able to place more bids or “Buy Now” until you update your credit card details. In most cases we will be able to call you to process your payment manually.

My account is suspended; what does this mean?

Your account will be suspended if a credit card payment fails. To reactivate your account you will need to update your credit card details. When your account is suspend all of you current bids will be cancelled and you will not be able to place more bids or “Buy Now” until you update your credit card details.

How do I close my account?

We’d be sad to see you go but if you really want to close your account then please send us a note via our Contact Us page and we will process this upsetting (for us!) request for you. Note that any credit balance you have will be forfeited when you close your account.

Delivery

Cracka Wines uses Australia Post for all of our Auction deliveries, whereas, our Cellar Door Sales deliveries are direct from the winery to you. This means that delivery costs and times may vary for you between our auctions and our Cellar Door Sales areas. See below for information on how to determine your delivery costs.

How much does delivery cost?

Delivery costs depend on your delivery address and whether your purchase is from our Auctions or our Cellar Door Sales area.

Deliveries for Cellar Door Sales purchases are dispatched either directly from the winery or from distribution centres near the wineries’ locations, so these delivery times and costs will vary for each wine purchase. The quickest way to determine delivery for a specific product within our Cellar Door Sales area is to click on the “Buy It Now” button (or the “Calculate your delivery costs” link) within the “On Sale” chalkboard on a wine details page. On the form that displays, simply submit your postcode to see delivery costs for this particular wine.

Cracka Wines Auctions’ deliveries are all dispatched by Australia Post from our warehouse in Sydney. There is a delivery cost calculator on each auction details page. Simply enter your postcode into the calculator to determine your delivery costs. Note that delivery costs to you may vary for different auctions, so make sure you confirm your costs for each auction you view.

Reduced delivery costs for multiple cases are available where the cases are purchased within auctions on the same day only.

Because Cellar Door Sales purchases are dispatched individually either directly from the winery or from distribution centres near the wineries’ locations,we are unable to offer reduced delivery costs across different wines purchased within our Cellar Door Sales area.

When will my order be dispatched?

Your Auction order will generally be dispatched on the day of the auction. Your wine Cellar Door Sales order will generally be dispatched by the winery immediately upon receipt of your order.

How long will my delivery take?

Delivery times will vary, depending on the delivery address. Cracka Wines strives to ensure your deliveries arrive in the quickest possible timeframe. At most your delivery could take up to 10 business days, however, inner-city metropolitan deliveries may arrive within 1 - 3 business days.

Please note that delivery times over the Christmas, New Year, and the Easter holiday periods may be longer than normal.

My order hasn’t arrived!

Please allow up to 10 business days for your delivery to arrive. If after 10 business days you still have not received your delivery please contact us and we will do our very best to resolve this for you as quickly as possible.

Do I need to be home when my purchase arrives?

No. If you are not at home your order will either be returned to your nearest post office for your collection or, if you have selected “yes” for “Authority to leave” when placing your order then the product will be left at your delivery address.

Unfortunately, our couriers are unable to call you prior to delivering your order.

Do you deliver to New Zealand?

At this time we are unable to offer deliveries to New Zealand addresses.

Do you deliver to overseas addresses?

At this time we are unable to offer deliveries to addresses outside of Australia.

Signing In

Why am I being asked to sign in again?

You may be asked to sign in periodically to protect your identity and privacy. This will normally happen when you request to change account details.

I can’t sign in!

If you can’t sign in try the “I forgot my password” option from the sign in page. You can usually resolve sign in issues by checking you are using the correct sign in information in this manner.

> Back to Top

Free Wine Friday Winners

From the 23rd of September through to the 14th of October, Cracka Wines gave away $500 worth of free wine every Friday!

Our lucky winners:

  • Friday the 23rd September: I. McLean from Peregian Beach, Queensland.
  • Friday the 29th September: J. Paszkowski from Arrawarra, New South Wales.
  • Friday the 7th October: T. Hubbard from Spring Ridge, New South Wales.
  • Friday the 14th October: G. Fields from Mount Tarampa, Queensland.

> Back to Top

$5,000 Cracka Weekend Winners

Cracka Wines gave away $5,000 to three very lucky people across October and November, 2011. Stay tuned for updates on how our winners spent their Cracka Weekends!

Our lucky winners:

  • 1st Draw - 26th October: Cynthia Slattery from Queensland.
  • 2nd Draw - 9th November: Lindsay Holloway from New South Wales.
  • 3rd Draw - 23rd November: Paul Sampson from Victoria.

> Back to Top