It would be enough to post a simple notice on the homepage saying, 'We are away on holiday or performing inventory; all shipments will be processed after...' - and everyone would be informed. But apparently, that is too difficult.

I ordered wine that was listed as 'in stock' a few days ago. There was absolutely no response to my emails. It was only after I called them that I was informed the shipment would be sent out no earlier than January 6th, 2026. A complete failure.

This kind of approach has nothing to do with a professionally run business or online store. Simply adding an autoresponder to every order, stating that shipments are delayed due to inventory or other events, would suffice. That way, a customer who pays (upfront) knows immediately that their package will be delayed, instead of having to call and write multiple emails without any reply. A huge disappointment regarding their online order management..