The UK-based subscription service Beer52 offers a promotional deal for new customers, providing a free case of craft beers in exchange for covering the delivery cost. This offer is structured as a trial for a monthly beer club, which automatically continues as a paid subscription unless cancelled or paused. The service is available exclusively to new customers in the United Kingdom who are aged 18 or over.
Offer Details and Subscription Structure
The core promotion allows new members to receive a case of beer for free, provided they pay the postage and packaging fee. The cost of delivery varies depending on the source of the offer.
- Delivery Charges: One source indicates a delivery fee of £2.95, with a £2.99 regional surcharge for the Highlands and Islands, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man. Another source, specific to a partnership with WinesDirect, lists the delivery cost as £5.95.
- Case Contents: The free case typically includes eight craft beers. Some versions of the offer may also include a snack and an issue of the beer magazine, Ferment. The beers are selected based on a monthly theme, with past themes including regions such as Germany, California, Korea, Belgium, and South Africa.
- Trial Period and Auto-Renewal: The free case is the initial trial for the Beer52 club. After this first delivery, the customer’s subscription automatically renews at the standard membership price. The monthly cost is £27 for a box containing eight beers, a magazine, and two snacks. The subscription is billed every 28 days.
- Membership Flexibility: There is no minimum commitment period. Members are not locked into a long-term contract and have the ability to manage their subscription with flexibility.
Eligibility and Sign-Up Requirements
Strict eligibility rules apply to the free case offer to ensure it is used by genuine new customers.
- Geographic Restriction: The offer is valid for UK customers only.
- Age Restriction: All customers must be 18 years of age or older to order.
- New Customer Status: The promotion is exclusively for new customers. It is limited to one free case per household.
- Responsible Drinking: The service includes a reminder to "Please Drink Responsibly" on its promotional materials.
How to Manage the Subscription
Beer52 provides several options for customers to control their subscription, which is a key feature of the service.
- Pausing a Subscription: Members can pause their subscription for one month directly through their online account. To do this, they must log in, navigate to the 'Settings' menu, select the 'Subscription' heading, and click the option to 'Pause subscription for 1 month'. For pauses longer than one month, members must contact customer support.
- Cancelling a Subscription: Customers can cancel their subscription at any time by calling the customer service team before their next payment date. The contact number is 0131 285 2684, and the lines are open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. It is noted that there is a 24-hour processing period for the first order, after which cancellation becomes possible.
- Updating Account Details: Billing information can be updated at any time by logging into the member's account on the Beer52 website.
Delivery and Returns Information
The delivery and returns process is handled by specific couriers and has defined policies.
- Couriers: For mainland UK, deliveries are managed by Evri and Yodel.
- Saturday Delivery: An option for Saturday delivery is available for customers who are not available during the week.
- Returns Policy: Due to the weight of the product, free returns are not offered. If a customer needs to return items, all items must be unopened, and the return must be logged with the customer service team. Cases are non-refundable unless they are defective, in which case a replacement or refund will be provided.
Referral and Ambassador Programme
Beer52 operates a referral programme that allows existing members to earn rewards by inviting new customers.
- Earning Free Cases: For each successful referral, the referring member receives a free case voucher. A referral is considered successful once the new friend has signed up and received their second full-price box. The voucher code is then displayed in the referrer's account.
- Rules and Restrictions:
- The offer is limited to one per household.
- The referrer and the new member (referee) must have different billing and shipping addresses.
- Free cases earned through referrals cannot be used for gifting subscriptions.
- The referrer must have an active subscription to receive rewards. If the account is cancelled, any accumulated free cases are lost.
- Ambassador Programme: A bonus reward system is in place for members who refer the most friends.
- Privacy: When providing a friend's email address for a referral, the member confirms they have permission to share it. This email is used only for the referral and is anonymised and deleted if the friend does not join within 30 days.