Why buy wine online? Or anything else for that matter?
This is a conversation I often have with friends and family.
Let's see:
1) Online wine is very price competitive
2) I do not have to fight for parking
3) I do not have to haul heavy boxes from store to car to home
4) I can browse wine reviews and wine info online to my heart's content
5) I do not have to talk to post pubescent wine store clerks who assume that female shoppers are wine morons
I understand that some people really crave the tactile experience of walking into a shop so they can touch the products and ask staff for recommendations.
Not me. I am a woman who works more than full time and happens to be the primary shopper and cook in the household. I am BUSY. I do not need another errand to run. I know what I want.
And if I don't, I look it up online in between other tasks.Then I place an online order with one of my favorite wine sites.
The order is usually delivered at my house a few days later via FedEx or UPS.
I live in California and two of my favorite online shops are Domaine547 and K&L Wines.
The regular exception I make is for the amazing little independent wine shop around the corner from me called Silver Lake Wine. They know me, they have interesting wines for all budgets and Silver Lake Wine is on my way home from the grocery store.
I suspect many female wine lovers feel the same as me based on the numbers below.
What do you think fueled Zappos amazing growth? Female shoppers with very busy lives who decided that yes, they could enjoy shoe shopping online. And that Saturday afternoon would be better spent relaxing with friends and family than at the crowded mall.
In a recent study of women's wine buying habits, 21% said they buy wine online.
And 36% of Millennials say that they research wine reviews online before purchase (this study did not ask whether the purchase was made on or offline).
These are demographics to note since online wine sales are said to equal only 1-3% of total wine sales at the moment.
They are certainly of interest to me. Both as a dedicated online wine shopper and as a wine professional who will be launching a new online wine market later this year.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
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10 comments:
Amy - I agree with you on all points. I shop online for about half my wine purchases. I wish the wider demographic did as well, but to this day the fraction of wine we sell through e-commerce (our site and others) is a rounding error. Could be our marketing is lacking, but I'm not the only one in my cohort who has this complaint.
Segue fail: here's my own shout-out to Silverlake Wine. They have been supporting us in SoCal through this crappy economy, and have sent more nice people up here to Sonoma to visit our shop than just about anyone. Judged solely by their Facebook posts they have a fun shop and an eclectic crew - reality must be richer.
I believe online wine sales are destined to grow as people become more comfortable with online shopping in general. This was one of the reasons I would like to see Amazon wine up and running. It could act as a validation of the online sales channel.
It will not replace bricks and mortar shops but is a welcome alternative.
Excellent post Amy. I am trying to "Free The Grapes" in Delaware.
Delaware is one of just a few states that still prohibit direct shipment of wine.
http://www.winelife365.com/shipping-wine-between-states/
http://www.freethegrapes.com/
Amy, thanks for the shout out. Very nice of you to mention d547, although the timing is amusing -- I'm in the process of building out a brick and mortar space in LA!
Draw whatever conclusions you wish :)
Jill, I have always loved your selection at Domaine 547.I knew you were opening a store in LA, please keep me posted as I will definitely stop by there too!
There is no doubt that online sales are a fraction of the total right now.
Um, I think the #1 answer (well, for people like me) is so that you actually purchase the wines you really want, rather than the 1/20000th of choices that your local retailer has.
Choice, choice, and sometimes, convenience. Price occasionally, too.
Here is another good online shop: http://www.wine-sale.com/
and also from Sonoma, CA how about this one:
http://www.BulgarianWine.com/
I almost always buy wine online. I don't drive and I don't live near a wine store that I could just pop into after work to select a great bottle to drink with dinner. I would rather order online; the prices are competitive and usually better and I try to avail myself of free shipping offers if possible. I have ordered from Domaine 547 and found their customer service very nice and their selection good and also order from Wine Library and have found the same. And the best part of course, is having it delivered to my building and not having to carry it around.
Very excellent points, if I may add that online wine purchasing gives you access to selections you may not find in a store. That goes especially for some of the great small production wineries. Though the wine store has its advantages too. For instance you can get a bottle of wine right away which is good for byob restaurant fans like myself.
good Post related to the buy online wines. its really very freidnly and we can save time in shopping and many more things.
here we have good site for buy online wines, have a look on this and get wines to your foot steps.
its very easy, http://www.grandwinecellar.com , click on this and order the wines.
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