REthink Wine Blog

Have you ever used an automated teller machine? Of course you have. Have you ever ordered theater or movie tickets using an automated phone system or computer? Have you signed your name on a handheld computer to accept delivery of a package? Do you receive electronic mail from your customers?  Do you receive emails or faxes from your suppliers with quotes, product information and delivery status updates? Have you ever gone onto the World Wide Web to get more information about a type of product you are interested in buying? If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you realize the importance of e-commerce and how it affects our daily lives; it makes our business lives easier and our personal lives easier-this includes our wine buying purchases.

One of the most significant advances in technology today is the combination of the Internet and the World Wide Web. The ubiquitous nature of the Internet, with its inexpensive web browser clients and universal access, makes it an excellent platform for communicating and offering products more effectively with customers. New companies are springing up whose only presence-at least to customers-is via the web.  These “virtual” companies, such as Amazon.com, Google, E-Bay, Yahoo and hundreds more, have created “fanatical” customer loyalty. They have figured out how to lure customers and how to keep them without relying on face-to-face interactions. They carefully streamline every aspect of the customer’s interaction with them. Many people think of the Internet as impersonal. Yet virtual companies have created very close bonds with their customers. Can you think of a better bonding experience then sharing/buying wine? I know what you are thinking, “yes, but I’m not in the technical business and my customers are loyal, in fact, I even have an online shopping cart.” Great. Are you growing your “Direct” business sales? Do you know your customers’ buying habits? Are you relying soley on mother nature for the best product and distributor sales to push your wine in various markets? Are you really in control? Customers are now rating products from toys, computers and their overall buying experience- and YES! They are sharing their wine experience by the thousands via online wine related blogs and wine sites. Your brand should be the one they are talking about whether it’s a great value, a fabulous find or simply the hospitality one received from visiting your tasting room. If you are not making one customer into three and not gathering the information to stay in contact with them, you are missing out on sales.

In 2006, purchases from wine tasting rooms were down by 13% across the country. This was primarily due to high fuel costs and airline restrictions. Mean while, e-commerce wine sales were up 22% and this trend is growing at a rapid pace. In fact, direct to consumer wine sales hit 1 Billion dollars! In 2008, you should expect to see your “direct” sales grow 20% or more with the right strategy. If you don’t have a strategy and actual business plan to get you there and it’s just “meeting speak”; start an action plan today. If you are the lucky few that are selling out of your wine each year; what can you do to increase margins? The winning formula starts by focusing on your existing customers, figuring out what they want and need and how you can make life easier for them. Then you can expand your efforts to reel in prospective customers. There are many aspects of a successful e-business strategy and it starts with commitment. This commitment will take time, money and effort. There are companies designed to help you create your virtual tasting room and fanatical-loyal customer. I work for one of those companies and can assist with your e-commerce business plan. Together, let’s make 2008 a year of good cheer and increased margins. Salute’!

This entry was posted by angela.duerr on Sunday, November 25th, 2007 at 7:00 pm and is filed under E-commerce. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.