7 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
7 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Potential Winery client

by yveslanot
6 replies
Hey everyone,

Been on this forum for some time but mostly just reading other people's insight and things like that.

Anyway I needed some input because I have a potential winery as an offline client. The client also wants to sell their wine online and as I've been doing my research I noticed that each state has different laws and licenses with selling of wine to that state.

Basically I needed some input with anyone who has worked with a winery on building them a website. The main thing I was going to do for them is make the website and help with their SEO. Also might help them with their social media is they are interested in that package as well.

Any input would be great

thanks everyone.
#client #potential #winery
  • Profile picture of the author Warrior Ben
    Selling wine online can be a very difficult thing to do with all the regulations out there. In some states, it is actually outlawed for wineries to sell directly to consumers-- the winery MUST go through a distributor.

    One thing I would suggest selling to the winery is a mobile site linked to a QR Code. The winery then puts the QR Code on all their wine bottles and people can scan it to get more information about the winery and specific wine. It is also worthwhile to include reviews on the mobile website so that if people are in the store thinking of what wine to buy, they can scan the code and get reviews on the wine.

    Just something to think about...

    -Ben
    Signature
    The Best of Warrior Ben: My Most Popular Warrior Forum Posts
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4664508].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author SendCards
      Originally Posted by Warrior Ben View Post

      Selling wine online can be a very difficult thing to do with all the regulations out there. In some states, it is actually outlawed for wineries to sell directly to consumers-- the winery MUST go through a distributor.

      One thing I would suggest selling to the winery is a mobile site linked to a QR Code. The winery then puts the QR Code on all their wine bottles and people can scan it to get more information about the winery and specific wine. It is also worthwhile to include reviews on the mobile website so that if people are in the store thinking of what wine to buy, they can scan the code and get reviews on the wine.

      Just something to think about...

      -Ben
      Putting anything on the labels has to be approved by TTB, don't talk about anything label related as that will open up a dark pit of death. Wine label compliance is a business all in it's self, really, just don't go there. Label approval is expensive and is time consuming, just Google "wine label approval" and start reading, your head will spin. Go for the low hanging non-compliance areas.

      Think more along the lines of wine neckers or shelf talkers for QR codes. QR usage on their marketing materials, at events, in tasting rooms combined with a SMS strategy that leads a wine enthusiast back to their website will produce better and faster results.

      As for the website itself, I would use one of the already established ecom softwares/POS that is compliance ready with state by state tax collection and shipping laws already built in with an update subscription. It would be too difficult to build from scratch.

      Go after their gift card and loyalty card business while the decision is being made in regards to website software. There are still quite a few wineries that need those systems pitched to them. Valutec has a good reseller program for that.

      Just my two cents...

      Chris
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4666068].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author yveslanot
        thanks for the input Chris.

        When talking about the ecom softwares are you talking along the lines of something like napa valley pos??

        Guess I gotta look more into just have an informative site for them and use the napa valley pos for the selling in order to be complaint.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4673408].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author SendCards
          Originally Posted by yveslanot View Post

          thanks for the input Chris.

          When talking about the ecom softwares are you talking along the lines of something like napa valley pos??

          Guess I gotta look more into just have an informative site for them and use the napa valley pos for the selling in order to be complaint.
          Yes NapaValleyPOS is just one of many wine specific POS/ecom systems that is usually even integrated into their web solution.

          I have been involved in the wine industry since 1997, if I was going to focus on wineries and help them market offline, there is a ton of low hanging fruit that I would go after rather than having to deal with label or shipping compliance in any way.

          I would examine what they really need and help them get that.

          Low hanging Hint: check out your winery client's Google Places Page......if they even have one..hint hint

          Cheers!

          Chris
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4676458].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author yveslanot
    Thanks Ben. Love the input on the qr code thing, was definately thinking of doing that.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4664550].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Warrior Ben
    No problem... There are quite a few wineries that already have QR Codes on their wine bottles, so the sale should be pretty easy since the competition is already doing it!

    -Ben
    Signature
    The Best of Warrior Ben: My Most Popular Warrior Forum Posts
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4664601].message }}

Trending Topics