It’s boom time for online cellar sales
· 2 min read
Despite their initial scepticism, consumers finally seem prepared to embrace ecommerce as a preferred channel to buy their favourite wine. According to Statista, this year ecommerce sales have hit double digits in many countries, with Italy at 82%, China at 50%, and South Korea at 30% where older shoppers are trying ecommerce for the first time.
Even before the disruption Covid-19 caused to shopping behaviour across the globe, various technology catalysts had led to more affluent consumers moving to online shopping to buy wine. With 25.6 million active online users, South Africa’s ecommerce penetration currently sits at 40% and is expected to reach 60% by 2024 (Statista). This will mostly be driven by health concerns as we start to move from confined living to cautious living postpandemic. There’s also a renewed desire to cook at home as a result of smaller household budgets and value-for-money online channel promotions.
Demand for online wine shopping has increased as consumers discover the sheer convenience of buying online. “Many people will be exploring home delivery services and ecommerce services for the first time during lockdown and social distancing,” IWSR CEO Mark Meek says. “Consumption habits formed now may stick around in the future.”
This trend will inevitably lead to an increase in available ecommerce platforms. In the wine industry, Commerce7 stands out as it caters specifically for the unique requirements of both wine producers and discerning wine connoisseurs. The Canadian technology company launched its platform in South Africa last year and already many wineries that have implemented the product are reporting an increase in direct-to-consumer sales. Its customisable, dynamic sales engine makes the process of targeting indecisive consumers seamless. Besides its slick shopping cart experience, Commerce7 boasts a wine club, POS and customisable CRM. Accompanied by step-by-step onboarding, an on-demand help desk, and complete website and payment gateway integration, it’s also easy to set up and use.
What sets Commerce7 apart from similar shopping cart channels is that it’s currently the only platform specifically built for the drinks industry. Another distinguishing feature is that with Commerce7 all your data – from marketing and reservations to club, web and POS sales – is managed from one central administration space.
Contact Commerce7 South Africa’s Kobus Boshoff | [email protected]
More from
Markets, business and trade
How research is changing the wine we drink
Wine research starts long before the bottle reaches the shelf. It gives producers a better understanding of what happens in the vineyard and cellar, while providing evidence for decisions that can affect the wine consumers eventually drink.
Precision Fermentation: Biotech to balance Flavours, Acid and Alcohol
As warmer vintages widen the gap between ripeness and freshness, a new generation of selected yeasts lets winemakers rebalance wine during fermentation, not after.
WBWE – a global business barometer
If you want to understand where the global wine industry is heading, don’t look only at retail shelves or export statistics. Look at what is happening in the bulk wine market.