So wine is close to your heart, and you enjoy the thrill of finding a new wine at a great price. Your friends look to you for advice on what wines they should be looking for and pairs with dishes. So, your thoughts turn to starting your own wine business. You know the product well and love it; those are great fundamentals to start the business, so look at some guidelines to make it a fun and profitable experience.

Now there are a couple of avenues you can go down in starting your own Wine Business. If you have an unlimited amount of money, you could begin by planting your vines, and in six or seven years, you will be happily (I hope) harvesting your first vintage. If this does not appeal to you, here are some alternatives.

One of the effects of the Covid lockdown has been the significant growth in online shopping, and wine has been one of the biggest beneficiaries. So what do you need to do?

Licenses

Depending on where you want to set up your business, you will need to get some licenses, depending on your location. I would suggest you check with your local authorities to determine the type of licenses and permits required. For example, you may need a Retailers license and a DTC (Direct to Consumer) agreement for shipping to other states.

Timing and your target market?

It is essential to appreciate who will buy your wine. Is it your group of friends or local restaurants? Perhaps you have a wine club? Understand what type of wine your market is looking for, and be mindful that wine sales depend on the season.

White wine will be sold in the summertime, while red wine will become popular as winter approaches. Also, remember that the fastest growing segment of wine sales is Sparkling Wine, so you will need to keep track of current developments.

If you are considering buying directly from an estate, they may offer discounts when the new harvest is about to be bottled so they can move last year’s sock and make room for the current one.

Sourcing your Wine

If you are going to source your wine from a supplier, then you need to ascertain the following:

·         The variety of wines they can supply

·         Delivery times

·         Do they offer advice regarding the availability of wines

·         How dependable is the supplier

·         Will you go for multiple suppliers

Please look at https://8wines.com/ and notice how they prominently display the reviews from their customers on their landing page. This builds confidence as customers can read about the company’s reliable service.

Create your Online Store

You have a couple of options here, depending on your experience and skills.

·         You can make your own website

·         Make use of an eCommerce platform like Shopify or 3dcart.

·         Dropshipping may also be a good option.

Important details for your Site

There are two critical areas that you have to focus on and make sure they are completely professional.

Images

Photos are the replacement of what the customer sees in the shop. Make sure your photos are top quality and have enough white space around them. I think it is a good idea to have a bottle photographed together with a glass of the wine, especially white and ros? wine, as this gives some indication of the color of the wine.

Content here is also essential. Avoid generalization that could be ascribed to a multitude of wines. Look at https://8wines.com/wines/chateau-sainte-marguerite-symphonie-rose-2021 for an excellent example of detailed content together with a sharp image. 

 Conversion and Payments

The two essential elements here are trustworthiness and ease of payment. Customers need to feel confident that your site is secure and dependable. Perhaps using well-known payment providers like Paypal or Amazon Pay will allay any fears about your site.

Check-out facilities must be easy to follow and efficient. I love the way my selected bottle on https://8wines.com/ seems to take off into my cart when I click on the ‘Add to Cart’ button.

The Big Test

The moment your product arrives at your customer’s home is the biggest test of your branding, and you have to make sure that your packaging supports the fact that you are both professional and dependable. A delivery arriving with a broken bottle will destroy your reputation as a reliable supplier. So take great care in this regard.