In this week’s roundup, we explore the steps it takes to launch a profitable Cyber Monday promotion, a recent increase in DTC shipments, new rules in Colorado for remote sellers, ways to meet customer expectations when tasting room traffic is decreasing, and the importance of the language you use to describe the people who visit your winery.

4 Steps to a Profitable Cyber Monday for Your Winery

The holidays are just around the corner—now’s the time to capitalize on the biggest shopping days of the year. Cyber Monday is the perfect opportunity to attract wine shoppers that are seeking the value and convenience of the Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) business model.

U.S. Wine Sales Led by Value Increases

Overall wine sales increased by three percent in September with and DTC sales leading the way at a 14 percent increase over last year. Wine consumers on a whole are trading up in value and down in volume. Sonoma County beat out Napa County in total DTC shipments by volume but Napa’s higher price per bottle brought in more dollars.

Colorado Announces New Rules for Remote Sellers That Could Affect DTC Wineries

Colorado recently announced that it will begin requiring out-of-state sellers to collect and remit sales tax on their sales to Colorado residents, affecting wineries with DTC sales in the state. This will also affect wineries with a Retailer Use Tax account in Colorado. These rules still need to be litigated but wineries selling into Colorado should get familiar with the possible implications.

Consumer Expectations and Decreasing Tasting Room Traffic Call for Innovative DTC Marketing Strategies

In the age of Amazon, online shoppers have become accustomed to luxuries like fast, free shipping, product recommendations, and huge selections. Wineries need to understand who their customer is, what they are looking for, what their expectations are, and build a strong relationship with them in order to maximize sales.

Customer or Guest? Customer Service or Customer Engagement?

The words you use can make a big impact. It may seem that words like “customer” and “guest” are interchangeable but these words influence the way you think and act towards the people who come to visit your winery.