Although 2020 has proven to be unlike any year we have ever experienced, it comes bearing some good news.
As one of the most trying times, many businesses have unfortunately not seen the end of 2020. What we have seen, though, is how incredibly resilient the wine industry is. We have seen how wineries are a crucial key in our sector and how they have proven to be the most resilient.
Despite the challenges of 2020, there is some essential good news worth sharing. There are two crucial things that 2020 has shown us about the industry. These statistics about e-commerce for wineries are worth taking note of as we move into the new year.
Online Sales is the Future
One of the few great things to emerge from the pandemic is the evidence that selling wine online is a viable extension to a business.
Thanks to Covid, we now have concrete evidence that modern-day consumers are willing to buy wine before ever tasting it. The criteria for purchasing wine is no longer about previous experience. Many customers today base their purchasing decision on personal recommendations and online reviews.
The proof has been recorded by dozens of wineries nationwide, but new statistics are frequently published that reinforce this theory about e-commerce for wineries.
According to Forbes, in March, the wine App, Vivino, saw a massive increase in online wine sales. Importantly, they recorded a 160% increase in the U.S. and a 280% increase in Italy in a single day. Similar wine apps, which represent several regions, saw a rise of over 50% at the beginning of 2020.
And the most significant numbers are the numbers recorded by the smaller wineries that have partnered with Troly. Many of these small wineries have seen consecutive months where the sales have surpassed their December-sales.
Moreover, the general E-commerce volume has increased by over 50%, with no signs of it slowing down. This proves that customers are leaning on technology to make the bulk of their purchases. This will only develop further as the popularity grows.
For years, wineries have been encouraged to take advantage of online sales. And with the significant spike in online sales, it is evident that now is the best time for wineries to use e-commerce.
Social Media is no longer a ‘Nice-to-Have.’
The importance of social media for a business has never been more apparent. Another aspect of society that Covid has highlighted is the impact of social media.
In the past, businesses considered word-of-mouth as one of the best means of marketing. But this didn’t have a fraction of the impact that social media has on the modern world. Word-of-mouth via social media can spread like wild-fire and will have a lasting effect on your business.
Apart from that, social media has proven (this year, mostly) to be the greatest brand-awareness tool.
Subsequently, wineries can use Social media for consistent brand awareness, customer engagement, and relationship-building. It is an invaluable tool that should no longer be considered as a nice-to-have for a winery. It is almost as important as starting e-commerce for your winery.
For instance, consider the impact of 100 wine-club members sharing your winery’s Facebook post. If each of these members has approximately 200 friends, it creates brand-awareness and free advertising to twenty-thousand potential customers.
There is no excuse for your winery to not take full advantage of this. Especially if you consider the potentially high return on investment.
For a more in-depth look at social media, here’s a piece on How to Engage with Customers Online.
But let’s look at some statistics.
According to Oberlo, there are currently over 3,5 billion people with active social media accounts, with Facebook leading the way. The most significant part about social media use is the amount of time that individuals spend on these platforms. On average, it was found that three hours a day were spent texting or scrolling on these platforms.
This highlights the massive potential these platforrms have for wineries. There is a huge opportunity to reach potential clients who check these accounts several times a day.
Keep Pushing and Innovating
Hats off to the wineries to have continued to drive forward, despite the challenges. Hats off to those who have persevered and found new ways to drive the business. If you’re looking for more ways to drive sales, read up on 7 Tactics to Increasing Your Wine Sales or a piece on How Wineries Can Improve Their Bottom Line.
With the new information we have gathered about how the future of sales is moving further online, we hope that this allows you to take the necessary steps to keep your business moving forward in positive and innovative ways.
