Whether you are a big winery looking for more ways to sell online, a small home vineyard selling wine for the first time, or a wine collector ready to make some room in the cellar, this guide is for you. The Airmart e-commerce platform can help you bring your wine to customers and distributors across California and beyond.
Why sell wine DtC?
It’s no secret that direct-to-consumer (DtC) wine sales bring in higher profits. According to the executive director of the National Association of Wine Retailers (NAWR), “A winery that sells a wine at $50 a bottle via DtC must sell it to a distributor for $25 a bottle.” That being said, it is often easier to sell larger volumes of wine to distributors rather than everyday consumers.
On-premise sales at wine tastings account for the majority of the DtC sales, but DtC shipments make up 12% of all retail sales. While the overall online wine market is no longer seeing the record-breaking numbers of 2021, the demand for luxury wine shipments (wines that cost $100 per bottle and up) is growing.
Wine clubs also bring in a lot of sales. Some wineries are members-only, meaning only wine club subscribers can purchase their wine. The exclusivity of a private wine membership adds value to the wine itself.
You can set up DtC sales and wine club subscriptions in an Airmart online wine shop.
Selling wine legally
You must obtain a liquor license to sell wine legally and register your wine business with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
How to sell wine online in California
If your California winery is not open to the public (i.e. you have a private collection or you make homemade wine), you can apply for a Type 85 Limited Off-Sale Wine license. This license will allow you to sell your wine online in California.
Wineries that are open to visitors will need a wholesaler license in addition to a separate off-sale wine license.
How to price your wine
The actual wine in each bottle might only cost you a few dollars to make. So why do some wines fetch such high prices? Most of the cost comes from the rest of the wine-selling process. Price your wine based on these factors:
- Production
- Packaging
- Marketing
- Distribution
- Territory
- Taxes
Determine what your costs are for making, bottling, advertising, and shipping the wine. You can decide how much your labor is worth. If you need pricing references, look at similar wineries in your area.
What about the age of the wine?
Not all wines increase in value as they age, so don’t stockpile just any wine in your cellar for a decade. Bourdeaux wine, Grand Cru Burgundy, Vintage Champagne, and Nebbiolo are some of the best aging wines.
How to Sell Wine on Airmart
Opening an Airmart shop is easy. Simply make an account, fill in the required store components, add any additional features, and publish.
Here are some Airmart features that are perfect for selling wine.
Livestreaming
Host wine tastings on the Airmart livestream to engage customers. Live selling is a great way to sell limited-edition wines and offer discounts.
Northern California Wine Delivery
The Airmart delivery service can bring your wine directly to customers’ doors in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Wine subscriptions
Allow customers to receive wine on a monthly basis with the subscription selling feature. This works great for wine clubs.
Sell wholesale with the reseller network
You can also choose to sell your wine wholesale to distributors through Airmart’s reseller network.
Exclusive offer for Airmart wine sellers
Set your wine apart from the rest with unique fruit flavors. We work with producers of specialty, hard-to-find fruits like Kyoho grapes, yumberries, honey peaches, and Rainier cherries that you can purchase for winemaking.