Cost-Effective Ways for Wineries to Reach More Customers

Direct-to-consumer wine shipping has become more important than ever before. Government-mandated restrictions on businesses and personal concerns about travel have resulted in a rise in online ordering across many industries. Wineries, distilleries, breweries, and wine clubs have felt the effects. As online ordering becomes an increased part of daily life, concerns about the environmental impact of such a boom have arisen from consumers and businesses alike. Additionally, certain packaging can be expensive to purchase and store, and time-consuming to assemble. This especially affects businesses where online ordering and shipping was not a huge part of their model prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is possible to find affordable, eco-friendly shipping boxes. Combined with a little innovative marketing, you can use this unique approach to reach more customers than ever before.

Shipping Wine

There are a couple of key points to consider when shipping wine. After all, your new customers won’t be too thrilled if their shipment arrives in broken pieces! First, all bottles must be tightly corked to prevent leakage. Wire cork cages are especially important for sparkling wines, but they are worth considering when shipping any product. Second, unless you are shipping an older wine that has been aged on its side, wines should be shipped upright as a further safeguard against leaking. If you know a wine has been stored on its side, then it is safe to ship it flat.

Finding the Right Packaging

To save on time and cost, look for packaging that requires little or no assembly and be on the lookout for wholesale wine shipping boxes, or suppliers that offer discounts for large volume orders. Explore your options to figure out what packaging is right for your products. Our inner corrugated bottle wraps are already sized to fit the matching shipping box, and the strong 44ECT corrugated cardboard ensures your product arrives safely at your customers' doorstep. We offer molded pulp shippers that are 100% compostable and offer additional shock absorption for wines that need to be shipped flat. Our upright EPS foam wine shippers are perfect if you need insulated shipping boxes. When you purchase through us, you save more as you buy more. We also offer additional discounts on extra-large bulk orders. Rest assured that your customers will be grateful for your eco-consciousness, as all of our packaging is environmentally friendly and 100% recyclable. 

Utilize Digital Marketing 

Assured that your products will arrive in one piece and ready to enjoy, it’s time to get creative to reach new customers. Now is the perfect time to reassess your digital marketing strategy. Boosting your online presence is a great way to attract the attention of potential customers and stay engaged with your current base. While you can maintain a digital presence at no direct cost, a little can go a long way when it comes to investing in online advertising. Do a little research and make sure you understand what your people are after in terms of taste, quality, and convenience. If this sounds intimidating, consider hiring an expert to help you get started or to maintain your social media and leave your hands free for other tasks.

Think Outside the (Shipping) Box

Brainstorm ways that you can uniquely engage with your customers during this time. Consider offering a virtual wine tasting: customers can order pre-determined wines ahead of time and enjoy them from the comfort of their own home while engaging online with a group of fellow oenophiles and a winemaker. Use live video streaming on your social media to show what the behind the scenes process looks like or to offer interesting tidbits of information about your craft. Offer exciting, limited-time discounts for new customers or loyal fans. Consider offering free delivery within a certain distance if your resources allow it. What can you offer your customers that no one else can?

These are just a handful of ideas to help you begin to reach more and more customers. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer behavior are likely to be noticeable well after safety concerns disappear. Online ordering is here to stay, and wineries and breweries that use this time to get ahead will profit in the long run.