Matching that personal experience during the purchasing process on a website is way more difficult. Your online store is technology and when it comes to technology and business, technology is intended to streamline operations and reduce human intervention. Everyone knows that and sometimes an online purchase can seem so isolated from any other human interaction. So, how do you personalize an experience being created by a mostly one way system?

First and foremost, put your phone number on every page! Despite the length of your FAQ page, you are not going to be able to answer every single question that your customer might have. Most websites drive people to contact forms and emails, but if I have a quick question sometimes I want to talk to someone right then. Be accessible according to your customers preference. Make sure your website clearly articulates the fact that you are available via phone, contact forms and emails.
**Added Bonus** It brings a level of credibility and can help improve conversion from visitors to purchasers.

Showcase the same level of professionalism on your website that you hold your staff to. Have a consistent look and feel on every page. Your site was designed to provide a smooth and consistent experience and your customers like that. Sometimes, people get a bit carried away with editing the text on pages and it often leads to a page that is very difficult to read or navigate.
Avoid the following:
Bolding entire paragraphs of text – Use bold and italic sparingly.

Centering text – it works on print materials better than it does on the web.

Different colors – Your brand is important and your website was designed to match your brand. Don’t create a rainbow in your content. It is distracting, looks amateurish and takes away from the consistency of your site. Also, it can be hard to read. (If you can’t read that last part, put your cursor at the start of the sentence, left click and hold, and drag to the end to highlight the sentence.)

CAPITALIZING – Why are you YELLING AT ME???

Making text really BIG!

Underlining things that are not links. – This confuses me. The internet has programmed me to think that when something is underlined, it is a link and I am often concerned that my left mouse button has stopped working when I click on an underlined word and nothing happens.

Give your customers what they want. Imagine a customer is in your tasting room and they want to buy a case of wine that you currently do not have at the winery. Are you going to turn away the sale? Nope. You’re going to explain that you currently do not have any in stock but you would love to ship it to them or have it available for pickup later that day. So why wouldn’t you say the exact same thing if a customer is trying to buy a wine that is temporarily out of stock on your website? Your not, right? I am willing to bet that you are in fact allowing that customer to add the product to their shopping cart, but making sure that you clearly state throughout the checkout process, that there might be a slight delay in getting that wine shipped out to them while you handle the logistics in completing the order. Like I said, I’m willing to bet that is what you are already doing.
**Opportunity to be a customer service superstar** In a backorder situation, follow up with the customer directly so they know you are aware of the state of their order and it is not landing in limbo or no man’s land.

Most people can tell if an email is automated and there is nothing personal about that. In order to remain personal, include non webby methods of communications. Emphasize the fact that a customer can always call you directly. Have a question about your order? Give us a call or login to your account. (Notice the login is the second choice. We love talking to our customers, right?)

Don’t stop at the website or after the order is complete. I know that you can’t always do it, but when you can, follow up personally. Call and ask about the purchasing process and was it easy? How was the wine? It pulls the curtain aside and shows the human behind the technology.
**Added Bonus** You can usually get another sale from these types of outreaches. Not too shabby and a fantastic way to impress your boss.

Include special collateral with pictures of your winery/vineyards in shipments to remind customers of their experience when visiting with you. And my personal favorite, a special hand written thank you card. I have only gotten one of these ever, but I can tell you that it made my day and it made me a fan for life!

These are just a few suggestions, but there are plenty of other methods to turn a non-personal experience, like shopping on a website, into a great personal experience.

1. Clear and high quality images. Heck, even add multiple images.
2. Make sure your price is clearly shown and make it near that good old add to cart button.
3. Additional information such as bottling date, time in oak, winemaker etc. is easily available but is not necessarily clogging up YOUR description of the product.
4. REVIEWS!!!  I’m sure we all understand the major importance of customer reviews and their influence on would-be buyers.  Even if you do not have any reviews, showing you care enough to capture that feedback is valuable.

Despite this conversation and the current debate over the possible impact of HR 5034 on the future of direct shipments, many wineries remain unsure as to which states they can ship.  Additionally, many other licensees, specifically retailers and importers, are unaware that they are also able to ship to consumers in a number of states.  All of this begs the question…to how many states can you ship?  And what are they?

Winery Direct
The actual number can be a topic of some debate because it can vary depending on your approach.  It also will depend on how you are licensed, as direct-to-consumer reach is greater for wineries than it is for retailers.  Another issue is whether to include only direct-to-consumer states or also states that can be reached through an established 3-tier network.  Some resources like to include any state that has a permit system in place, whether feasible or not, as well as states allowing onsite-only shipments or through consumer-obtained permits. 

Under the broadest approach, a licensed winery can ship to 45 states including all permit and open states, onsite-only states (DE,NJ,OK,RI,SD), consumer permit states (AL,MT), and 3-tier (MA,NJ).  This broad approach has its issues however.  Onsite restrictions and consumer permit systems aren’t workable for online sales.  Even some of the permit states have restrictions that may be problematic from a practical perspective.  

Indiana would be such a state.  The Hoosier state’s permit includes a “face-to-face” requirement, meaning the purchaser must make an initial visit to the winery (ostensibly so that identification can be confirmed) before any future shipments can be made to the consumer under the permit.

The only states completely off limits to direct shipments are AR,KY,MD,MA,MS,PA,UT, which are primarily control or partial control states with no practical permit system in place.  In fact, it’s a FELONY to ship to either KY or MD without a permit, which isn’t generally available in either state.

Practically speaking, consumer direct shipments by wineries are available to 36 states:  AK,AZ,CA,CO,CT,DC,FL,GA,HI,ID,IA,IL,KS,LA,ME,MI,MN,MO,NE,NV,NH,NY,NC,ND,NM, OH,OR,SC,TN,TX,VT,VA,WA,WV,WI,WY.

Retailer Direct
The options for retailers and imported brands are less broad but still available for some very desirable states.  There are as many as 15 states (AK,CA,DC,ID,LA,ND,NE,NH,NM,NV, MO,OR,VA,WV,WY) that permit retailers to ship directly to consumers, either with or without a permit, although with some restrictions.

The 3-Tier Alternative
There is a 3-tier alternative to shipping to consumers, even to some states that do not have direct shipment permit systems.  Through IBG’s Fulfillment Center, we offer a 3-tier network allowing wineries, retailers, and importers to reach up to 23 states, including MA and NJ, which are otherwise unavailable.  Through our network of licensed wholesalers and retailers, licensees can reach consumers in CO,DC,CT,FL,IL,MA,NJ,NY,NC,VA, and WI by shipping within the 3-tier system.   Combined with our partner’s direct shipment capabilities to most of the retailer direct states shown above, fully 23 states are available without the need for the licensee to acquire direct shipment permits.

We all know the wine industry has been hit as hard as any by the tough economic times.  Maximizing potential market access can be a key to growth and continued viability for many wineries and retailers.  The decision to ship to some states is easy because of the size of the market and ease of access.  Others may be more difficult.  Either way, be aware of your options and keep in mind alternative methods are available.  I’ll have more to say on accessing consumer direct markets in future posts.

“The panel opinion errs in two areas of exceptional importance.  First, the panel opinion contradicts substantive holdings of the Fifth Circuit and the Supreme Court by permitting the State of Texas to discriminate between in-state and out-of-state participants in interstate commerce.  Second, the panel opinion applies an analytical method contrary to the method mandated by both Fifth Circuit and Supreme Court precedent in Commerce Clause cases such as this one.”

This case is tremendously important to opening up Texas to DTC for retailers and imported brands as well as setting precedents for retailer direct in other states.  It is unclear at this point when the petition will be decided and I’ll continue to track.  My guess is, regardless of who wins, if the case is decided by the full 5th Circuit the losing side will appeal.  This one looks to be going the distance.

Texas:  The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has refused a rehearing en banc of last January’s Siesta Village Market decision by a panel of 5th Circuit judges.  The panel had ruled to uphold the Texas law prohibiting out-of-state retailers from shipping consumer direct to Texas residents.  This means such retailer shipments will remain illegal unless one of two things occurs:

• The case is appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.  This is certainly a possibility but dependent on the financial wherewithal of the plaintiffs and with no guarantee of success; OR
• The Texas Legislature acts to change the law, which seems unlikely.

Massachusetts:  A bill to allow both instate and out-of-state wineries to ship direct to consumer to Massachusetts residents stalled in committee in the Massachusetts House and has until this week to pass before the current session ends.  HB 4497 is based on the Model Direct Shipping Bill and features the usual permit, age verification and volume limits requirements.  It does not appear to include retailer direct shipments.

Virginia:  The state ABC has resolved an issue that has prevented wineries & retailers from using 3rd party fulfillment services when shipping direct to Virginia residents.  The ABC created a direct to consumer permit specifically for such services.  The cost of the permit is $120.  This can be considered both good and bad news at the same time.

• It’s good that they resolved the issue in a manner that helps everyone:  consumers, wineries and fulfillment services because there was much confusion after the ABC issued a ruling last year preventing such shipments, so this clarifies the situation in a high wine consumption state.
• It’s bad because it sets an unfortunate precedent for other states to copy.  In most states, fulfillment services can ship direct to consumers as a service for their licensed winery customers without any permit requirements.  Now, other cash starved states could possibly look at this permit model and emulate it, adding an additional expense to consumer direct shipments.

Until next time.