The Battle Against High Online Shipping Costs: what wineries and shops can do

A key barrier to normalizing wine eCommerce — compared to general retail — is shipping cost. This is, of course, a particular challenge in wine due to the weight of many bottles (which is another reason for wineries to seek out lighter ones). Yet demand for online wine buying is here, accelerated by the pandemic. Consumers, however, have become so used to free shipping from Prime, etc. in their other online shopping, that tacking on extra 20% (or more) to any order is a non-starter. As such, we can no longer hide behind the excuse that it’s too expensive to absorb — without hemorrhaging potential customers. Digital success depends on a change in mindset.

If it is impossible to cover the cost completely, consider including some of the shipping cost in the item price. This might seem counter-intuitive, but research has shown that people are so opposed to paying for shipping that they often prefer a higher priced item with free shipping (especially if the total cost is the same).

A creative idea to offset this added cost for in-person shoppers would be to offer a discount for picking items up on site. Everyone loves a discount, and this will entice those who can to pick up safely at the winery or shop, saving everyone on shipping cost.