[Updated May 28, 2019]

As important as “bud break” is in the wine industry, equally important is the final mile journey that your wine takes when a customer purchases from your Direct to Consumer channels. You’ve probably noticed that shipping wine is very different from shipping other kinds of goods. And yet, customers still expect the same low cost and convenience that they get from today’s eCommerce giants.

Selling wine DTC is the most profitable channel for wine sales. And, despite its challenges, it also comes with a lot of opportunity—specifically when it comes to the “final mile” delivery experience.

But isn’t the delivery experience solely in the hands of the carrier companies who deliver your package? For the most part, it is. But there are many options when it comes to carriers for that final mile, and they vary quite a bit when it comes to their services, their technology, and their geographic reach.

So which delivery experience should you choose to ship your wines to the end consumer?

Knowing Carriers and Their Services for DTC Wine Sales

Every carrier is different. Your situation is different from that of other wineries, too. You are likely unique in terms of the geographic spread of your customers, your shipping volume, your licensing, and the overall “premiumization” of your brand.

So, the decision of which carrier to use needs to be made with full information, and in accordance with your DTC strategy and goals.

That’s why we recently crafted a guide to wine carriers and their various services, “Completing the Customer Journey with DTC’s Final Mile Delivery—What is Available and Why It Matters,” and made it available for free.

In this white paper, we cover:

• The importance of the “final mile” delivery experience,
• The rising challenge to DTC from local delivery apps,
• The key questions you need to ask to find the right carrier to fit your overall DTC wine shipping strategy,
• The various services and options offered by large national delivery networks,
• The “rising stars” of customized specialty delivery companies focusing on wine,
• How to integrate with your chosen carrier and streamline your DTC shipping process,
• How to engage a 3PL to optimize your shipping/carrier options.

If you find this guide useful, we’d love to hear about it. In the meantime, you might also be interested in our articles on the experience of unboxing wine and the uses of kitting, both of which can contribute toward unique and memorable delivery experiences.

And if you want to discuss some of these options for your winery—whether it be the choice of carrier or new ways to pack and ship your products—just reach out to our team.