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Step Up your Wine Display Game!

Writer's picture: James BabbJames Babb

It is important to note the differences between a grocery store selling wine and a fine wine retailer. Both can be effective in selling wine, but they take very different approaches in reaching their respective markets. For example, grocery stores do not focus so much on their products as they do their own brand image. As long as they have a recognized and successful brand image, they let the manufacturers and distributors worry about developing the markets for their products. Once a grocery store has a quality brand they simply sell shelf space and leave it to the consumer to find the product they want. It's really the distributors that manage the retail space - at least as far as product placement goes.


a typical grocery store wine display... But a fine wine retailer generally sells wines that do not have the brand name recognition that grocery stores look for. These wineries simply do not have the advertising dollars of larger ones, and so they rely on retailers to help them reach their consumers. In return they offer a higher quality product to the retailer. The retailer then needs to be careful in connecting their products with consumers so as not to overwhelm them with too many similar products or wine labels. Remember that your consumers are relying on you to help them "find" the best wine that he or she will like. So a smorgasbord of products - such as what we see in this picture - generally works best for a grocery store with a market of consumers that already know what they want. The two most common mistakes I see fine wine retailers make is: 1. They overcrowd their shelves with too many similar wines, thus confusing the consumer,


and 2. They fail to grow the market they do have. Let's take the next step then and assume you have taken care of #1 above, and that you have the best selection of wine you can find attractively arranged on your shelf space. Your next step would be to grow your market. Providing wine festivals, classes, tastings, etc. will help you to become the foremost "Wine Person" within your community or market. These events not only help you to grow your market, but also to secure the loyalty of customers you already have. The photos here illustrate the fundamental difference between a grocery store selling product with already established markets, and a fine wine retailer that promotes its ability to connect its consumers with wines that have yet to be discovered. And connecting wine lovers with the best wines you can find for their money is truly one of the most rewarding parts of running a fine wine shop.



...now this makes more sense!

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