As a result of more people staying home during the COVID-19 pandemic, wine consumers began to order wine online like never before. In fact, online wine sales increased about 20% in 2020. This growth rate was exceptional, considering the average annual growth in prior years was around 3%.

People were much slower to order wine online before due to traditional consumer habits. Wine drinkers were used to picking up their regular Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, or other personal wine of choice at their regular grocery store or local wine shop. Though the wine selection is much more limited as opposed to shopping for wine online, the convenience of grabbing a bottle of wine while running errands drove buying decisions.

Ordering wine online can be tricky to navigate for the average wine drink. For many, without the personalized in-person assistance of a wine specialist at the store or winery, selecting the right wine to suit personal tastes can be daunting. Subsequently, wine marketing efforts take hold and purchase decisions are made on the basis of labels. If you’re going to order wine online, you need to begin with an idea of what you want. 

Online wine shopping does have its perks though. You can take advantage of good deals, find a global wine selection you don’t have available at your local store, and explore wines you haven’t tried before. Additionally, those heavy bottles are shipped directly to your home. 

How to Order Wine Online

For the next time you order wine online, here are a few steps to making the shopping experience a breeze.

Take Advantage of Free Shipping

Shipping wine is pricey because of the weight and temperature controls. To help offset costs, most online wine shops have a minimum order for you to get free shipping. Be sure to check how many bottles you need to order to get free shipping. Simply by ordering 6 bottles instead of 4, for example you can save $20! Plus, paying for more wine rather than outrageous shipping is always a good choice. Even if you order a case, you’ll save yourself a lot of cash in the long run.

Talk With A Wine Expert On The Team

Check the accreditations of the buyers. They don’t need to be a Master Sommelier—even Advanced Sommeliers or someone with a WSET Diploma are in the top 1% of the world of wine experts. This knowledge always allows them to truly understand value and find interesting regions and grapes that overdeliver for price. Oftentimes, you can actually talk with these digital wine experts. Shoot them an email or send a message on the company’s social media page to get guidance from a wine expert.

Get To Know Your Tastebuds

The #1 thing that I can suggest to make ordering wine easier for you is to get to know your taste. If you understand why you like a certain variety or wine region like Napa Cabernet, Red Burgundy, or Pinot Grigio from Italy, then you can find parallels that offer tremendous value. Take time to learn a little bit about the structure and aroma of the wines you like so that you can more easily navigate around wine descriptions and find something fun!

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