Morrisons Cellar is performing ahead of 'expectations' in first year of sales

By Richard Siddle

Published: 03 October, 2013

Morrisons Cellar, the retailer's first online grocery offer, has surpassed the retailers' expectations in its first year of operation.

The retailer claims the site has now had over 50,000 paying customers and it is hopeful it can build on that in its second year, as Morrisons introduces its first dedicated online grocery site early in 2014.

"We are more than happy with how the site is performing," said Steve Mosey, Morrisons category director for BWS, who confirmed it was on budget for its first year performance.

"It is still very early doors and there is so much more that we can do but what we have got is a really accessible proposition," he told Harpers.co.uk.

The Taste Test element of the site, where users can work out which wines are best suited to their palate by answering a series of questions, has proved popular in drawing people to Morrisons Cellar, said Mosey.

"There are lots of online wine businesses out there, so how do you get your niche. How do you get the right tone of voice and get points of interest for users. It has surpassed our expectations but we also know there is a lot more we can do to leverage Taste Test."

Morrisons is also keen to work out how best to utilise Taste Test in its stores in making the wine aisle easier to shop.

Morrisons Cellar allows users to buy wines by the case from a range stretching from £3 to £195.

Wine will be part of the new general Morrisons grocery site, being powered by Ocado, which is due to be launched in the new year, where it will also be possible to buy single bottles of wine rather than a case on Morrisons Cellar.

The retailer is considering following the Majestic model and also allowing customers to buy cases of six as well as cases of 12 on Morrisons Cellar.

You can read a full interview with Mosey in Harpers' October 4 edition, where he sets out his vision for the beers, wines and spirits division, and looks at the huge potential it still has in wine.

Next week this will be followed up on Harpers.co.uk by a comprehensive look at Morrisons' new buying and sourcing structure with interviews with its major wine buyers and managers in a special digital report on Morrisons and its wine offer.

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