Liv-ex offers checklist for merchants looking to accelerate e-sales

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 18 May, 2020

Liv-ex has given a number of pointers to indie merchants who are looking to move sales online.

Under the current rules, indie merchants are still able to operate during Covid-19.

However, the reality for many is that doors remained closed, and those who are still operating click and collect or normal retail services (with social distancing measures in place) are struggling to adapt to the shift to online where most sales are now taking place.

As a result, accelerating e-commerce strategies has become a must, with merchants turning to the high average order values offered online as a way to supplement sales.

“E-commerce has seen an unprecedented rise, with the sector catapulted into overdrive since Covid-19,” reads the report from Liv-ex, Selling wine in a post-Covid-19 world: A guide for merchants.

“Google Trends shows that searches of ‘buy wine online’, ‘wine delivery’ and ‘fine wine’ peaked at the end of March this year when many countries went into lockdown.”

As part of its advice to indie merchants, Liv-ex provided a check list of how to get started and accelerate sales.

For those not already selling via the internet, one way to get online quickly is via an established e-commerce platform.

This solution has been “hugely popular among small businesses” with the freedom to allow sellers to manage their wines, inventory, customers, orders, shipping, and fulfilment all depending on the size of the operation, the business focus, budget and location.

For others setting up e-commerce websites for themselves, the choice is between enlisting the help of a web developer, or setting up a site themselves.

While developers can offer bespoke services, creating a platform from scratch tailored to the merchant’s needs, more affordable off-the-shelf solutions are available.

Suggestions include Shopify or Wix – two of the most popular e-commerce website builders. Wix is a website builder first and foremost, whereas Shopify is designed purely to help people set up their own online stores.

Liv-ex also has its own ‘universal identifier for wine and spirits’, called LWIN.

This free to use service assigns unique codes to over thousands of different products to help shoppers find their products online.

“LWIN enables users to make sure their wines are named consistently, and to add detailed product information such as region, sub-region and classification automatically. This can help you to create filters, and a useful search tool, on your e-commerce website. It will also help with tasks like sales reporting,” Liv-ex said.

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