The Grapevine

Retail Wine Industry News – Amazon Shipping, Pennsylvania Privatization

May 27th, 2013

Happy Memorial Day! I hope your shop is closed and you’re enjoying a much-deserved day off. And now, a bit of industry news for you: Amazon continues to expand its wine offerings. Pennsylvania reconsiders exactly how it might privatize wine and liquor sales. [level-members]

Amazon Shipping Offer
An Amazon offer landed in our inbox this past week. $9.99 shipping for any 6 bottles from a single producer.

“We have exciting news. You can now purchase up to six bottles of different wines from a single winery and receive Standard Shipping for just $9.99.

So try three Merlot, two Pinot Noir, and one Chardonnay from Bravium, or explore two Cabernet Sauvignon, two Syrah, and two Viognier from Cougar Crest. Or pick up to six from your favorite winery.”

Not that it’s any surprise, but Amazon continues to expand and strengthen their wine offerings.

Pennsylvania State Stores May Be Around A While
It appears that the demise of the “State Store” in PA may be a bit exaggerated. Though there is still a move toward privatization, it appears as if it will be a slower, more gradual shift. Rather than privatizing immediately and completely, there would be a move to expand licenses for established that currently sell beer and then closing the state-owned stores as enough shops in a given area come online to fill the gap.

[/level-members]