With the launch of Wine Spectator’s “Xvalues” app, the count of wine-related apps is now officially over the 47,000,000,000 mark. [level-members]
That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but only a bit. There are a lot of wine apps out there. Are they a threat to your retail shop or a boon? They’re both, actually, which I believe is the definition of an opportunity.
You can ignore the apps, but sticking your head in the proverbial sand isn’t going to make them go away. You’re better off knowing what the apps offer and what their appeal is to your customers. There are apps out there that absolutely are not a threat to your retail business. And there are apps that you really should pay attention to.
Xvalues is probably one worth paying attention. It doesn’t link to any ecommerce sites or make “where to buy” recommendations, but it is focused on the all-important sub-$20 price range. (Sub-$40 for sparkling wines.)
At the very least you should download it as a way to see what Wine Spectator is recommending without having to leaf through the magazine itself.
And it just might help you anticipate what some of your customers might be looking for. (Which doesn’t mean you need to stock mass market wines if that’s not your thing. It just means you have to have an alternative at the tip of your tongue when they come asking for the mass market wine that WS is touting as a great value.
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