POSTED BY  Theresa Barton Cray As we near the close of a challenging year for the alcohol beverage industry, suppliers are understandably looking for creative marketing campaigns to boost sales. Unfortunately, given the highly regulated world of alcohol beverage marketing, creative marketing ideas can sometimes hit the proverbial brick wall of regulatory restrictions. All is not lost, however, and there is still room for creativity provided suppliers work within the parameters of alcohol beverage regulations. To start, below are some common pitfalls that suppliers should avoid when marketing their alcoholic beverages in California and elsewhere. Retailer Partnerships Suppliers should closely examine any new marketing programs that involve or mention licensed alcohol beverage retailers. Partnerships with, or sponsorships of, retailers are in most cases going to run afoul of the tied-house laws in California, and in most other states, which prohibit suppliers from giving (directly

HOW TO KEEP YOUR BRAND TOP OF MIND WHEN CUSTOMERS ARE DROWNING IN HOLIDAY EMAILS The inbox in December isn’t a communication tool—it’s a full-contact sport. Every brand, from the global megastore to the local dog bakery, is shouting their way into people’s attention span with flashing subject lines, endless exclamation points, and “40% OFF” hysteria that blurs into static. Consumers don’t read; they scan for relief. According to Mailjet’s 2024 BFCM report, holiday email volume jumps nearly 80% between Thanksgiving and Christmas, while average open rates drop to 13–15%—a statistical cry for help. But the real problem isn’t quantity—it’s tone. Every brand is talking at their audience instead of with them. The louder the messaging, the less people listen. Leading with prices and panic doesn’t inspire trust; it triggers fatigue. That’s your opportunity. The brands that win the inbox aren’t the

Your Holiday Storefront Checklist Before the first gift order rolls in, make sure your entire commerce setup is ready to shine. Here’s a quick checklist:  POS + Online Store — Synced & Tested Your tasting-room POS and eCommerce site (whether you use Activ8 eCommerce or Shopify) run seamlessly with Activ8. Pricing, products, and inventory stay perfectly aligned across every channel.  Holiday Inventory — Updated & Unified Add gift sets, bundles, and seasonal releases once — Activ8 keeps them synced automatically everywhere you sell.  Payments — Ready for Anything Accept cards, contactless, and digital wallets through Activ8 Payments or Stripe, with secure, fast processing and automatic reconciliation.  Storefront — Fresh & Guest-Friendly Update your online store and club pages with new images, gifts, and clear holiday navigation. Activ8 makes it easy to edit and publish in minutes. Small updates now mean smoothe

5 Ways Your Winery Can Strengthen Customer Connections (and Sales) This Holiday Season 5 Ways Your Winery Can Strengthen Customer Connections (and Sales) This Holiday Season The holidays aren’t just busy, they’re your best chance to turn quick questions into lasting loyalty. Today’s shoppers are scrolling on phones, not standing at the tasting bar. The wineries winning December bring tasting-room warmth online with guest-first DTC moves. 1 Real-time webchat Turn Browsers into Buyers with Real-Time Webchat Bring hospitality to your website: help gift-givers pick the right bottle, answer shipping questions, and keep carts from drifting. RedChirp integrates with vinSUITE, so conversations save to the customer profile for thoughtful follow-ups and personalized offers. Prompt ideas for staff: Who is the gift for? What’s the budget? Red, white, or sparkling? Favorite foods? Learn more: RedChirp • vinSUITE eCommerce 2 Segmentation Reconnect with the Customers Who

Meta Ads, Miracle Results If your holiday Meta ads felt like lighting money on fire in a festive candle, that’s not because social is dead. It’s because your targeting and flighting were built for wishful thinking, not gifting intent. The fix isn’t magic. It’s method. You can absolutely turn Meta into a gift-selling machine between Thanksgiving and New Year—if you understand what actually drives intent and how to spend wisely when every other brand on earth is screaming for attention. What follows is a ruthless, winery-specific playbook for the six-week window between Thanksgiving and New Year that prioritizes intent, protects margin, and leans on real benchmarks instead of folklore. First, reality: volume is there, but it clusters Holiday ecommerce keeps breaking records, with online spend hitting roughly $241.4B from Nov 1 to Dec 31 and mobile responsible for the majority of transactions. (Adobe Newsroom) Translation: your customers are buying on their

For years, discounting has been the default lever wineries pull to spark sales and reward loyal customers. But in today’s crowded marketplace, deep discounts can erode brand value and condition customers to buy only when the price drops. There’s a better way: loyalty points programs. Retention, without discounting, comes from making customers feel known, valued, and part of something special. They’ll stay not because it’s cheaper, but because it’s theirs. Instead of discounting away margin, wineries can encourage repeat visits and purchases by offering rewards that feel aspirational, personalized, and memorable. Loyalty points add up over time, giving guests a reason to come back again and again, all the while protecting your brand’s premium image. 10 Reasons Why Loyalty Points Work Shift from price to experience. Points reward frequency and engagement, not bargain hunting. The program should reinforce experience, access, and emotional loyalty, not

In our most recent Free Training Friday, we focused on one thing: helping wineries convert holiday browsers into buyers. With peak shopping season approaching, this session was all about small, actionable tweaks you can make right now to ensure your site is ready when customers start searching for gifts. 1. Make Holiday Intent Obvious When shoppers land on your homepage, they're looking for one thing: the confidence that you can help them find (and ship) the perfect gift on time. That's why it's so important to give them clear visual and navigational cues that say, "Yes, we've got you covered." That doesn't mean covering your site in red and green. Instead, aim for subtle seasonal touches that align with your brand, like warm seasonal messaging, photography, or gift-centric cues.  Two Key Updates to Add Now: Shipping Timelines: Clearly state cutoff dates ("Order by Dec 18 for delivery by Dec 24"). Corporate Gifting Entry: Include an entry po

The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year for wineries. Customers are looking for the perfect gifts, stocking up on their favorite bottles, and attending festive gatherings where wine is often at the center. For wineries, it's also a time when operations can become complex and demand increased attention both in the tasting room and online.  At VinesOS, we understand the unique challenges wineries face this time of year. Here are a few key things to consider as you prepare for a successful holiday season: 1. Plan your Promotions Holidays are prime time for promotions, but managing discounts and member benefits can get tricky. That's why flexible coupon tools are so important. Look for solutions that allow you to: Stack discounts or override member pricing when needed Run special holiday offers without disrupting your existing loyalty programs Encourage repeat purchases with timed or exclusive promotions When done right, promotions not only drive sales but

SEATTLE, WA – August 27, 2025 – Bottle360, the leading all-in-one DTC winery software platform, today announced the launch of WineWallet™, a groundbreaking  loyalty, rewards, points, and subscription club program designed to deepen customer engagement, attract new consumers, and drive recurring revenue for wineries. This innovative solution empowers wineries with the tools they need to build stronger relationships with their patrons while providing both wine enthusiasts and new consumers with exclusive benefits. All in a seamless way that makes it easy for them to collect, track, and redeem without the need for coupons or gift cards.  WineWallet is natively built within the Bottle360 platform, offering wineries a robust suite of tools to create customizable loyalty or reward points for purchases, events, engagement, etc., in flexible ways the winery controls. In addition wineries can offer and manage recurring Wine Club Subscriptions with unparalleled e

Everywhere you look right now—Hallmark Channel, Netflix, social media—it’s Christmas in July. And while most people are watching cozy movies and pretending it’s snowing outside, here’s a better question for wineries: Are you ready for your holiday season? October, November, and December (OND) are your biggest sales months of the year. Holiday winery marketing doesn’t start in October—it starts now. They’re sprinting through Q3—right now—while everyone else is still daydreaming about hot cocoa and watching Christmas movies… you’ve got rosé in your glass and wine bundles to plan. 1. Clean Up Your Data — Because Bad Data Costs You Money This isn’t just about removing bounced emails. Bad data quietly drains OND revenue by blocking you from segmenting, targeting, or even reaching your customers. Your Move: Export your full email list (now, not later). Use ChatGPT to help spot typos like gmaii.com in