Wine Retailer Association’s Membership Hack: Savings On Shipping

How to hack it? Interest in specialty wines is growing, and it’s now easier and faster to get wine shipped to your door. For smaller, mom-and-pop-owned retailers, staying competitive means supplying customers with a wide range of specialty wines through online sales.

To give members an edge, the National Association of Wine Retailers partnered with FedEx  (opens in a new tab) to offer discounted shipping services, including a 67 percent savings on the adult-signature-requirement fee and upwards of 50 percent off express shipping.

“Wine is heavy, and it can add up to a significant cost. It’s sort of a no-brainer for us, or any association with a membership that relies on a lot of shipping,” says Tom Wark, executive director of NAWR. “This deal wasn’t that difficult to establish because if you are FedEx or UPS, you probably want to work with an association like us that ships a lot.”

Why it works? If a member sends just one package per day, Wark says, the benefit will cover NAWR’s baseline $1,500 membership fee. “Savings from this benefit will pay for your dues,” Wark says. “We’re also hoping it answers consumer demand because we serve discerning wine drinkers who want unique products that you won’t find on a store shelf.”

What’s the bonus? It’s only been a week since the benefit was launched, but Wark says it has already piqued interest from new members. “We know this will have big payoff in recruiting members,” he says. “And we’re going to make the case for people to join by emphasizing the cost-savings approach.”