The strong annual results were supported by a holiday season that set records of its own, including 60% revenue growth over Cyber Weekend, record Net Promoter Scores and margin expansion through the industry’s heavy promotional period.
“Our industry is seeking to attract the next generation of consumers,” said Rich Bergsund, Wine.com CEO. “We’re seeing signs that a modern retail approach – with online and mobile channels, deep content, live chat somms and convenient delivery – is appealing to all ages and levels of wine sophistication.”
2019 growth was strongest in three segments: membership, mobile and millennials:
- Membership: Wine.com StewardShip members receive unlimited shipping all year, and have become the company’s most loyal and valuable customers. Revenue from StewardShip grew 24% in 2019, and for the first time comprised the majority of company revenue.
- Mobile: One-third of company revenue came from mobile devices, growing by 30% in 2019. Revenue from the Wine.com mobile App grew 60%, driven by its value to loyal customers: the App puts the world’s largest wine store and the Wine.com live chat Sommelier service right in your pocket.
- Millennials: Young consumers comprise a third of the Wine.com customer base, and revenue from them grew 36% in 2019. The company continues to attract this segment, which is leading the transition to online and mobile retail.
“Wine is less than 3% online and I expect that to grow to 10-15% in the future, like many other retail categories,” continued Bergsund. “Look for new services and member benefits during 2020 that will make the Wine.com customer experience even better.”