Buying Organic Wines Online
More and more people in Italy and in general in the world rely on e-commerce for the purchase of wine. Especially in 2020 we noticed an exponential increase of online sales, in particular in the wine field. Moreover consumers are more and more aware of the benefits of buying (even online) organic products and in particular Organic wines.
2020: Digital Transformation
Of course this phenomenon is strictly connected to the current global situation.
But in general it seems that, because of this sort of unexpected digital transformation of the world, we simply just accelerated a trend we observed in the previous years as well.
That’s why we felt the need to clarify some crucial points about buying online, and what could be some easy and simple guidelines to observe.
Thanks certainly to the convenience offered by these types of sales channels, most of us find it extremely easy to rely on this type of purchase. But the internet hides some pitfalls of which we must absolutely be aware, in order to avoid frauds or complication of any type.
Simple & Effective Guide to Buying Online
Surely finding websites, e-commerce or virtual wineries is extremely easy now.
Even giants like Amazon have been involved in this sector for years now. And I know many of us may have prejudices, but shipments are in most cases safe and the product is stored in an excellent way.
What guarantees do we have on the products?
Of course, let’s face it, the internet is the universe where anything can be found, real or not. You can shop with a click and you can buy that product you’ve been looking for all your life but never happened to find in a store. The point is that you have to learn to keep your eyes open for one simple reason – it’s extremely easy to run into scams, counterfeit items or fraud.
And it has become so important to learn how to defend yourself against online scams.
First rule
The first rule that we must set is as follows: Buy only on certified websites, where you can have a complete tracking of the shipment and direct communication with the sales department and customer service.
How do we know?
By now with hundreds of thousands of virtual wineries it becomes particularly difficult to succeed in this endeavor. Never stop at the homepage of the e-shop, go and read the specific information about the winery, the virtual store, the owners and all the regulations related to the aforementioned service and last but not the least which courier will be used for your shipment. Therefore, you will not only be able to get information about how the shipping or the tracking will be handled, but also about how your wine will be “protected” during the shipping.
Second rule
Of course, once we have ascertained the reliability of the service, we must apply what is the Second rule, that is: choose our wine and carefully read the information in the product description, origin, price and so on.
Learning how to read the information of a wine in an e-shop is as important as knowing how to read the label of a wine. In order not to run into bad surprises.
Relying on sites where transparency is a must is of vital importance for the consumer. Especially for the ones who are interested in buying wine exclusively produced with an organic approach. Communication about a specific winery or a specific wine must absolutely be as clear as possible.
Third rule
And this Third rule of ours is valid both for e-commerce or e-shops selling on behalf of more wineries and for websites of the many wineries where it is possible to buy directly from the producer himself/herself.
This type of purchase is the one that surely offers the greatest ease of direct communication with the producer and the best guarantees for the consumer. It will be possible to send questions, write doubts or anything else directly to the producer who will be more than happy to answer them.
Is there really convenience in buying online?
While proceeding with our analysis about buying wine online, we will surely get to a crucial point: is it really convenient to buy online?
It’s really hard to give an answer. There are thousands of different sites. Structured in different ways and approaching the sale in a different way, in terms of strategy, promotion and so on. Clearly a big advantage is offered by the fact that you can find peculiar and specific products that are not easy to buy on the traditional market. But it is important that also in this case you should always check the transparency and truthfulness of the product.
Fourth rule
Fourth rule – always check the prices. It is important to be aware of any surcharges such as VAT or any additional costs on shipping.
Fifth rule
Fifth rules – How to pay? Payment on delivery is a great option, but in case it is not available you can opt for the classic Paypal solution. In 2021, now make purchases online in both the most popular portals, which in smaller virtual wineries is now extremely safe. Also and above all thanks to the regulations on consumer protection.
In addition, it is important to note that the consumer is also protected for non-conformity defects, that is: within 60 days you can make a complaint officially in case your product arrives damaged or if it is not what you purchased.
Sixth rule
Sixth and last piece of advice – learn about the wine regions you are interested in and you will become a more informed consumer.
We here at Montemaggio are proud of our Tuscan history, proud of the work we put into our harvest and of course how we communicate with our customers. We would love to see you at our estate for a wine tour or degustation, take a class, stay in our villa or just enjoy the organic Italian wines we produce here on our vineyard. Contact us and let us know how we can help you.
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