Blog

Cannabis Concerns for the Beverage Alcohol Industry

A Q&A with Arun Kurichety, COO & General Counsel, Petalfast  In an effort to better understand potential cannabis concerns in the beverage alcohol industry, I sat down with Petalfast’s Arun Kurichety. Further expanding on Arun’s keynote address at the 2023 Sovos ShipCompliant Wine Summit, we discussed trends in the cannabis industry and what alcohol producers should know. […]

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How to Prevent Unclaimed Property Fraud

Unclaimed property is ripe for potential fraud due to the nature of the property – after all, it is either lost or abandoned and nobody will know that it is missing. Unclaimed property fraud can occur at both the holder and state levels. It can be perpetrated internally by employees or externally by people posing as […]

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Where Are We with Fulfillment House Regulation?

Over the last few years, one of the leading issues affecting the direct-to-consumer (DtC) wine shipping market has been the ongoing effort by states to regulate third-party shipping services, specifically fulfillment houses. At various times, it has seemed as though a deluge of new rules and restrictions around using fulfillment houses was about to sweep […]

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Dominican Republic: E-Invoicing Law Published

The Electronic Invoicing Law of the Dominican Republic was published on 17 May 2023, mandating e-invoicing throughout the territory as of 18 May 2023. The law was published in the Official Gazette, whose purpose is to regulate the mandatory use of electronic invoicing in the Dominican Republic, including the establishment of the electronic invoicing tax […]

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Weather or Not to Ship

Preparing your business for direct-to-consumer (DtC) wine shipping is no small feat. Between licensure, compliance concerns, tax accuracy and regulated reporting, overwhelm may seem inevitable. With the right partner by your side, you can focus on the delivery details that matter most to your customers. But there’s one delivery element that no one can control: […]

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What are Common Causes for a Sales Tax Notice?

We’ve previously discussed key things to keep in mind if your business receives a sales tax notice, but what could potentially cause your organization to receive one? Knowing the common causes for a sales tax notice won’t guarantee that your business will never receive one. However, being able to prepare for receiving one can help […]

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5 Questions to Ask When Outsourcing 1099 Reporting

Outsourcing your 1099 reporting can be a big change for your business and there are many aspects to consider before choosing a partner to aid in the process. Staying compliant is the only way to avoid penalties from the IRS and state governments. Before you choose a partner in your reporting process, be sure to […]

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The Future of Wine DtC: Trends and Strategies for Success

In a recent Commerce7 and Sovos ShipCompliant webinar, experts from each team shared the latest statistics and trends in direct-to-consumer (DtC) wine and offered tips on how to leverage them to grow your business. Here are the main takeaways from presenters Zach Kamphuis and Karen Urquhart of Commerce7 and Sovos ShipCompliant’s Alex Koral. DtC wine […]

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Compliance Basics for Wholesale Distribution of Alcohol

The wholesale market remains one of the more fruitful and effective ways for beverage alcohol suppliers to get their products into the hands of consumers. And in many cases, selling wholesale through what is called the three-tier system is the only way for a winery, brewery, distillery or cidery to enter a state’s marketplaces. As […]

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4 Ways to Elevate Your Direct State Reporting Process

Direct state reporting obligations have gotten increasingly difficult for some businesses over the past few years. With more states requiring direct reporting of form series 1099, more companies are subject to penalties if they do not comply with those obligations. As state reporting evolves, ensuring your process is efficient is critical. Strengthening your reporting process […]

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Sovos Onboarding: 6 Departments Dedicated to Customer Success

If you are evaluating Sovos, we want you to understand expectations for the customer experience and what teams are there to support you. At Sovos, we have a range of teams ready to support you from the day you sign a contract. Whether it be a customer success representative to review the value you are […]

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3 Things to Remember if You Get a Sales Tax Notice

Have you ever received a sales tax notice from a state department of revenue? Whether you answered yes or no, there are important things to keep top of mind to help keep your business prepared. Finding out that you have failed to comply with one or more of your sales tax obligations can be startling. […]

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How to Set Up a Successful Unclaimed Property Program

Unclaimed property compliance can be difficult and overwhelming. Clients often ask what they should be doing to ensure they are compliant with the various laws and regulations. It isn’t easy, especially if you have multiple property types such as checks, credits or customer accounts that have the potential to become unclaimed property in multiple states. […]

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How Hold At Locations Improve Your Customers’ Wine Delivery Experience

Direct-to-consumer shipping wine lovers enjoy the convenience of having their favorite vinos shipped to their front door. But what happens when, for whatever reason, they aren’t available to accept their wine deliveries? Whether they aren’t available during the day or they don’t have someone 21 or older available to sign for their package, these challenges […]

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Identifying Sales Tax Liabilities and Why They Matter

By Steve Claflin, CLA It’s incredible that it has now been five years since the landmark Wayfair decision. It seems like just yesterday we were reading the case, alerting clients and tracking the ever-developing state guidance. Unfortunately, many companies still are not familiar with their sales tax filing obligations caused by economic nexus, or they […]

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Out-of-State Breweries Gain Self Distribution, DtC Rights in Oregon

Under a settlement agreement, breweries located outside of Oregon now have more options for selling into the Beaver State, including direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping and self-distribution to retailers. The settlement arose out of a lawsuit filed by a group of Washington breweries last year challenging Oregon laws that limited beer self-distribution to in-state breweries and DtC […]

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Top 5 Myths Surrounding Retailer Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping

By Tom Wark, Executive Director, National Association of Wine Retailers Politics breed myths. This has always been the case as politics is, at its most fundamental, a form of storytelling. So it should be no surprise that myths have arisen as various elements of the wine industry have fought against consumers and specialty wine retailer seeking […]

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Relief from Colorado Retail Delivery Fee for DtC Wine Shippers

Colorado enacted changes to the state’s Retail Delivery Fee (RDF) effective in May, which should provide some relief to wineries engaged in direct-to-consumer (DtC) wine shipping in the state. The RDF was adopted by Colorado in 2022 as a 27-cent fee that applied to all retail sales that involved the delivery of goods using motorized […]

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