Blog

3 Sessions, Many Takeaways: Wine Summit Piccolo Event Recap

Sovos ShipCompliant hosted the 15th annual Wine Summit a couple weeks ago, only this time it was a shortened “Piccolo” virtual version. This half-day event featured some of the most popular sessions and presentations originally scheduled for the cancelled live event back in May. The recorded version of the event is available to watch on-demand; […]

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Direct Wine Shippers Have a New Tax Burden in Chicago

As of July 1, 2020, wineries making direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipments of wine into the city of Chicago will face an additional tax burden. Under Chicago ordinance O2020-801, the city’s Liquor Tax will now apply to all sales of alcohol to consumers in the city.  What Is The Chicago Liquor Tax? Chicago has long imposed an […]

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Ask Alex: Your Bev Alc Compliance Questions Answered (June 2020)

Do you have questions about the rules, regulations, and compliance requirements of the beverage alcohol industry? This series, Ask Alex, is a perfect opportunity to get those pressing questions answered straight from one of the industry’s regulation and market experts, Alex Koral, Senior Regulation Counsel, Sovos ShipCompliant.  To take advantage of this opportunity and get […]

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How to Expand Your Brewery in 10 Steps

Looking to enter a new market or expand your product line? Growing any business can be complicated, and the beverage alcohol industry is no exception. Not knowing how or where to begin can be the biggest hurdle. From market research and branding to strategic considerations and compliance, this 10-step guide will get you on the […]

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Louisiana Local Sales Tax Rules for Remote Sellers Coming Into Effect

On July 1, 2020, new economic nexus laws will come into effect in Louisiana, requiring all remote sellers who meet certain sales thresholds to collect and remit all state and local sales taxes on their sales into the state. Wineries and retailers making direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipments of wine to Louisiana residents may be affected by […]

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Do You Need Your Own License to Ship Wine? The Answer is Yes.

This is a common question wineries face when entering the direct-to-consumer (DtC) market, and the answer is yes. In order to ship wine DtC, a winery needs to have a DtC shipper’s license. This can be challenging as the rules and requirements to obtain this license vary by state. Because of this, an increasing number […]

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Granholm: 15 Years of Shipping Wine…and More

How much can change in fifteen years?  It was May 2005 when the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in Granholm v. Heald, one of the most consequential beverage alcohol-related cases the Court has heard. The case challenged laws in Michigan and New York that permitted in-state wineries to make direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipments to their […]

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4 Steps to Get Started Shipping DtC

Direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping of beverage alcohol products is a $3 billion dollar market that continues to grow annually. DtC shipping can be a great way to grow your business by reaching new audiences, expanding your customer base, and increasing your sales. But, before you can take advantage of this growing market, there are some steps […]

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Ask Alex: Your Bev Alc Compliance Questions Answered (May 2020)

Do you have questions about the rules, regulations, and compliance requirements of the beverage alcohol industry? This series, Ask Alex, is a perfect opportunity to get those pressing questions answered straight from one of the industry’s regulation and market experts, Alex Koral, Senior Regulation Counsel, Sovos ShipCompliant.  To take advantage of this opportunity and get […]

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How Technology Partnerships Improve DtC Compliance

To be an expert, one has a specialty. Ours is beverage alcohol compliance. Since compliance sits at the heart of operations, being connected at every step helps our customers focus on their business instead spending countless hours on manual processes. Compliance is challenging, but we make it easier with a large and robust network of […]

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Answered: Most-Asked Questions from the Sovos ShipCompliant–WineDirect–Enolytics Webinar, Post-Pandemic Planning: Customer Engagement for the Road Ahead

Our recent webinar with WineDirect and Enolytics, Post-Pandemic Planning: Customer Engagement for the Road Ahead, was a timely topic that drew lively Q&A—too many to address in our allotted hour! Here are our panelists’ take on the most-surfaced themes in your questions. (Missed the live webinar? You can still access the recording and slides on […]

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Infographic | 5 Reasons to Invest in Real-Time Software for Your DtC Wine Business
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DtC Shipments Continue to Increase as Buying Channels Shift

The direct-to-consumer wine shipping channel continues to grow each year, with a 7.4 percent increase in value and 4.7 percent increase in volume in 2019. But starting mid-March 2020, as the pandemic progressed, and buying patterns shifted to rely heavily on ecommerce, we’ve seen a significant spike in growth over last year’s numbers. The DtC […]

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How New York Will Reduce Time & Costs for Suppliers, Distributors and State Agencies

As of April 28, 2020 the state of New York and the alcohol suppliers within its borders will now be able to streamline the process of filing brand registrations and renewing licenses. With Sovos ShipCompliant’s Product Registration Online (PRO) tool, the process and cost of getting registrations approved for beer, wine and spirits will greatly […]

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Foster Lasting Customer Relationships by Adding Education to Your Ecommerce Platform

Younger or less experienced wine consumers may find speaking with a wine expert at a tasting room or wine retailer intimidating. There is plenty of wine-specific terminology that consumers outside of the wine industry may find opaque or confusing. Don’t underestimate the role that even seemingly basic education can play in helping convert customers. At […]

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Sales Tax Obligations, Economic Nexus for DtC Shippers

Sales tax always has been, and always will be, an integral part of compliance for wineries, especially for those shipping direct-to-consumer (DtC). In recent years the standards for determining who is obligated to collect sales tax and at what rates has changed due to evolving legislation like the Supreme Court case South Dakota v. Wayfair.   […]

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Kentucky to Allow Direct Shipments of Wine, Beer, and Spirits

On April 7, 2020, Kentucky became the latest state to adopt rules clearly permitting the direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping of alcoholic beverages. As established in HB 415, Kentucky residents will soon be able to purchase and receive shipments of beer, wine and spirits from licensed producers across the country. That this bill includes all types of […]

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Direct Shipping is Not a Zero-Sum Game

By: Jason Haas Jason Haas is the second generation proprietor at Tablas Creek Vineyard, the pioneering Rhone specialist in Paso Robles, California. In addition to his work overseeing the operations there, he serves on the board of directors of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, Rhone Rangers, and Free the Grapes.   Back in 2017, […]

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