Blog
Direct-to-consumer (DtC) is a phrase that can encompass many things: tasting room sales, retailers sales, sampling and festival sales. But, DtC shipping is the shipping of alcohol directly to the purchaser through delivery by a third-party carrier (e.g., UPS or FedEx). In DtC shipping the customer gets the product indirectly, but the sale is made […]
Looking to enter a new market or bring new wines to the marketplace? 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 […]
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 […]
Since we released the annual Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Report in partnership with Wines Vines Analytics back in January, a lot has changed when it comes to how consumers are getting their wine. The COVID-19 pandemic swayed buying channels drastically, shifting traditional retail and on-premise sales over to ecommerce sales. With brick-and-mortar retailers being closed down […]
Earlier this year, Kentucky passed a bill enabling direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping of wine, beer, and spirits by licensed suppliers. When the bill was originally passed, it was expected it would take effect by July 15, 2020. However, as our partners at Wine Institute recently confirmed, the state is instituting a delay on the implementation of […]
The beverage alcohol industry has many complicated rules and regulations that vary by state. Even though importers are similar to other members of the “supplier” tier (like wineries and breweries), they are often treated differently in federal and state regulations. This is particularly true when it comes to direct-to-consumer (DtC) wine shipping. Currently, 46 states […]
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; […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]