In the next few posts I want to examine the results of the "Electronic Wine" Survey. But in this first post I'd like to look at the overall results. There are some interesting findings when you start parsing the results, but for now let's look at the overall findings.
You can see the overall results of the 266 respondents yourself BY CLICKING HERE.
First and foremost, take note of the fact that nearly everyone that took the survey says they use the Internet to educate themselves about wine. Stunned? Good. I hope not. What they say they use it for is interesting however.While 45% say they use the Internet for "Wine Pricing Information", only 25% say they use the Internet for "Purchasing Advise". Meanwhile, 68% say they they are most likely use the Internet for finding "Wine Reviews". Now, combine this information with the fact that fully 40% of the respondents said they DO NOT use the Internet for wine buying. Perhaps this question was not phrased correctly. But perhaps it means lots of people look use the Internet for wine buying the same way they use it for car buying: They do the research on-line, then buy offline.
I must say, I'm surprised by that 40% saying they don't use the Internet for wine buying. This tells me that there is LOTS of room for growth in the on-line buying world.
Another interesting finding is how respondents view the utility of on-line wine information vs. print wine information. In general, respondents find the two sources similar in quality over a variety of categories. EXCEPT in the area of "Wine Pricing Information" and "Basic Wine Information". By far, respondents view wine pricing information better on the Internet than in print publications. This should be no surprise thanks in large part to folks like Wine Searcher and Snooth and others. But I was surprised to see the Internet get the nod in a significant way over print publications when it comes to "Basic Wine Information". Perhaps it's just the huge amount of Basic Wine Information that exists on the Internet that gives this venue the nod over print.
Now here's something VERY interesting: 60% of respondents said they purchase no more than 10% of their wine on the Internet. Maybe it's just my own experience that makes this a surprise to me. In our house upwards of 80% is purchased on-line. Still, I would have expected more. Again, this tells me there is huge potential for growth in on-line wine sales. And, by the way, take note that it's wine retailers that get a significantly higher percentage of on-line sales over winery websites.
What's wrong with the on-line buying experience. Clearly it's a lack of accessibility. Almost half the respondents cited "Shipping Not Available in My State" as the biggest problem with on-line wine shopping". What does this mean? Combined with the fact that more folks say they buy from on-line retailers than wineries, it means I need to work harder on behalf of the Specialty Wine Retailers Association to get more states into the game and thereby more consumers into the game.
Finally, who are the respondents? Well, we tend to be well-educated males between 40 and 60 years of age who make decent money. Who is surprised?
More interesting analysis coming. For now, take a look at the basic results HERE.
