How do you set up a wine section? You're asking yourself this question, and rightly so, because your customers will be very interested. To successfully organize your wine section, it's important to put yourself in the consumer's shoes and also to know certain rules. Here are a few tips.
Questions to ask yourself before setting up your wine section
What is the consumer looking for when they enter a wine aisle? The answer to this essential question will help you make decisions later on.
When a person decides to buy wine, they generally know two things:
- the format she is looking for: bottle or bag in box® most often.
- the color of the wine she is looking for: red, white or rosé.
We will see a little later that it is based on these two criteria that one can organize one's wine section.
What space do I have available? Surface area, number of shelves, length, layout… What do you have to set up your wine section? You won't make the same decisions if you have to fill 5 meters of shelf space or 15.
What is my offer? Do you already have in mind the wines you want to offer your customers? How many references have you sourced? What are the appellations, bottle formats, different grape varieties… Take stock, prepare lists.
The different types of store layout
The simplest way: to meet the consumer's needs
As we saw earlier, what customers generally know when they enter a wine section is the format and/or color of the wine they're looking for. To get your wine section off to a good start, begin by organizing it by format. Separating bottles from bag-in-boxes will create a very effective visual presentation.
Next, within each category, divide the wines by color: red, white, rosé, and sparkling. Then, within each color, further divide them by region. Bénédicte Coyon, Retail and B2B Sales Director at Les Grappes, reminds us that this organization is found in the vast majority of existing wine sections.
In terms of price, the classic organization of a gondola is based on the following model: low prices at the bottom, high prices at the top and the core target in the middle, at eye level.
The more advanced method: implementation by region
If you don't want to organize your wine section by color, you can arrange your bottles directly by region, and within each region, classify wines of all three colors (red, white, rosé). This only works if your section is large enough to allow for clear layouts by region and color.
This high-quality method is geared more towards a knowledgeable and informed clientele. Indeed, not everyone is familiar with the different wine regions of France (and even fewer abroad), and especially not with the various appellations found there. Should I choose a Loire Valley wine or a Bordeaux to accompany my ribeye steak this weekend? These are the kinds of questions your customers might ask themselves. And they won't necessarily have the answer!
If you choose this location, remember to offer your customers plenty of information to help them make their decision. We'll look at the tools you can use later.
Suggest food and wine pairings
Another approach is to organize your wine section according to the food and wine pairing the customer is looking for. Buying wine is very often linked to a gastronomic occasion. What will we drink to accompany our Sunday roast chicken? Our Friday aperitif with friends? Our romantic dinner?
Note that this display method is best suited to smaller wine selections and should be avoided in larger wine sections. It requires a solid foundation in wine knowledge and a thorough understanding of the available range. Also, ensure simple food and wine pairings to appeal to everyone: for example, "poultry" rather than "chicken with morels."
What about sweet white wines?
Within the white wine category, a distinction is made between dry wines and sweet or dessert wines. The latter can be considered a separate category, as their taste characteristics differ significantly from the others. Sweet and dessert wines, such as Sauternes, Jurançon, Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives, or Coteaux du Layon, can be displayed in a designated area so that customers immediately know that the wine they are buying is sweet. In these cases, we recommend grouping them with the other white wines using specific signage.
Alcohol-free wines and flavored wines: what to do?
Like sweet white wines, alcohol-free wines and flavored wines should be kept separate so as not to unintentionally mislead the customer and to help them find this type of product if that is what they are looking for.
On the advice of Bénédicte Coyon, in large retail stores, these two types of wines are generally grouped together by placing them at the junction between white wines and rosé wines.
Tools to showcase your offer
POS displays and information panels
To organize and enhance your wine section, it's important to equip yourself with resources that will provide information to the customer . Faced with the considerable choice available, the buyer needs guidance.
Point-of-sale advertising ( POS ) provided by winemakers can be used to highlight a product for a limited time, for example. Posters, displays, banners… many formats are available.
Regional dividers (those small vertical or horizontal panels attached to the shelves) are essential for highlighting the different wine regions on offer. They will help to emphasize each area you have just organized.
The flagship product
Highly effective, the endcap display, located at the end of the aisle, allows you to showcase a specific selection of wines. More than just a promotional space, it's a visual element designed to encourage shoppers who are unsure what to buy to leave with a bottle. Depending on the season, you could name this area "Staff Picks," "Seasonal Wines," "Bargain Corner," "Last Bottles," etc.
digital
Buying wine in a supermarket is a stressful experience for most consumers. Without in-depth wine knowledge, and faced with a vast selection, they often feel lost. That's why offering a wine advice service can be so helpful.
If you don't have dedicated staff year-round, there are now many digital tools you can use. QR codes, apps, virtual assistants… these solutions, while somewhat expensive, will greatly enhance your department.
Are there any regulations to follow in a wine section?
In addition to the regulations related to the Evin Law and the mandatory warnings about the dangers of alcohol consumption, there is one rule to respect: within VSIG (Wines Without Geographical Indications), it is forbidden to mix wines of Spanish and French origin. You risk a potential fine if you are not careful about this.
