Wine sales are going social

Think about it: how often has a friend, family member, or colleague recommended a wine to you? If you're like me, it's probably more than you'd like to admit.

Influencers undeniably shape consumer behavior: we’ve all been swayed by celebrities, athletes, or even politicians. A 2024 study revealed that 74% of consumers have bought a product based on an influencer’s recommendation.

But as drinks businesses work to grow direct-to-consumer sales, it’s time to evolve beyond the usual playbook. Yes, influencer partnerships still matter. However, tracking their true impact, and linking that back to actual sales, is notoriously difficult. The line between awareness and conversion is often blurred.

That’s why a new approach is gaining ground - one that taps into the social networks of consumers. Wine retailers and wineries are mapping these connections - not just to observe, but to activate them. The goal? To turn everyday social recommendations into wine sales. 

The first step in tapping into the value of your consumers’ social networks is recognizing that people want to purchase together and we, at Cobuyr, have coined a term for this popular trend - Social Buying.

Social Buying is made possible by enabling consumers to invite their social networks to split and pay for wine orders in groups directly on the websites of wine retailers and wineries.  When this happens, the social networks of your consumers start to appear that were previously not seen before - and these social connections-turned-social buying networks create new marketing and sales opportunities.

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This images shows the before and after of knowing the social buying networks using Cobuyr.

Leveraging social buying networks offers significant advantages. Here are three key benefits:

• You already have a rich CRM filled with customers. As a first step, activate them to purchase with their social networks because they want to buy wine together. This will position your business as a digitally aware and savvy brand.

• Lower the total cost of customer acquisition by turning your current customers into ambassadors so they do your marketing and selling into their social networks. Bring word of mouth to life.

• Beyond unlocking incremental revenue, social buying reduces the need for discounts. Instead of offering a price cut, the savings are naturally shared across the group as they split the cost of the wine.

Wine sales are going social as consumers seek to engage with the social side of wine throughout the entire customer journey - from discovery and purchase to enjoyment and sharing stories with friends, family, and colleagues.

Beyond the bottle: Why wineries must sell more than just great wine

Successful wineries are known for creating superior wine but today, that alone isn't enough. Wineries must also be effective marketers, creating and capturing demand in a competitive and changing marketplace.

In an era where consumers are drinking less wine than they used to, simply selling great wine isn’t sufficient. So, what’s the answer?

The future of wine lies crafting compelling and relevant moments that go beyond the bottle to forge emotional connections with consumers everyday. These experiences must transcend individual touchpoints like tasting rooms, mobile apps, emails, and websites to provide a cohesive and immersive total wine experience.

This change in DTC strategy requires a mindset shift - but it’s one that open-minded wineries are capable of making. Wineries have always produced wine consumers desire; now they must also deliver the experiences consumers expect - when, where, and how they want them during the moments when they research, select, buy, collect, drink, share, and talk about wine with friends, family, and colleagues.

You might be asking how vital the experience thing is. It's huge. A study by Harris Group found 72% of millennials (the future purchasing power for wineries) prefer to spend money on experiences rather than just on material possessions. Fortunately, wine is the ultimate bridge between product and experience that connects people in different ways, and on different personal levels.

Now, it's important to note that I’m not referring to one-off experience like a quarterly wine event. Instead, I am talking about personalized, emotionally connected experiences that are pervasive, integrated, and enabled seamlessly across all consumer touchpoints. This is only possible if it’s at the heart of a winery's customer focused business model. They should meet consumers where they live and work, changing the perception of wine from a product reserved for special occasions to an integral part of everyday lifestyle.

This transformation - from producing award-winning wine to crafting unforgettable wine experiences - requires a fundamental reset in how wineries think and operate. Everyone at the winery must be involved and committed, from the winemaker and tasting room staff to the operations manager, marketer, sales team, and even the pickers.

I recently watched a car commercial that stood out to me not because of its technical details, but because it focused on the experiences the driver and his family could have throughout the week. Instead of emphasizing specifications, the ad highlighted how the car fits into everyday life.

Similarly, wineries, especially those offering a range of price points, should showcase the different experiences that various family members can enjoy at different times during the week or month.

Wineries can take inspiration from companies in other industries that have successfully embraced and integrated experience-based, purpose-driven marketing into their businesses:

• Fitness: Peloton is more than a fitness equipment provider. It’s a fitness experience brand that cultivates a loyal community across all ages and lifestyles. A Peloton users don't talk about the bikes they rode - they share how the ride made them feel.

• Toys: LEGO may sell plastic toys, but its brand fuels imagination, learning, and creativity through storytelling, architectural design, and immersive experiences. There is a purpose behind every purchase, and it’s the experience the toys create for children and adults.

• Technology: Airbnb offers more than rental accommodations. It positions itself as a platform for connection, cultural exchange, and meaningful travel experiences that go far beyond simply having a place to stay. They create moments for travellers.

Wineries that evolve from selling great wine to offering a wine experience that builds an emotional bond with them and other wine consumers will see sustained growth. The key to success lies in embracing change, having a clear vision, developing a plan, and getting on with it (though easier said than done).

A final point worth highlighting: Over the past 12 to 18 months, the wine industry has seen a surge in meaningful discussions about how wineries can not only survive but truly thrive. Two noteworthy initiatives that deserve special attention.

The first is Come Over October, a global campaign launched by renowned wine journalist Karen MacNeil in collaboration with industry experts Gino Colangelo and Kimberly Noelle Charles, DipWSET. The initiative encourages people to gather and share wine (and, I dare say, wine experiences) with loved ones throughout the month of October. Personally, I hope it evolves into a year-round movement - Come Over All Year.

Another standout effort is being led by Priscella Hennkman, who founded Rethinking the Wine Industry, a dynamic grassroots global community. This community brings together individuals from across the wine world, challenging one another to collaborate and drive positive change for all stakeholders within the industry. It's a great forum, too, for ideas to inspire you. 

How wineries should use first-party data to strengthen their DTC strategy

To thrive, wineries must build deeper, direct relationships with comsumers and that means mastering data and, specifically, collecting and using first-party data.

What is first-party data?
First-party data is information collected directly from your customers. This includes email addresses gathered during tasting room visits, preferences captured through online wine orders, engagement with your emails, texts messages  or newsletters, social media interactions, and customer satisfaction surveys. It’s the most accurate and valuable kind of data you can collect because it comes straight from people who have or will purchase from you.

At a time when wineries must rapidly transform to meet changing consumer expectations with innovative direct-to-consumer strategies, the effective use of first-party data is crucial to connecting with and engaging consumers.

Why it matters: more than just marketing
First-party data is more than just a powerful marketing tool - it creates a competitive advantage across your entire winery. Sales teams can use it to personalize outreach, hospitality staff can enhance tasting room experiences, and production teams can make smarter decisions about what wines to make, and in what quantities.

Unfortunately, many wineries lack a modern first-party data strategy, and it's inhibiting the abilty to acquire and retain customers.

A Lagging industry, and a massive opportunity
Despite the clear benefits, the adoption of first-party data, tools and tactics in the wine industry is still relatively low.

According to the 2023 Sovos ShipCompliant and WineBusiness.com DTC Wine Shipping Report:
• Only 36% of wineries use CRM platforms to manage customer relationships
• Less than 50% practice email segmentation
• Fewer than 20% actively track customer behavior online

These statistics present a significant opportunity for growth-oriented wineries to leap ahead of the competition by putting their data to work.

7 Tips to start using first-party data effectively

Here’s how your winery can begin collecting, managing, and leveraging customer data for real business impact:

1. Use a modern platform to unify your data
Adopt a platform that can integrate first-party data from tasting room sales, e-commerce, wine club management, payments, loyalty and customer relationship management systems.

2. Collect data during tasting room visits and events
Train staff to gather names, emails, and wine preferences during tastings, parties, and events, as well as personal information such as birthdays and anniversaries. Offer a thank you gift or tasting discount in exchange for sign-up. Collecting this data in-person builds trust and enriches your CRM.

3. Segment your customers by club tier, wine style, purchase behavior
Group customers based on what they buy and how they engage. Send exclusive pre-release offers to loyal cabernet buyers, or custom wine club perks based on member preferences. Segmentation improves open rates, conversions, sales and retention.

4. Personalize marketing and communications
Tailor messaging to reflect customer behavior like offering a reorder incentive for last month’s rosé purchase, or thanking a new club member with a welcome gift. Personalized content - delivered through the relevant customer touchpoints such as email, text message, website, etc - leads to higher customer satisfaction.

5. Track customer behavior to trigger smart campaigns
Set up automation that reacts to how people interact with your brand such as cart abandonment emails, failed online payment transaction, reminders for seasonal reorders and special anniversaries or follow-ups after in person visits. These small touches can drive major revenue.

6. Keep customer data up to date and clean
Regularly update and clean your customer data. Verify shipping addresses, remove duplicates, and make sure club preferences are up-to-date.  High quality data improves campaign effectiveness, multi channel communications deliverability, reduces returns, and ensures accurate reporting.

7. Use feedback to guide experiences and releases
After events or purchases, ask for feedback on wines or customer satisfaction. Use this input to improve not just operationally, but in future targeting. For example, if many people praise your new Syrah, you can spotlight it in your next campaign or allocate it to your most loyal red wine fans.

Embrace innovation: Map your social buying networks
An effective way to quickly acquire first party data is through  social buying, which enables your customers to purchase wine together on your website. This not only creates incremental revenue, but you are also able to understand how your customers are connected.

Group wine purchases allows wineries to identify, visualize and engage social buying networks - clusters of customers who directly influence each other’s purchases.  By uncovering these networks, you can:
• Launch group offers and referral incentives
• Reward customers who purchase wine together
• Tap into word-of-mouth to drive organic growth

This turns first-party data from a static list in your CRM into a living map of influence and advocacy - amplifying your marketing and sales efforts exponentially without spending additional marketing budget.

Final thoughts: first-party data Is a business Imperative
With tightening privacy regulations and the decline of third-party tracking, owning your customer relationships is no longer optional - it’s essential.

Wineries that become data driven by investing in modern tools, and act on customer insights, will see stronger DTC performance, higher retention, and more resilient revenue. First-party data is your winery’s key to deeper relationships, better decisions, and long-term success. 

Bridging the Gap in the Wine Buyer’s Journey

Wine is the ultimate social product. From the many hands that grow grapes and craft vintages to the joy of sharing a bottle with friends and family, wine is about connection.

Yet, despite its inherently communal nature, the wine buying experience remains largely solitary. Most wineries cater to individual purchases in person or online. Though growing in popularity, few have embraced Social Buying - a model that mirrors how wine is actually consumed: together.

Working at a winery might seem idyllic, but it poses real challenges for marketing and sales professionals. Intense competition and brand saturation make differentiation difficult. Meanwhile, consumer expectations are evolving rapidly, with increasing demand for personalized and connected experiences.

Today’s customer journey spans multiple touchpoints - such as websites, mobile apps, emails, tasting rooms, texts, social media - all of which require thoughtful, coordinated and consistent engagement. Wineries that fail to adapt risk losing relevance.

One of the most promising areas for wineries is e-commerce.

As online wine sales are projected to be valued at $23.18 billion in 2025, reaching $40.24 billion by 2032, consumers now seek a buying experience that reflects their social lives. In fact, initial findings from research conducted by Cobuyr shows that 95% of consumers would like to purchase wine together with family and friends online - just as they consume it.

By closing the gap between social consumption and solitary purchasing, wineries can strengthen relationships, improve retention, and unlock meaningful growth.

E-commerce is no longer just about completing a payment transaction. It’s about allowing friends, colleagues, or wine club members to split the cost and quantity of bottles or cases directly at checkout in groups. This is Social Buying in action. It taps into the consumer expectation for connections, for relationships. For wineries, it's more than a feature - it’s a competitive advantage that delivers incremental revenue, richer customer data, and deeper brand loyalty.

With global wine sales declining amid shifting demographics and preferences (to name just a couple of reasons), wineries must embrace new direct-to-consumer strategies. Targeting younger generations is essential. Millennials, for instance, now make over 54% of their purchases online. They’re digitally savvy, socially driven, and eager to support and buy from brands that reflect their values.

By aligning the wine buying experience with how wine is socially consumed and shared, wineries can reimagine growth, deepen loyalty, and future-proof their business.

What wineries should assess whether they’re offering more than just great wine. Are they delivering a social wine buying experience that reflects how people actually enjoy wine - together? It starts with examining the customer journey and identifying the gaps that need to be filled. 

With the 2025 Bordeaux En Primeur campaign at the halfway mark, what comes next for wine retailers?

The campaign may not have so far delivered the excitement, or the sales, that many had hoped for. But it's not the end of En Primeur - or the bigger story here.

For wine retailers, it's an inflection point. What happens next will depend on how well they adapt to a changing market, shifting consumer behaviors, and the growing need for smarter, more personalized engagement strategies.

So, I have asked myself: will the lacklustre 2025 Bordeaux En Primeur campaign cause some wine retailers to go out of business? No.  However, the continued lack of consumer interest certainly won’t help those already struggling.

I won’t delve into why the En Primeur system is flawed - there are experts far more qualified to explain that. Nor will I explore broader economic factors like taxes, inflation or evolving consumer spending patterns.

Instead, I want to focus on something more fundamental: the failure of many retailers to stay attuned to what their customers actually want and expect.

This story didn’t begin on April 23, when the campaign launched. It started long before.

In the boom years, when the economy was thriving, wine sold easily. Retailers had little reason to invest in customer acquisition. Buyers came, spent freely, drank enthusiastically and came back for more (including me!).

Then, the bottles stopped being uncorked. Retailers began to see declining sales just as customer acquisition costs started to rise. Many assumed this was a temporary blip in the cycle, but it wasn’t, and still isn’t. Times have changed.

Unfortunately, too many retailers are still relying on outdated, inhibiting technologies, and DTC strategies that no longer resonate with consumers especially the younger wine generation.

This reality hits me every day.

I buy wine from a wide range of retailers, both in-store and online. I also subscribe to many newsletters; on average, I receive about 20 emails a day from retailers urging me to buy. I see the patterns, and the missed opportunities.

A few observations stand out:

• Most retailers have a unique value proposition, but fail to communicate it. Their messaging sounds nearly identical.

• I’ve never received a personalized email recommending wine based on my purchase history.

• I’ve never been contacted with wine suggestions based on the pages I viewed on their websites, let alone invited to a tasting event tailored to my preferences.

• Out of 20 retailers, only one has ever asked for feedback on what services or experiences I might value.

And this is just the surface.

In conversations with wine retail professionals, it’s become clear that many lack the tools to serve consumers who, by the way, many want more than just wine - they seek experiences.

For starters, most retailers aren’t using data to guide decisions about whom to engage, when, or how. That’s a major missed opportunity especially when they already hold rich information on past purchases.

Instead, retailers cling to tactics that no longer work. Yet, another wine club subscription. A generic email blast. These approaches fall flat and fast.

Few are using modern, customer-centric technologies to improve customer acquisition and retention. For instance, live chat helps retailers provide customer support including with wine selection advice. The ability to split payments for online wine purchases is still rare, despite consumer demand for it.  Loyalty programs that meaningfully incentivize return visits and repeat purchases? Easy to navigate websites? Also uncommon.

I have more insights to share, many of which translate directly into actionable recommendations. But the main point is this: retailers must embrace change. And they must do so urgently.

The good news? A handful of wine retailers in the UK and the US accelerated their digital transformation journeys last year. They understood then that the path forward starts with people, by equipping teams with the capabilities to understand and connect with their customers on a personal and relevant way. These retailers are poised to become industry role models.

2025 global social wine buying survey

Splitting the cost of wine with friends, family, colleagues, or fellow wine club members is becoming increasingly popular, and the Cobuyr team wants to understand how this trend is evolving globally.

We are running a global survey of consumers to learn where and how they are buying wine, and why, and much more. 

Please help by taking this quick, three-minute survey: https://tinyurl.com/socialwinebuyingsurvey

Your response is anonymous, and the results will be shared publicly in July, on our website. Thanks in advance for your support.

How wineries and wine retailers can use AI to unlock more value from existing customer data

In today’s data-driven world, businesses recognize the importance of collecting and analyzing customer data. Yet, much of this data remains underutilized, resulting in missed opportunities to generate sales and build customer loyalty.

Through conversations with executives at wineries  and wine retailers, it’s clear that significant resources have been invested in building CRM databases to enhance customer service and improve marketing strategies. Still, many companies struggle to effectively acquire, activate, and retain customers. Why?

While it's easy to blame declining wine sales on shifting consumer habits and socioeconomic trends, I believe the core issue is internal: many leaders have yet to fully understand and respond to what their customers want. That disconnect prevents them from adapting to changing behaviors in real time.

The paradox is striking. Most wineries and wine retailers have CRMs rich with data—purchase histories, preferences, and behavioral patterns—yet this data remains largely dormant. The challenge? A lack of tools, skills, or both to transform information into action.

That’s where AI comes in.

In late 2024, we launched a market-leading group payments solution that allows customers to buy wine together with friends, colleagues, or wine club members directly on your website to drive incremental revenue. But we didn’t stop there.

We believe businesses are sitting on a gold mine of customer data. The key is turning that data into timely, personalized insights to engage customers when they're most likely to buy.

Our latest innovation, an AI-powered recommendation engine, does exactly that.

How it works:
Our engine analyzes your CRM data in real time to identify, score and recommend individual customers who are ready to purchase specific wines. The engine also recommends to you what customers should purchase together in groups of two, three, four, etc and what wines they should purchase.

It's all very cutting edge.

Why am I sharing this now? Because I’m genuinely excited about its potential to help wineries and wine retailers maximize the value of their CRM investments. I believe this is not just innovative: it’s a gamechanger for the industry.

We’re currently seeking beta users for our AI Recommendation Engine ahead of its launch this summer. If you're interested in participating, please reach out. 

What if your highest-spending customers aren't your most valuable?

In today's world of Social Buying, where people can purchase together online in real-time, it’s worth considering that your biggest spenders may not be your most valuable customers.

Traditionally, we’ve been taught to focus on customers with the highest Average Transaction Value (ATV) and Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV). However, this approach might be flawed.

Take wine purchases, for instance. We often assess customer value based solely on their spending. Yet, we overlook the influence of friends, family, colleagues, and members of wine clubs or online forums who may sway their buying decisions.

At Cobuyr, we’ve created an innovative payments, data, and analytics solution that enables customers to shop together in groups. Our platform also provides valuable insights into who is buying with whom and the dynamics of these relationships.

The data collected through Cobuyr gives retailers a competitive edge, allowing them to effectively acquire, engage, and retain customers through highly personalized marketing strategies.

So, are your biggest spenders truly your most valuable customers? Perhaps not.

Consider this hypothetical scenario:

Dan is labeled a "high-value" customer in your CRM with a CLTV of $8,500. He consistently purchases two cases of wine each year but never visits your winery.

In contrast, Isabella has a CLTV of $1,200. While her average transaction value is lower, she frequently splits costs with friends and often introduces new customers to your winery through group buying on your website.

Which customer holds more value? Both are important, but if your winery is investing heavily in customer acquisition, it may be wiser to focus your marketing efforts on Isabella. She actively contributes to expanding your customer base.

Retailers using Cobuyr gain access to powerful analytics that highlight key customer purchasing behaviors:

• Primary Buyers: These customers initiate wine buying groups and invite others to join. They are crucial as they act as active advocates for your brand.

• Secondary Buyers: These customers are invited by Primary Buyers to share costs at checkout. While they are valuable, they typically do not initiate buying groups.

As you evaluate your marketing and sales strategy, consider whether you truly understand why your customers are buying and who influences their decisions. Word of mouth significantly impacts wine purchases. 

How to get more revenue from your wine club

To boost revenue from your wine club, the key lies in attracting and retaining members by delivering new value and engaging experiences. That may sound easier said than done - but here’s a quick win that can both revitalize your wine club and accelerate your winery’s digital transformation.

Wine clubs have long been a reliable revenue stream for wineries. But today, a combination of micro and macroeconomic pressures has led to declining sign-ups and lower retention rates.

The good news? A powerful and growing social trend offers a clear path forward: Social Buying: the consumer desire to purchase together with friends, family, colleagues, or club communities.

Innovative wineries are now reimagining their wine clubs to align with this trend, transforming them into vibrant social experiences where members connect and engage like never before.

This is where Cobuyr comes in. Our group payments, data, and analytics solution integrates directly with your e-commerce platform, allowing wine club members and customers to purchase wine collectively - right from your website.

Online group buying is a game-changer. It creates a unique, community-driven buying experience that reactivates your membership base, drives sales, and amplifies word-of-mouth marketing. Best of all, it makes your wine club more accessible, letting customers join from the comfort of their own homes.

Group wine buying also enhances existing member benefits like complimentary tastings, member-only discounts, and exclusive events while simplifying the path for new members to join online.

Even better, it delivers valuable data and insights about your customers and members, allowing you to personalize communications, improve targeting, and increase customer lifetime value.

Ready to get started? Here are five practical ways to integrate group wine buying into your wine club—and inspire members to engage and purchase more:

• Reward Behavior: Offer loyalty points or discounts to members who participate in group purchases.

• Recognize Referrals: Incentivize members to invite friends or colleagues to buy together.

• Special Offers: Give members early or exclusive access to limited-edition wines.

• Personalized Buying Groups: Let members create their own wine-buying circles with curated experiences and special offers.

• Flexible Memberships: For members considering cancellation, offer the option to split their wine allocations with friends.

How wineries can transform wine sales with Social Buying

In an age when we effortlessly split restaurant bills and taxi fares, why can’t consumers do the same when buying wine?   This has always puzzled me because drinking wine with family, friends and colleagues is the ultimate social experience.  

While payment technologies have evolved impressively - enabling purchases anytime, anywhere, on any device - they remain focused on the individual. One tap, and it’s bought, delivered, done. Yet, these advancements overlook something fundamental: the joy of shopping together. The social aspect of buying with friends is what often makes the experience memorable, rewarding, and fun. 

A few years ago, as I started getting serious about wine, I wanted to split the cost of a purchase with friends directly at checkout. (Do I really want to pay $500 upfront and then ask my friends to manually transfer their share to my bank? No.) Surprisingly, no winery or wine merchant offered that option online. So, I launched Cobuyr, a group payments, data and analytics platform company designed to make buying wine a shared social experience. 

If you’re in the wine business, you might be wondering: Why should I care? Here’s why. 

What if you could generate incremental revenue in a market growing just a few percentage points a year? Lower your customer acquisition costs? Reactivate club members to purchase more often? Create an experience so unique it drives word-of-mouth buzz? 

The answer lies in enabling group wine buying. 

How it works. 

Cobuyr integrates seamlessly into your e-commerce platform via standard APIs. This allows customers to purchase wine together - friends, family, colleagues, or club members - directly on your site. 

The customer journey is simple: a new or existing customer visits your website, selects wine, and initiates a Group Buy checkout. They then invite co-buyers to join, assigning how much each person pays and what they receive. With just an email, the Cobuyr system prompts everyone to pay. The wine is then shipped or picked up by group members. 

For wineries, Cobuyr creates a new kind of engagement: a social buying experience that turns customers into evangelists. This network effect leads to higher conversion rates and higher average order values while building deeper customer relationships.  

But technology is just the beginning. 

The true value lies in the data.  Modern wineries are using tools like Cobuyr to not only boost revenue but also to understand their customers better and foster loyalty. With budgets tighter than ever, the priority is making existing tools work harder - while also investing in innovations that unlock new growth. 

Cobuyr’s advanced analytics reveal the social buying networks of your customers - showing not only who is purchasing together, but also who should be buying which bottles or cases of wine, and with whom. These insights help you understand both individual and group behaviors, enabling you to supercharge your marketing strategies. 

Adding group buying to your checkout isn’t just a technical upgrade - it’s a strategic one that will drive your digital transformation. It opens up untapped sales potential. 

Even as wine sales have declined over the past five years, wineries have built solid customer databases through tasting rooms, online sales, clubs, and events. But many still treat their customers as isolated individuals, missing the bigger picture: each customer is part of a wider social network that can be activated to buy more wine and to promote your wine as brand ambassadors.  

Likewise, wine clubs, the hero of the past for wineries, are often managed as one-to-one relationships, rather than communities. The opportunity isn’t just to sell more - it’s to build social connections. 

The good news? Wineries are sitting on a goldmine of customer data, collected through a variety of marketing efforts, that’s just waiting to be monetized. 

Group wine buying transforms transactional shoppers into active and loyal customers. It brings people together. It builds and fosters a community. And it unlocks a new era for wineries: Welcome to Social Wine Buying. 

What is Social Buying

Social Buying is poised to revolutionize online payments, offering retailers a new avenue for generating additional revenue.

Developed by Cobuyr, Social Buying empowers consumers to make purchases in groups with friends, family, colleagues, and members of various communities for the first time.

Thanks to innovative technologies, Social Buying enhances the shopping experience by integrating the social dynamics of group buying, which have traditionally been limited to in-store or mobile app interactions (similar to how Uber allows you to split a taxi fare).

The rise of Social Buying is fueled by consumers' desire to shop collaboratively online, combined with advancements in technology that integrate payments, e-commerce, customer relationship management (CRM), analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI).

In contrast to traditional payment methods, which only allow retailers to sell to one customer at a time - where Customer A visits an e-commerce site, selects a product, and completes a single-party payment transaction - Social Buying enables retailers to cater to multiple customers simultaneously. In this model, Customer A can invite Customers B, C, and D to join in the purchase during checkout, resulting in a multi-party payment transaction.

It's crucial to distinguish Social Buying from simple split payments, which merely divide the cost of a product. Social Buying involves group purchasing with significant real-time engagement and interaction throughout the payment process, both before and after the transaction is completed while enabling co-buyres to split the order by cost and by number of products in the basket.

The benefits for retailers are substantial:

• Reduced customer acquisition costs, as multiple customers can be secured in a single transaction.

• Increased average order value, as customers tend to spend more collectively.

• Preservation of profit margins without the need for discounts to attract and retain customers.

• Access to networks of eager buyers based on personal connections.

• Valuable insights into the relationships and networks of thousands of customers.

What excites me most about group buying is the wealth of data retailers across many industries can harness to better connect with, engage, and serve their customers.

Historically, retailers have focused on marketing to individual customers. With group payments, they can now tap into their customers' social circles, unlocking a treasure trove of data that provides unparalleled insights into purchasing behaviors, such as who is buying with whom and the motivations behind those choices.

Welcome to the era of Social Buying pioneered by Cobuyr.