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.