Online wine purchases, average spend and number of customers grow

In the digital age, the way of buying wine online is also changing and evolving. For years now, e-commerce has accustomed us to receiving our favourite bottles directly at home. But the last forecasts of Statista (Digital Market Insights, August 2024) speak of a clear acceleration. Global sales in fact are expected to reach $6.16 billion in 2024, with a projection of growth to $7.56 billion by 2029 and an aggregate growth rate of around 4.2% per annum.

And this increase is not only about numbers. Thewine enthusiasts turning to e-commerce are also on the rise, with this channel expected to reach 327.76 million users by the end of the decade. While penetration will rise from 3% in 2024 to 3.6% by 2029. The same goes for average expenditure, which is rising: not only due to the number of bottles, but rather to the search for higher quality wines. Users, in fact, have evolved and now range from occasional drinkers to collectors.

Innovations in online marketing, virtual tastings and advice based on artificial intelligence are making it easier for wine lovers to discover new labels and for wineries to connect with a wider audience.

Even in Italy wine e-commerce is experiencing significant growth and transformation. What gave the acceleration was the period of the Covid-19 pandemic that had brought growth percentages even in triple figures for some online sales platforms. Numbers that have obviously shrunk after the emergency, but which have nevertheless remained positive: revenues in Italy are expected to reach USD 557.84 million (over EUR 502 million) in 2024, with an estimated number of users growing to 2.48 million by 2029. The online channel currently accounts for around 4% of the value of the wine market in Italy, lagging behind countries such as the UK and France.

"Once the health emergency was over, there was an increase in visits to the winery, initially by Italians and over time also by foreigners. The same visitors, once back home, in several cases placed orders for wine directly from the producer, producing an increase in online sales," comments Filippo Galanti, co-founder of Divinea, a wine tourism portal that unites around 400 wineries. "In general, however, the most evident trend is the growth of the average receipt, despite the decrease in the number of references in the cart, which means an increase in the average value per bottle and a preference for high-end wines. Compared to the past, however, customers are less loyal to brands and prefer to try different producers".