For Retailers All Those Honest Clock Mistakes Often By The Tens Of Thousands Of New Residents Who Move Here Every Year Were Lost Sales
6:00 AM on Sep 1, 2021 CDT
Who hasnt been annoyed at life in Texas on a Sunday morning when the grocery clerk says, Sorry, its not noon yet?
There goes that bottle of sparkling wine for brunch mimosas under the checkout counter. A more recent annoyance is when your delivery or pickup time is rejected at checkout because your online basket includes a six-pack of beer.
The never-on-Sunday-morning ban goes away this Labor Day weekend. Beer and wine sales can commence at 10 a.m., and grocers expect sales to increase. The Texas Legislature made the change that adds the two morning hours.
It was one of the last remnants of so-called blue laws that prohibited sales of certain goods on Sundays, a day traditionally meant to be spent in church. Most of the laws went away in Texas in 1985, the year the state allowed any kind of Sunday shopping.
Sunday has been the busiest day for grocery shopping in the U.S. for years. As dry areas voted to allow alcohol sales in recent years, retailers have opened elaborate wine departments, expanded refrigerated beer cases with choices from local breweries and created infrastructure for online beer and wine delivery and pickup services.
For retailers, all those honest clock mistakes often made by the tens of thousands of new residents in the state every year were lost sales. Store computers were so tightly wound at Central Market that customers couldnt even buy a wine corkscrew before noon on Sundays.
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Where Do You Buy Texas Wine
After having searched often for Texas wines to participate in TXWine Twitter Tuesday or other mentions of Texas wine I wanted to try, I thought I would find out where do you buy your Texas wine?
Obviously if you live near or are visiting a Texas winery that is the best place to get Texas wine. The wineries should have all their wines available and you will not have to search for it. For the rest of us, we need to go to a retail store to buy Texas wines.
Since we live in the Houston area, here are some stores we are aware of which sell Texas wines.
- Grocery stores like Kroger, HEB, Randalls, Fiesta, Whole Foods Market, and Central Market
- Liquor stores with the biggest ones being Specs and Total Wine & More. Other good stores I have seen are Wine Styles, Top Shelf Wine and Spirits in Sugarland, and Value Discount Liquor selling the hard to find Chisholm Trail wines. Most liquor stores carry a small selection of Texas wines. A nearby store has bottles from Messina Hof with labels which are extremely old so Im not sure how well the wine has aged.
- A little further from Houston in Montgomery is Ranchers Daughter which carries just Texas wines with a very large selection
In our travels, we have also come across stores and tasting rooms who also sell Texas wines.
- The Grapevine in Gruene has tastings and a large selection of Texas wines
That is what we know of. To help others, where do you buy Texas wine?
How To Ship Alcohol Internationally
Importing and exporting alcohol across country borders presents even more challenges. Youll now need to meet state, city, and country laws, as well as be familiar with exporting and importing laws.
Youll need to ensure that the distributor sending the shipment has the correct permits or the US government can seize your shipment. Youll also need to be aware of taxes and duties for international beer, spirit, and wine imports.
We recommend not managing international alcohol shipping yourself instead, work with reliable third-party retailers and compliance companies to ship beer, liquor, and wine orders.
Stay on top of the latest alcohol trends and regulations
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Making The Choice To Buy Alcohol Online Has Never Been Easier
Our online liquor store offers an extensive variety of alcohol to buy online, from the rare and unique bourbons to the most popular and elite vodkas. Whatever cocktail you are looking to produce we have the ingredients to make that recipe come to life in our online liquor store. Shop vodkas, gins, rums, tequila, whiskey bourbons, cognacs, brandies, and cordials. With Free shipping, we aim to be the best liquor store online. Enjoy browsing through our store and reading about what makes each bottle unique and interesting or look through our cocktail kits and liquor gifts. Shop for Alcohol Online with Think Liquor.
What App Can You Order Alcohol
Check out these apps for your next booze delivery.
- Drizly. By far one of the most popular apps is Drizly.
- Minibar Delivery. Minibar Delivery is perfect for a last minute party or for those who want to drink before going out because they offer delivery in a hour or less.
- Saucey.
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Need Some Extra Income Get Tabc Certified And Get A Server Gig
Many of us are struggling to get ahead. One industry that is always hiring is the food service industry. Getting your TABC certification can make getting hired a breeze. The US Department of Labor estimates a 6% growth in the industry so there is room for new people all the time.
What is the TABC? It is the certification for sellers and servers of alcoholic beverages.
What are the benefits of being TABC Certified? Many employers in Texas require that their employees are certified. If you apply for a job and already have your certification you are demonstrating to a potential employer youve got it together and are ready to work.
How do I get TABC Certified? or click the button below and take our course right here right now.
How much can I make? That of course depends on where you work. There are some restaurants in the large cities where people make a couple hundred bucks a shift. That can really pay some bills! In smaller more rural areas certainly youre not going to make as much. But like anything, you get out of it what you put into it. Good seller servers make between $15 $20 an hour on average, some make well over that.
Wine Shipping To Texas
Depending on the type of permit they hold, wineries in and outside of Texas can ship wine directly to consumers 21 or older anywhere in the state. The businesses that arenât allowed to do this are wholesalers, distributors, wineries outside of the U.S and retailers.
A TABC-licensed common carrier must transport any wine being shipped into, out of or through Texas. See the specific requirements for wineries and package stores in the sections below.
Questions? Contact us.
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Examples Of Wine Ecommerce Websites
When it comes to ecommerce, your homepage is your digital welcome mat. And for higher-end merchandise like wine, first impressions are especially important.
Because the culture and tradition of wine drinking has a unique influence on the decisions of wine buyers. And wine drinkers have particular expectations about the merchants with whom they shop.
The first time a shopper visits your website, they dont necessarily have to be blown away .
But they shouldnt be completely unimpressed, either. And they absolutely cannot be disappointed or irritated by an unaesthetic design or non-user-friendly navigation.
Your wine ecommerce website should tell the story of your brand and invite customers to become part of your community.
The design of your site should demonstrate your commitment to providing an exceptional shopping experience for every shopper from wine novices to wine connoisseurs to non-wine drinkers shopping for a gift.
There should be no barriers between the customer and what theyre looking for.
For a little inspiration, here are three wine ecommerce websites built with the customer experience in mind.
Texas Alcohol Laws: Big State Many Laws: Know Them
Texas alcohol laws apply to its residents. And also to visitors. Texas is the second most populous state. Its also the second largest in geographic area.
OverviewIII. ResourcesIV. Good Advice
Not surprisingly, Texas alcohol laws vary widely over its vast expanse. Over 50 counties in Texas are dry. That is, they prohibit alcohol sales. Discover more about dry counties.
In some counties its legal to sell beer but not wine in grocery stores. Its confusing. In other places its illegal to sell beer in stores but not in restaurants. In one town, its legal to sell alcohol in the part of town thats in one county. But not in the part located in another county.
This makes it hard to know Texas alcohol laws
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Bring Your Own Beverage
There are no statewide bring-your-own-beverage laws in Texas. Check with your city or county for relevant local ordinances. State law does say it’s illegal to bring alcoholic beverages onto the premises of the holder of a Mixed Beverage Permit or Private Club Registration Permit . Otherwise, nothing in state law prohibits a guest from bringing their own alcoholic beverages onto the premises of a bar or restaurant or other establishment that is licensed to sell wine or beer, or into an establishment that is not licensed to sell alcoholic beverages.
You may allow customers to bring their own alcoholic beverages onto your premises while you are applying for a TABC permit. If you are obtaining a Wine and Beer Retailer’s Permit , you can continue to allow customers to bring their own alcoholic beverages, even after you obtain a TABC permit. Some establishments that sell only wine and beer allow customers to bring in distilled spirits and sell “set-ups.” This would not be legal with a Private Club Registration Permit or Mixed Beverage Permit .
Avoid legal violations on the premises before and after getting your TABC permit. Illegal activity on the premises will interfere with the permitting process.
Public Intoxication: A person commits public intoxication if they appear in a public place while intoxicated to the degree that they may endanger themselves or another person. See Texas Penal Code Section 49.02.
Why Cant I Buy Liquor On Sunday
Many new Texans who have moved here from other states and even home-grown Texans are confused about when they can buy beer, liquor, and wine in Texas. Texas does have some strict hours when you can buy and where you can buy alcohol. In some states, a person can buy alcohol 24 hours a day every day. In some states, one can buy not only beer and wine but also hard liquor like vodka and tequila in grocery stores and even in gas stations or WalMart.
How Many Types of TABC Alcohol Sales and Service Permits are there?
Texas TABC has many types of alcohol licenses and permits. The type of permit determines when, who, where what and how a business can sell or serve alcohol. Below are a few of the most common types of on and off premises alcohol permits that consumers need answers for. Note: This article is helfpful guide intended for consumer information. Retailers should always check directly with the TABC office for your proper permits and hours of operation.
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How To Ship Wine Legally To Texas
Jeremy Parzen October 5, 2012 11:00AM
In the wake of my post Wednesday, “Texas Wine Shipping Prohibition Is Morally Indefensible ,” I wanted to follow up with some tips on how to ship wine legally to Texas.
Although it hasn’t been updated for more than two years, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission does have an informative page on wine shipping within and from outside our state.
Shipping from an out-of-state retailer is prohibited in Texas, but individuals may ship wine to Texas as long as the shipments are “non-commercial transactions.”
According to the TABC site, “If you are an individual interested in shipping wine to a friend or family member in Texas as a gift, you may do so, as long as you use a TABC-licensed common carrier.”
Is It Legal To Sell Wine Online
Yes, as long as you abide by the laws in the state from which youre shipping as well as the state to which youre shipping.
Every state has its own laws about selling wine online, including which certifications and licenses it requires as well as the maximum volume that can be shipped.
Note: just because you can sell locally does not mean you can sell online.
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Do I Need A License To Sell Wine Online
The required documentation to sell wine from an online store depends on the state in which you operate as well as the states to which you ship.
Below is a list of the most common forms youll need to complete as well as the licenses youll likely need to obtain:
- Alcohol Dealer Registration. This form is used to record your business and tax information, dealer class, and subclass and must be filed and approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau prior to initiating online sales.
- A winery license from your state.
- A retailers license from your state. IMPORTANT: Just because you can sell locally doesnt necessarily mean you can sell online.
- A shippers license for each state to which you plan on shipping. This proves you are a licensed and authorized alcohol seller.
- Direct shipping agreements with all of your carriers.
In the next section, well take a more thorough look at what it takes to legally sell wine online.
Want more insights like this?
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The Privileged States That Can Buy Wine From Amazon
Amazon has launched an over the Internet wine sales operation, but don’t get too excited yet, most states still don’t allow shipping of alcohol to one’s front door.
This article is from the archive of our partner .
Though certain states can maybe expect Amazon to expand shipments to their area, others will never-ever see shipments because of strict laws that prohibit wines being shipped from certain places and to certain other places. As you can see in that map to the right from the Wine Institute, the states in red prohibit the shipment of wine in some way or another. In Utah and Kentucky it is a felony, notes The Wall Street Journal‘s Greg Bensinger. People in Alabama need if they want to get wine, otherwise it’s illegal. But even in those blue states, there are some restrictions that might turn Amazon off from starting up business there. In West Virginia, for example, the winery has to get a letter of approval from its own state as well as West Virginia. Furthermore, advertising the shipment of wine to residents is illegal. However, there is some hope in other places.
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States That Might See Wine From Amazon
New York. New York allows for wine shipments from 20 states. But it does not allow for wine and food to come in the same package.
Alaska, Florida, Idaho, New Hampshire. These states all allow wine shipments, but certain counties do not.
South Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Virginia, and New Mexico. These states all have limits on how much wine per year each person can receive ranging from 24 bottles per month, to 24 bottles per year. Amazon has a six bottle per purchase now. But maybe it could alter that for people coming from certain states. Wyoming has a limit of two cases per month, too. But Amazon for some reason worked it out with this state.
Louisiana. Wine buyers have to pay a sales tax and the shipper needs a permit.
As of 2011, it was legal to ship wine here, with an approval permit.
Of course, all of this might prove to complicated to make it worth Amazon’s while. It took Wine.com 10 years to turn cash positive, notes Bensinger, after getting fined by New York state for not following its rules and eventually going through bankruptcy. It might just make more sense to keep things simple.
This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.
Can I Sell Other Types Of Alcohol Online
Yes, as long as you abide by the laws in the state from which youre shipping as well as the state to which youre shipping.
Every state has its own laws about selling alcohol online, including which certifications and licenses it requires as well as which types of alcohol can be sold and the maximum volume that can be shipped.
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Wine Ecommerce Is Growing Rapidly
Thanks to apps like Uber Eats, Postmates, and Instacart, todays consumers can have nearly any food or drink delivered directly to their door.
But what consistently remains missing from the list of these available products is alcohol.
Now, considering the regulations they have to contend with, its understandable for the average wine retailer to be slower to adopt D2C sales.
However, this isnt to say that only a handful of wine sellers are embracing ecommerce. In fact, its quite the opposite.
Last year, the volume of DtC wine shipments totaled 5.78 million, representing a 15.3% YoY increase. And the value of these shipments came in at an all-time high of $2.69 billion in 2017.
Clearly, there are plenty of brands who recognize the potential of wine ecommerce and have begun taking advantage of this selling channel.
One of the major benefits of selling online is the ability to reach a much broader audience.
Not only that, wine ecommerce can also help companies increase the loyalty of their existing customers.
Traditional advertising for example, TV commercials, print ads, and on-site events substantially limit the number of wine drinkers you can market to. For the most part, the only people you can reach are local consumers.
But digital marketing allows wine sellers to connect with potential customers all over the world.
Just as personalized marketing can bring in new customers, it can also encourage past customers to buy from you again.
