Internet-based wine retailers take off in the Northwest
With online retail giants such as Amazon dominating nearly everything people buy online, from shoes to dinner for the evening, it can be hard not to find exactly what you’re looking for. But one thing you won’t find in online’s one-stop-shops—a local wine shop with suggestions from professionals.
In the last few years, online wine retailers have been opening up shop and selling quality wines to people without ever having to leave home. While some states have a “no ship” policy on alcohol, the Pacific Northwest is free from this rule, and online shoppers are loving it.
In Seattle, a variety of these shops have opened to offer the Northwest a new way to seek out wines. From niche Champagne shops like Fat Cork to adventurously undiscovered wines and boutique bottles from around the world, these sites give people unique experiences while they load their virtual carts.
At Full Pull Wines, customers can sign-up to join their emailing list on their website, and then the fun begins. Since founded in 2009, this online retailer has specialized in selling boutique wines, both international and local, to their customers. To purchase wines, customers request the bottles they see in their email and it is then sent to the Full Pull’s warehouse in Seattle for pick-up or shipment.
Similarly, Impulse Wines relies on small email list system to provide customers with wine offerings. But what makes Impulse Wines different is its selection. Founder and well-known sommelier Yashar Shayan searches out rare wines from the Northwest to provide his customers with.
Another Seattle retailer specializing in the adventure of wine is Garagiste. Founded by Jon Rimmerman in the mid-90s, this retailer provides a literary and worldly experience for customers. Garagiste’s goal is to promote and provide customers with wines and eats from the roads less traveled with stories by Rimmerman himself.
None of the wines sold are available directly from Garagiste’s website. Customers at this online retailer have to sign-up to be part of an email list to receive purchasing opportunities. Once part of the pack, they’ll receive daily emails from Rimmerman including a story and an offer for wine and food. If they like what they see, customers can simply reply to the email with how much they’d like to purchase and the order will be processed and ready to be picked up as soon as 24 hours later.
While these retailers provide for the Pacific Northwest, they cannot cross borders. For the folks in BC, Vancouver’s Marquis Wine Cellars is your retailer with an online store, who only ships within the province. Browse their many catalogs of wines by starting at different points, such as type, price range or region. Add your products to your cart, then checkout.
Many of these retailers offer unique experiences for customers. For those looking for more simple click and purchase deals, local shops all around are opening web stores, such as Portland’s Liner & Elsen, to make their purchases online.
