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Five considerations for marketers navigating the changing US beverage alcohol e-commerce landscape
Journal of Digital & Social Media Marketing,
8
(1),
33-45
(2020)
Abstract
E-commerce accounts for a growing percentage of total retail sales. Until recently, the highly complex and heavily regulated beverage alcohol category has been struggling to keep pace relative to other food and beverage categories. Recent developments in technology, combined with a renewed interest among fast-digitising retailers, have led many executives in the beverage alcohol industry to reconsider their e-commerce strategy and invest more in the channel. For beverage alcohol marketers developing their e-commerce strategies, however, there is little information to help navigate the fast-changing e-commerce landscape and the profoundly complex regulatory landscape. This article reviews the aspects of the regulatory landscape that are relevant to alcohol e-commerce and digital marketing, identifying emerging technologies that are enabling the growth of online alcohol sales, and offering key considerations for marketers building go-to-market strategies for their products in alcohol’s unique e-commerce ecosystem.
Keywords: e-commerce; total retail sales; beverage alcohol industry; e-commerce strategy; regulatory landscape; alcohol e-commerce; digital marketing; emerging technologies
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Heather Bergstein is Head of E-Commerce at Remy Cointreau USA. She is an author, adjunct professor and industry speaker, with expertise in building and leading digital teams, enabling brands to deepen consumer engagement across both online and offline touch points and drive strategic business objectives through digital activations. Heather sits on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Brand Strategy; serves on the Advisory Board of Lapine Associates, a consumer engagement agency; and holds a philanthropic board position with DMF Youth, a nonprofit organisation serving at-risk, underserved youth in New York City.
Bourcard Nesin is a research analyst at Rabobank, where he helps some of the world’s largest food and beverage companies navigate e-commerce and digital transformation. His research has been featured in The Economist, Bloomberg, Forbes, USA Today, Progressive Grocer and other leading publications. He also hosts and produces Liquid Assets, a roundtable podcast featuring high-profile guests from across the food and beverage landscape.
