How to Start an Alcohol Subscription Box Company

Subscription boxes offer companies a unique experience: a special collection of items, curated carefully, that can introduce a customer to new products that they might just love. The alcohol subscription box model has been around for quite some time—in the 1970’s, a liquor store owner in California began delivering his popular wine selections by mail. From there, the wine of the month industry has branched into the alcohol subscription box model.

If you’re looking to start your own alcohol subscription box company, where do you begin? 

Start with a general category, and narrow it down

In your case, the general category might be wine. Or is it liquor or beer? From there, you can continue to narrow down your niche. How will your box fit with your customers’ interests? The more you can define your niche, the better.

For example, let’s say you choose wine for your alcohol subscription box. How will you define the niche of your box, beyond just wine? Do you simply offer varieties or samples of wine to try? Or will you offer products outside of alcohol, such as cheese and other snacks? Think about the experience you are offering your customers: are you targeting wine lovers who already know what they like and are looking for wine pairing, or are your customers simply curious about wine and want to learn more?

Or with an alcohol subscription box that is centered around liquor—how will you narrow down the products you offer? How will you appeal to a specific market? Are you marketing to experienced mixologists who simply want to try new bottles of liquor, or people looking to try out new cocktails? You might choose to provide drink-making accessories, such as shakers, measuring cups, and more. Depending on who you’re marketing to, you’ll tailor your box to exactly match what customers are looking for.

Other factors, such as being aware of alcohol licensing and shipping, are especially important—check out the UPS and FedEx requirements.

Once you’ve decided on your niche, it’s time to decide on how you will stand out from the crowd. The subscription box industry is prone to oversaturation, and it’s likely that someone will have the same idea as you. You might choose to include special recipes from expert mixologists in your box. Or include special glasses, flasks, or cans. Food pairings that complement wine or beer are a good idea too. Design distinctive packaging and boxes and make your box truly unique.

Whichever type of alcohol subscription box you decide on, you’re entering a market with a proven business model. But once you’ve decided on your box, it’s important to not forget about the fulfillment process. How will you integrate your eCommerce store into your site? How will you determine your carrier and best rates for each shipment? Will you provide free shipping? What will you customize about the delivery experience? How will you handle returns? What’s your online inventory management solution?

It’s a lot to think about. Here at Evans, we’re capable of handling all of these factors for you, and more. Our Subscription Box Fulfillment services are designed to decrease your operational costs, improve your customer experience, and ultimately—increase the time you need to spend growing your business. Let’s talk about how we can optimize your growth.