The Covid19 pandemic and related restrictions had a dramatic impact on consumer shopping behaviour, particularly for wine consumption.  Despite the easing of restrictions, many people still prefer to enjoy a glass of wine in the safety of their homes and online wine sales have increased dramatically during this time, with Woolworths seeing double digit online wine sales growth. With this acceleration of online shopping and customers opting for digital experiences, Woolworths is proud to launch a new virtual WCellar experience – showcasing an exclusive and curated wine offer specially for Woolies customers.

WCellar online offers customers digital access to its expertly curated wine selection, wine know-how and is the hub of the WCellar Wine Club. The WCellar Wine Club, went virtual during lockdown and to date has hosted 24 virtual events, including tastings with Moses Magwaza, Restaurant Mosaic’s head sommelier, Tinashe Nyamudoka, The Test Kitchen head sommelier and Spier and Springfield wine estates, to name a few. The WCellar Wine Club offers a virtual community space for like-minded people. The club is free to join and new members are welcomed with a R75 off voucher. Membership enables access to exclusive discounts, event invitations, monthly virtual tastings with winemakers and industry experts as well as insider wine know-how.

Alongside the launch of WCellar, Woolworths is also introducing My Wine Match, a new digital tool offering an innovative approach to online shopping. It enables shoppers to explore Woolworths’ extensive world-class selections of wines and receive customised, curated wine recommendations and special deals from the comfort of their own homes. My Wine Match creates a truly interactive environment to support all wine drinkers, from novice to knowledgeable connoisseurs. In what is often an overwhelming and intimidating environment, the tool gives customers the confidence to explore the flavours and aromas they enjoy. The experience also offers personalised wine recommendations for an individual’s specific palate and provides all levels of wine drinkers with the information needed to simplify and customise their wine purchasing journey.

“The Covid19 pandemic has given us an invaluable opportunity to develop and improve our customer shopping experience,” said Liz Hillock, Woolworths Head of Online and Mobile. “This latest WCellar launch comes hot on the heels of our new concept standalone liquor store and our beauty virtual try-on and virtual beauty consultations launched a few weeks ago. We are delighted to be able to bring the world of wine to our customers’ living room through these extraordinary digital experiences. WCellar is a natural extension of our wine offering and provides helpful solutions to those who know what they like when it comes to wine, as well as the enthusiastic novice drinker who is looking to try something new.  We are working to become a one stop shop for the most exciting wines in the country, and we hope that our customers find our new virtual experiences educational, entertaining and fun,” adds Hillock.

The new WCellar page, including the new virtual experiences, is accessible and available on mobile, through the Woolies app and Woolworths.co.za.