Between legal obligations and business needs, which wine merchant software should you choose?

Wine merchant software: useful or not?

Over the past few years, the wine merchant 's profession has undergone profound changes. In 30 years, the volume of wine consumed by the French has halved (source: cavistesprofessionnels.fr). At the same time, wine merchants are facing stiff competition from supermarkets, which now market the bulk of wine production.

And yet, despite these difficulties, the number of cavistes in France is growing. Why is this?

Because this profession responds to a new consumer trend: drink less, but drink better.

Faced with this quest for an enhanced experience, the caviste has to demonstrate passion and advanced professional knowledge to pass on the love of his product and the French wine tradition.

But that's not enough.

Creating and growing a wine cellar means working with the right tools to meet today's challenges, while taking into account the many legal constraints surrounding the profession.

What are these tools? What benefits will you derive from using wine sales software? Is in-store cash register software compulsory?

Use our advice to identify your needs in terms of wine merchant software and applications, and discover some examples of solutions.

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Wine merchant software: what are the regulatory requirements?

A standard-compliant cash register

The problem

The 2018 Finance Act was created to combat fraud.

With this in mind, it requires any professional making sales of goods or services, and recording them using a cash register software or system, to use a solution that satisfies conditions of:

• inalterability,
• security,
• conservation,
• archiving of data.

To comply with the law, you need to use a certified cash register software or system. According to article 286 of the French General Tax Code (CGI), this certificate can be obtained :

• by a body accredited under the conditions set out in Article L. 433-4 of the French Consumer Code,
• by an individual certificate from the publisher, conforming to a model set by the authorities.

☝️ Please note that obtaining this certificate is essential: in the event of an inspection, any wine merchant who is unable to produce it within 60 days is liable to a €7,500 fine.

The solution

If you already have a cash register, or are planning to acquire one in the near future, we recommend that you find out how easy it is to obtain the famous certificate.

Fortunately, there are a number of legally compliant cash register software packages available, such as Tiller, XL Soft and Orchestra (specialized solutions for bars and retail). But if you want to save on the cost of cash register software, you should know that some tools, such as Hiboutik, are free if you use the basic functions.

• Easy to use, Hiboutik helps you manage your receipts, sales, customers and inventory on any device (PC, Mac, tablet or smartphone) with an Internet connection.
  
• Most importantly, it provides you with an individual certificate of compliance with the 2018 finance law, downloadable directly from your Hiboutik account.

Software to meet the specific management needs of wine merchants

The problem

Like any other business, a wine cellar requires the consideration of numerous tasks (inventory management, invoicing, accounting declarations, etc.) that are inseparable from sales activities.

However, your business is unique in that it must deal with specific regulations associated with the sale of alcohol.

Stock management, in particular, requires special attention:

• First of all, as a wine warehouseman, you have to issue your MRD (Monthly Recapitulative Declaration), enabling customs to know how much wine has entered and left your cellar. However, this stock accounting (involving regular monitoring of outgoing, incoming and quantities of items in stock) quickly proves complicated by variables specific to the business, such as wine sales by the glass or wine tastings.
  
• On the other hand, accurate inventory management is also an economic issue, since stocks always represent a financial asset.

The solution

In the large family of professional software we find ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), also known as PGI (Progiciel de Gestion Intégré). These tools, which are extremely useful in the corporate world, offer a wide range of functions, including :

• accounting management
• sales management
• human resources management
• inventory management, etc.

An ERP solution should therefore be considered for managing your winery. And while there are more general-purpose software packages, such as EBP, some are better suited to the specific needs described above. Vitisoft is a very good example of what an ERP for wine merchants and wine professionals in general can offer.

Vitisoft features :

Among the many functions offered by the solution are :

• sophisticated inventory management, instantly updated according to movements,
• a precise inventory at a given date, for maximum automation of the production of your declarations (DRM, DSA, etc.),
• a cash register system that complies with anti-fraud legislation, etc.

As a result, software like Vitisoft enhances your day-to-day productivity by enabling you to concentrate more on high-value tasks, while helping you to ensure that your actions are compliant.

Wine merchant software: what are your business development needs?

Software that strengthens customer relations

The problem

Maintaining customer relations is a prerequisite for the success of your business.

As a wine merchant, you need to stand out from the crowd, especially in the retail sector.

Your value proposition obviously depends on the nature of your offer (competitively priced wine, original vintages, promotion of a specific terroir, organic wines, independent winegrowers, etc.).

But the way in which you build customer relations and loyalty also plays a key role. Understanding your customers' tastes and expectations, and being able to offer them personalized selections or a loyalty card are all valuable assets.

The solution

Many software packages have been developed to manage customer relations. Some are called CRM, for Customer Relationship Management. Others are called ERP (mentioned above), when they offer modules for managing your customer base. Finally, some tools are specifically designed to meet the needs of cavistes.

Take Cavilog, for example, a global solution designed to manage wine cellars.

• With a view to building customer loyalty, Cavilog can, among other things, offer customers a mobile wine cellar application to track their purchases and loyalty points.
  
• You, in turn, can communicate more fluidly with your customers about new products, promotions, events and more.

Create promotional operations with Cavilog :

Software to sell your bottles online

The problem

In order to resist the competitive pressure from supermarkets, and to cope with new consumer trends that increasingly involve e-commerce, you need to consider the challenges of selling wine over the Internet.

Indeed, by multiplying channels, you multiply opportunities. In fact, in 2017, 32% of these sales were made by retailers who also owned a physical boutique (source: cavistesprofessionnels.fr).

But if you do venture into internet sales, keep the following facts in mind:

• Part of your customer base consists of the uninitiated, for whom good advice is all the more valuable... even when selling online. That's why you need a clear website, with detailed product sheets to guide newcomers and give them all the information they need to make the right choice.
  
• While it's possible to sell wine on marketplace-type platforms, we suggest you set up your own website. Remember the importance of customer relations! Thanks to your website, you can communicate more easily with your customers, and build an environment that reflects you, your value proposition and your world.
  
• Finally, don't lose sight of the obligations inherent in all online sales, such as compliance with the e-contract, which includes a clear presentation of your commercial offer, and the right of withdrawal.

That's why you need to choose carefully the software that will enable you to sell on the Internet.

The solution

Today, it's perfectly possible to open an online site without the need for development skills.

Prestashop Ready is one such platform.

• With the help of this ergonomic software available in SaaS mode, you can create an online store that reflects your image, in just a few clicks, without requiring the slightest technical skill.
  
• Prestashop also hosts your site and provides you with a domain name.
  
• Finally, the solution contains over 600 functions (inventory management, different payment methods, customer relations, etc.) so that you can ensure your sales while remaining focused on your core business.

Efficient software for mobile use

Last but not least, consumers are keen to discover new wines and terroirs. Being a wine merchant therefore implies a great curiosity for the world of wine, as well as an ability to renew oneself, all in keeping with the values of quality and tradition.

The result?

A good wine merchant is one who gets out and about, discovering future treasures (and creating sales opportunities for himself) at trade shows and in the vineyards.

But that's only possible if you have the tools you need to work effectively on the move!

The solution

That's why you need to make sure that any software you might need is functional on the move.

Among the solutions mentioned above, note that Vitisoft's wine business management software offers a MultiSalons module. This enables you to invoice and register new customers, using a tablet for example, at a remote point of sale such as a trade show.

Cavilog, meanwhile, is available as a responsive application on smartphones and tablets. So you can continue to manage your business, even when you're not in the store.

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Tradition meets modernization

After this overview of the needs inherent in the wine trade, one thing is clear: the profession is constantly changing. As a result, working methods are changing, and it's no longer possible to run your business the traditional way, using office tools such as Excel.

Today's wine merchants need to be equipped with high-performance IT solutions capable of meeting two main objectives.

Firstly, you need to simplify your business processes, so as to free up time for activities that are much more relevant to your business, such as marketing or event organization.

On the other hand, you need to satisfy an increasingly demanding and connected clientele.

Make your business sustainable and profitable by initiating or consolidating your digital transformation.