What’s stopping your best customers from signing up for a wine subscription box and skipping your store altogether?
The wine subscription market is growing fast. It hit about $12.4 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow nearly 10% per year, reaching over $31 billion by 2035.
That’s a big opportunity for your liquor store to build steady monthly sales.
If you’re wondering how to start a wine club in your liquor store, this blog walks you through the benefits, popular club styles, and simple steps to launch your own.
Let’s dive in.
Why Start a Wine Club in Your Liquor Store? 5 Benefits
First things first, let’s look at why you should start a wine club in your liquor store:
- Predictable monthly revenue: Members pay on a set schedule, so your income is steadier.
- Stronger customer loyalty: Club members are more likely to shop with you instead of other stores.
- Higher lifetime value: Members are more likely to buy extra bottles, gifts, and add-ons over time.
- Word-of-mouth growth: Happy members share their wines with friends and bring in new customers.
- Competitive advantage: A wine club helps you stand out from big-box stores and online shops.
And once your wine club is set up, your point of sale (POS) system can handle most of the behind-the-scenes work for you, so it’s not too much extra effort on your plate.
Related Read: Why Loyalty Programs Fail (and What Works for Liquor Stores)
Popular Wine Club Structures
Now, let’s look at the different structures you can use for your wine club.
Wine of the Month
This is the most common and easiest model.
Members receive a set number of bottles each month — usually two or four. You choose the wines based on a theme, season, or region.
Why it works:
- Saves time for your staff
- Makes joining feel easy
- Shows customers you know your wine
Tiered Memberships
Tiered clubs offer different price levels so customers can choose what fits their budget.
For example:
- Bronze: Two bottles under $15 each
- Silver: Two bottles in the $20–$30 range
- Gold: Premium bottles over $40
Why it works:
- Appeals to beginners and collectors
- Encourages upgrades over time
- Increases average revenue per member
Specialty Clubs
These clubs focus on a theme or interest, such as:
- Red wine club
- White wine club
- Sparkling wine club
- Natural wine club
- Regional clubs (France, Italy, California, etc.)
Why it works:
- Attracts enthusiasts with clear preferences
- Helps move niche inventory
- Creates a strong identity for your store
Quarterly Clubs
Quarterly clubs deliver wine four times per year, often tied to seasons.
Why it works:
- Offers lower commitment for customers
- Appeals to casual wine drinkers
- Is easier for stores with limited staff
Build-Your-Own
Members choose their bottles from a curated list each month. You control the list, but they control the final picks.
Why it works:
- Lets customers feel in control
- Helps you move specific inventory
- Works great with online ordering tools
Discount-Based Clubs
Instead of curated bottles, members get a standing discount — like 15–20% off all wine purchases.
Why it works:
- Is easy to manage
- Appeals to customers who hate subscriptions
- Encourages frequent purchases
How To Start a Wine Club: Step by Step
Once you’re ready to launch, follow these steps to get your wine club up and running.
Step 1: Choose Your Club Structure
Pick a model you think fits your store and customers best.
Ask yourself:
- Do customers like curated picks or freedom?
- Do I have staff time to curate selections?
- Do I want monthly or quarterly billing?
Step 2: Set Your Pricing
Pricing should cover costs and leave room for profit.
Consider:
- Wholesale wine cost
- Labor for selecting and packing
- Packaging and marketing
- Member perks (events, discounts)
- Desired profit margin
Most wine clubs charge $40–$300+ per month, depending on the tier.
Step 3: Define Member Benefits
Wine is the main perk, but extras make your club feel premium.
Common benefits include:
- 10–20% off additional purchases
- Exclusive tastings
- Early access to limited releases
- Free or discounted event tickets
- Birthday and anniversary perks
- Printed tasting notes and pairing guides
Step 4: Set Up Systems
Your POS system is the backbone of your wine club.
With a modern POS system, you can:
- Store member profiles and contact info.
- Process recurring payments automatically.
- Send email and text reminders.
- Generate pickup lists for staff.
- Track club revenue and growth.
- See which wines sell best.
This saves hours of manual work.
Step 5: Create Clear Policies
Clear rules prevent confusion and complaints.
Write simple policies for:
- Payment dates and billing methods
- Pickup deadlines
- Cancellation terms
- Skip or pause options
- Substitution rules if wines sell out
- Upgrade or downgrade options
Post these on your website and include them in welcome emails.
Step 6: Select Your First Wines
Your first selection sets the tone for your club.
Choose wines that:
- Match your store’s style and expertise.
- Offer good value.
- Tell a story (region, producer, style).
Include tasting notes, food pairings, and a short personal note. This adds education and makes the club feel curated.
Related Read: 10 Expert Tips for Selling Wine
How To Promote Your Wine Club
A great wine club won’t grow if people don’t know about it.
Use these ideas to get the word out:
- Promote it in store: Place signs near the register and the wine section. Label a shelf "This Month's Wine Club Picks" with a short description of each wine and a QR code to sign up.
- Email your customers: Send an email explaining what the club is, what they get, and how to join. Include examples of what past members received, like a California pinot noir and an Italian rosé in February, or a sampler from women-owned wineries in March.
- Post on social media: Share what's coming each month and behind-the-scenes moments. Post a video of your team tasting next month's picks, show off a premium tier shipment, or share a photo of packed boxes on pickup day.
- Connect it to your loyalty program: Reward loyalty members for joining — give 200 bonus points when they sign up or 10% off their first month.
- Host a launch event: Let customers try a few different wines from upcoming shipments. Offer snacks like cheese and chocolate to go with the tasting, and give anyone who signs up that night a small perk, like $10 off their first box.
- Reward referrals: Give current members store credit or a free bottle when they refer someone new. For example: Refer one friend and get a $15 credit, refer three friends and get a free bottle of Prosecco in your next shipment.
How To Manage Your Wine Club
Once your club is running, focus on keeping your members engaged.
Here’s how:
- Communicate often: Send tasting notes, pairing tips, pickup reminders, and event invites.
- Track your data: Use your POS system to monitor sign-ups, cancellations, and extra purchases.
- Make pickup easy: Label bottles, create a pickup area, and offer flexible hours or delivery.
- Keep it fresh: Rotate themes, regions, and styles.
- Fix problems fast: Replace bad bottles, fix billing issues, and offer credits when needed.
- Celebrate members: Send birthday perks, anniversary rewards, and referral thank-yous.
Make Your Wine Club Easier To Run With Bottle POS
Starting a wine club can bring in steady income — but to be sustainable, it needs to be easy for you to manage. That’s where Bottle POS comes in.
With Bottle POS, you can:
- Track your members in one place: See who’s in your club, what they buy, and what they like.
- Apply member perks automatically: Create special pricing for club members and let the system handle it at checkout.
- Schedule promotions ahead of time: Run offers like mix and match deals or buy X, get Y promos.
- Send texts and reminders: Let members know when their wine is ready, automatically.
- Keep inventory on track: Set stock alerts and manage receiving so you always have enough wine for your club orders.
Want to see how it works for yourself? Book a software demo today.