Laithwaites introduces Amazon-style wine recommendations

Published: 03 May, 2012

Laithwaites is introducing Amazon-style recommendations to its website to make it easier for customers to consider new wines.

When choosing wines, web users will receive "customers also bought" tips, as well as going beyond Amazon's model by including "other wines that taste similar", in order to make it easier to navigate the wine category.

Glenn Caton, Laithwaites Wine's managing director, said in the 1970s and 1980s it was easy to differentiate from other wine retailers through what it did - selling wine from all over the world direct to your door - but it has become more difficult to stand out.

"That's why we're investing in online innovation. We now have 150 wine advisors in the UK - making online purchases easier and more convenient with Laithwaites Recommends and Unlimited services."

Laithwaites Recommends, open to Wine Plan members, allows customers to log in to the site, check out the upcoming recommended case on offer and swap bottles from its 1,500-strong range, as well as changing the frequency and delivery dates.

To make delivery more affordable it has introduced a annual fee of £36, rather than having to pay £7.99 every time.

Caton said the developments "give better value and reward loyalty". To improve engagement with customers, it now employs a dedicated team of social media specialists whose job is to respond to its 500,000 customers' tweets and Facebook queries.

Laithwaites has just completed a fine wine storage unit for its customers at its Gloucester warehouse, which is temperature and moisture controlled.

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