For an emerging or medium-sized alcohol brand, planning a move to a global marketplace can be daunting. From supply chain management to shipping costs to ensure prompt and safe delivery of your alcohol products - all within the tax and customs regulations of a foreign country - shipping alcohol direct-to-consumer (DTC) globally is not for the faint of heart.

Alcohol industry heavy-weights make it look easy, but that’s because they use a supply chain and spirits logistics connections network that supports their global distribution. 

These are often built on long-standing professional relationships and decades of spirits logistics experience within the organisation.

But what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. 

Thanks to comprehensive software solutions (like Tipple!) that make alcohol supply chain management available to anyone, small to medium-sized alcohol brands can use the same tactic. By working with a spirits logistics specialist, your alcohol brand can dominate global distribution in the alcohol industry like an industry heavy hitter.

Why you should partner with a 3PL for adult beverage distribution

A good business person knows when it’s best to outsource. Using a 3PL company helps lighten the load for your in-house team. What’s more, it places critical functions like supply chain management in the hands of spirit logistics professionals.

Leaving alcohol shipping to the experts frees up time and headspace for you to focus on marketing your product and growing your company. Here’s why successful brands choose to partner with a 3PL partner for shipping their alcoholic beverages:

Simplify tax management and customs clearance

Whether you’re shipping to a neighbouring state or another continent, managing tax compliance is a headache. But modern 3PL companies, especially those that use state-of-the-art software to manage alcohol shipping, automatically ensure you are tax compliant. 

The innovative ones manage tax compliance with one eCommerce storefront, regardless of the customer’s location, ensuring a seamless experience for your shoppers.

More efficient inventory management for your alcoholic beverages

A growing business can quickly spiral into a logistics nightmare, especially as your products leave your premises and head for far-flung regions. 

But with a trusted 3PL partner, alcohol companies know that their wine and spirits products have passed customs, arrived safely in a bonded warehouse, and will remain on a (highly organised) shelf until needed for order fulfilment. 

Pick-and-pack, shipping, and delivery will all be completed without a hitch, and your stock numbers will be accurately reflected on your eCommerce site and your warehouse management system dashboard.

Offer seamless eCommerce shopping and delivery experience

When your alcohol shipping and delivery runs smoothly, your customers notice. Shoppers are more likely to return when they enjoy a seamless eCommerce shopping experience. If that is coupled with an exemplary delivery experience, your shoppers are well on their way to becoming vocal advocates of your brand.

Working with a spirits logistics company ensures each step is stellar for your shoppers, from making an online purchase to receiving their alcohol order on time, intact, and in the hands of an experienced delivery professional.

Pocket more profit

In a traditional model, alcohol distribution relies on working with importers, distributors, and retailers, each requiring a 15% to 20% commission for their services. When you skip the middle people and work with a 3PL service to deliver alcohol DTC, you’ll spend less on greasing the wheels of alcohol shipping and put higher profits in your pocket.

What to look for in spirit logistics companies

When choosing a logistics company to help with your alcohol distribution, it’s essential to research each possible partner to ensure they can provide a comprehensive service. You want an all-in-one solution, so check that your alcohol 3PL company can provide each of the following features:

A 3PL partner who handles all tax and customs compliance

Navigating the tricky waters of tax and customs compliance is one of the most significant barriers to expanding into global markets for smaller alcohol companies. 

No one wants to be on the wrong side of a tax or customs regulation. Traditionally, brands with smaller budgets have left compliance headaches for alcohol companies with a legal department.

But 3PL software allows alcohol companies of all sizes to explore markets beyond their borders. Tipple’s software, for instance, automatically calculates sales tax, VAT, and excise calculations and automates filings and payments. Our order fulfilment process includes customs clearance, too, so your alcohol products are never stuck in customs limbo.

A good warehouse space with efficient warehouse operations

A comprehensive logistics solution includes warehousing. Specifically, you should look for companies with a network of bonded warehouses in the countries in which you’d like to sell. Look for adequate warehouse space for storing your products and warehouse management systems that keep every product organised and accounted for.

Having larger warehouses with more storage space and proximity to inventory means quicker processing and shipping times. And a solid warehouse team who can handle pick-and-pack, shipping, and delivery means you can rest assured that your products won’t go missing, arrive broken, or create negative customer service situations for your brand.

Easy-to-understand price structure for shipping costs

When you choose an alcohol 3PL solution, make sure the pricing model is straightforward, with no hidden fees or “gotcha” moments. 

The ideal solution allows you to sell to many international markets, automates taxes and compliance, ships and delivers your products, and provides a comprehensive inventory and sales dashboard for one flat rate.

Turnkey eCommerce shopfront and simple integration

An outstanding online shopping experience is essential for growing your alcohol sales to a global market. With a comprehensive alcohol 3PL company, you’ll get an eCommerce storefront that integrates effortlessly with your existing software tools like WooCommerce or Shopify. Those features will make it easy for customers to find your website, navigate to the products they want, and purchase your alcoholic beverages without any hassle.

Selling your alcohol products to customers across the world can be easy! 

At Tipple, we provide an all-in-one solution to alcohol brands that want to expand to European markets. You can sign up for free and start selling to European customers within days. Or speak to the team to explore how you can expand to European markets: USA (276) 288 8882 or ‍EUROPE +353 1-4433 866.

Next steps to find a spirits logistics partner

We know it can be overwhelming to start hunting for a shipping solution for your products. Here’s how we recommend getting started:

• Compile a “long list” of ten shipping companies that serve the localities you want to ship to.

• Use these attributes to narrow your long list to a short list of five:

• Has experience shipping alcohol, or focus entirely on shipping alcohol

• Has a pricing structure that contains no hidden fees or “gotchas,” is easy to understand and is explained to you up-front

• Has a secure warehouse and offers complete warehousing services, from intake of your merchandise to pick-and-pack to shipping and delivery

• Has experience with customs clearance and offers a bonded warehouse

• Call your short list choices and ask them these questions:

• Do you offer services to handle tax compliance in the places I ship?

• What if I want to ship internationally? Can you support that?

• Do you have a dashboard that gives me up-to-the-minute sales and inventory data?

• Can I get a list of references for your experience in alcohol shipping?