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SaleWine

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The success of a flash sale is based on how well you are able to read consumers and find deals that are exclusive and somewhat scarce” – AJ Ray, owner of SaleWine.co.za

It’s no secret that everyone loves a good bargain, no matter what their income group. Online bargains in the form of flash sales and group deals are becoming increasingly popular in South Africa, and with discounts of up to 70%, it’s no surprise that the trend is taking off.

SaleWine.co.za is one such a site. It sells its wines for up to 70% off the retail price and has attracted over 7000 shoppers who eagerly await its new wine emails.

“Last week, I bought two cases of 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon for R145 per bottle, which is 42% cheaper than the retail price of R250. The fact that I only have 72 hours to buy the wine makes the prospect of purchasing that deal all the more exciting,” says asset manager Andrew Sawyer.

Flash sale sites like SaleWine.co.za sell wines for a limited period. In this case, 72 hours or until the wine is sold out.

“We actually sold out of the 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon in less than 24 hours,” says AJ Ray, owner of SaleWine.co.za. “I think the success of a flash sale site is firmly based on how well you can read your consumers and your ability to find exclusive deals that are somewhat scarce. It takes time, and a lot of tasting to find wines that are good enough and special enough to offer our shoppers.”

SaleWine.co.za tastes around 90 wines per month but only chooses 16 to offer its shoppers.

The business model seems to be working for the wine e-tailer, whose sales have doubled every month since it launched in the third quarter of 2010. Its highest discount was 69% and its average is 49% off retail prices.

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