After graduating in May, I took another part time job at a local wine/liquor store. The pay stinks, but I receive a hefty discount, so I figure it evens out. After years of collecting and QPR hunting, I figured that my experience would be a valued commodity in the store otherwise staffed by microbrewers and connoisseurs of cheap gin. Boy was I wrong. Instead of steering customers away from the Stag’s Leap and towards the Neal, I find myself having this conversation 10 times a day:

3 Ladies giggling: “Oh my god, look Marie, this wine is called B*tch! Isn’t that crazy! Oh sir, how is the B*tch wine?”
Me: “Average at best; its 100% marketing gimmick based on the not-so-clever name. I would be happy to show you five wines in that price range of similar varietal composition of better quality, if you would like.
2 minutes later, I am ringing up each of the 3 still giggling ladies for 2 bottles of B*tch.

Now I understand that I am not going to be able to sell a bottle of Caymus to every customer that asks for a recommendation, and I have been able to sell some great wines and chew the fat with some really cool people. However, I seem to have trouble steering people away from poor quality imported wines toward bargain brands from Columbia Valley and Sonoma. I can’t move Indian Wells at $1 above cost, but we can’t stock the B*tch fast enough (you don’t even want to know what the mark up is on this crap). I have had some success playing with the displays, but I am looking for tips from people in the industry. Am I doing something wrong, or is the future of the global wine market going to be dominated by profanity printed on bright pink labels attached bottles of mediocre wine?

People just don't care. Let's face it, anyone that can drink a cosmopolitan or any of those martini concoctions or any cocktail probably can't tell a bad wine from a good one. I think those Oz wines sell for a reason. People actually like them. I don't understand it and I don't condone it, but what are you going to do?

I remember a friend of mine telling me the secret to making a best-selling wine.

Doesn't matter where you grow.

Doesn't matter how you vinify.

Bright bottle, colorful labeling, and always name your wine "*adjective* *cute animal*".

I remember that, in the same breath, he coined the term "Fuzzy Koala" for a disgusting little mashup of Old Vine Zin and leftover Henry of Pelham Gamay. Funny thing is, it tasted kind of like Yellow Tail.

Hello, I found a wine glass that actually makes wines taste better. It makes a $10 wine taste like a $30.

Women are the #1 consumers of wine $15 and under and THAT is the vast majority, I repeat the VAST majority of all wine sold. Whoever made a wine called "The Bitch" is a freeking genius! There is no talking to them about quality each one of those ladies had a specific friend in mind that they were buying that bottle for as a little joke. Don't fight that, embrace it. Or... you will go crazy.

Don't expect to change and help the masses because you won't. But if you do your job well you will help a few people that will over time come to trust and respect your opinion. You will build relationships and friendships and that my friend is what it is all about. In my opinion...

Good luck.

CD

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Cal-Duck,

jnastynebr- I can relate to your situation and feelings. I also work part-time at a wine retailer and have encountered customers that get sucked in by marketing schemes - and yes, people do shop by label.

Women really do love that b**ch wine, don't they? However, if I have a conversation with someone purchasing this wine and make them aware that it's a Grenacha and they come back to the store and try some good Grenacha from Spain, haven't I made an impact? One of my favorite things about working at a wine shop is watching my customer's tastes develop over time. It's gratifying when you get that occasional customer who comes in the store, asks for you by name and thanks you for recommending something that they otherwise would not have tried.
Although some people will always drink Almaden from a box, realize that you can guide many consumers in the right direction! Give it some time.

I grew up in the retail business. I'll make it easy on you. Cater to your customers. End of lecture.

Everyone drinks wine for different reasons. They listened to you and decided against your advice.

If someone wants to buy B*tch wine because it makes them happy and gives them some laughs, why are you so offended?

No one is offended here. I am going to ring up any bottle (no matter how bad) with a cheerful smile and thank the customer for the buisness. If I was really catering to the customers, I wouldnt let them buy this crap!
I understand that its all about the customer, and if some guy holds up a bottle of Beringer white zin and asks for an opinion, I will cheerfully respond with "thats one of our best sellers".
I was just wondering if you were all seeing the same thing. Its frustrating to think we may have to drop the Indian Wells (a good line with good prices) because it falls in a strange area between price/quality points. Thats OK. It will most likely be replaced with Dumb M*^%her F$@!>er Shiraz from OZ, anyway.

Work in retail of any kind and you will soon realize that the average consumer is a moron. Most people are really just not that bright and can easily be swayed by a pretty label of some clever marketing. How else do you explain the success of Nascar, Bud, The Olive Garden, ect, ect.

Although not meant to be funny, this is one of the funniest posts I have read in a long time.

The observations are sad but so true.

You could publish a collection of these types of encounters.

woah mad hating on the olive garden, what's up with that.
its mainstream, affordable, and really not all that bad.

The Olive Garden is really that bad...but I digress...

Great post. Almost all my coworkers are women and yes they do but only buy wine under $15. I'm just not able to recommend magnums of Moscato d'Asti...

This winter I did run into a group of women at the local wine shop who I helped find some CDP in the store and stuck up a nice conversation and ended up suggesting some Australian grenache to compliment their palates. The nice thing was meeting some women my age that actually had decent taste in wine. The bad thing was that I didn't work there!

jnasty,

Interesting thread. Thanks for starting it. I'm a journalist, and like you, come in contact from folks with a wide variety of life histories every day.
Basically, I agree with WIML on this. Whey they ask for "The Bitch," say, "Ha, that's a great label isn't it!!?" And, if you think they're receptive say something like, "If you decide you like it, come back, and I'll show you a couple of others you might like even better, have a great day!"

In my line of work I've pretty much decided that EVERYONE out there knows something that I don't, whether it's the right way to argue a court case or the perfect way to use a belt sander on oak flooring.

Give the customer a break, leave the poor alone, and try not to get so wound up about it. It's just a beverage, right?

Hey, I actually thought the B*tch (04 version) was damn good wine for the money!

I will admit, though, that I'm probably too much of a snob to just buy a wine like that because of the cute label. I actually got to taste it first b/c Wine Exchange put it into a lineup of 20+ Aussie reds at a weekly store tasting.

It's made by Chris Ringland, who knows his stuff when it comes to crafting fruit-forward Aussie qprs. For just $8, it had true Grenache character, fine length and some interesting earthy notes. I actually found it to be better than the basic Borsao garnacha, albeit not quite as good as Las Rocas Vinos Viejos. Legitimately good qpr, though.

A gimmicky label doesn't automatically mean crap inside the bottle.

Reminds me of my 'patio party' I hosted last weeekend for the neighbors. One woman brought a chardonnay - I think it was Jacob's Creek. I asked her how she picked her wines and she came out with the statement that fits in line with everything being said here. First she goes for the names she's heard of, and if she's being adventurous, she looks for a chardonnay with a 'cute, attractive label'. Didn't occur to her to ask for any advice from the sales help in the store. I think this is, as mentioned, the way most people pick wine.

Jamie,

Your post brings up another topic. In many stores where non-serious wine drinkers shop (the bigger supermarkets and retail wine stores), salespeople are not that helpful. Many do not know wine that well or they push items based on profit margin rather than quality.

Had a store wine rep, or some sort working the liquor dept. at a large grocery by me a few years back who was giving some interesting advice. She told me that a particular winery was just across the street from another high profile winery and that the wines mustbe very similiar. The wine she was pushing was very affordable...and tasted like it. Basically what Instant Access said..

They say if the bottle has an animal on the label it will sell twice as fast.

I agree wholeheartedly.

Olive Garden does suck

~ I agree that Bitch isn't half bad and I keep it near my desk just so I can hear the comments people make when they see it. It is stacked right in front of Evil Cabernet and Pure Evil Chardonnay.

~ WIML is right, cater to the customer and you won't go gray as fast as me, and I've only been in the retail wine business since September 06.

~ indybob makes another good point in how you should always keep positive, even when you want to show them something else. Don't blast their personal choice...you will lose.

~ Just because I (or you) like a wine, does not mean the customers will. You have to understand your base of customers and sell them what they want. Most people just want something pleasant to drink...they are NOT going to contemplate it...analyze it...or care what flavors are in it...they just want it to be good TO THEM and that is what matters most. When you chat up other oenophiles, budding or experienced, then you can discuss things at greater length and show them stuff outside the mainstream (even though some mainstream stuff is pretty damn good too).

~ Have fun...be respectful...be enthusiastic...remember that you will reep what you sow...(cliched, but true)

What VT2IT said. Having spent most of my adult life in retail/hospitality, I've come to the unfortunate conclusion that the "average" consumer is indeed a moron. There is no accounting for taste. Quick story- Just had a 4-day visit with my son and his family. I currently have 200+ bottles in my cellar, 175 of which I would proudly serve to anyone. They went shopping and my daughter-in-law(whom I love dearly)came home with a bottle of Arbor Mist Pinot Grigio. Go figure !

Point is, you can't fix it. Just take solace in the fact that there are still a fair number of people who do appreciate the "finer" things!

CHEERS!

ART

So many people are captured by price and cute or zaney names/lables that our local retail outlets cater almost exclusively to that market segment. It means selection off the shelf is very limited for truly good wines. I ask for certain wines and they can almost always special order for me but I have to buy a case. They just move it as part of their normal stock.