A free trade marketplace for wine is being launched this week in the UK buy online wine retailer Naked Wines. Claiming to be a world first, Naked MarketPlace will transform the way in which wine is bought and sold in the UK because customers can benefit from winemakers pitching their wines directly. Lower prices are possible because the service cuts out the need for agents, distributors and retailers, said Naked Wines. The company takes a 10% commission on sales through MarketPlace.
Naked Wines’ Founder Rowan Gormley said: “The world’s wine market has been stunted by snobbery, protectionist laws and dubious marketing, where customers pay too much and talented winemakers can’t survive. With Naked MarketPlace we aim to create a meritocracy where rewards go to the winemakers with the most talent. For the first time, winemakers can get what their wine is worth, not what is left over after everyone else has taken their cut.”
Customers can save anywhere from 25% to 65% off the normal price of the wines, he claims, while wine producers benefit from being able to start selling immediately, rather than be held back by the normal trade cycle of 9 -12 months.
Gormley said: “Naked Wines is not here to sell wines to the customers. We are here to get the wines the customers want, at prices they cannot get themselves. We’re also helping the independent winemaker in the process.”
Naked Wines claims to be the UK’s fastest growing online wine retailer. Launched in December 2008 by former Virgin Money and Virgin Wines’ Founder Rowan Gormley, the company has signed up 150,ooo customers to date, and funded over 100 exclusive new wines.
