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IBG Joins Forces with WTN Services™ to Create WineDirect

New Company Provides One-Stop Solution for Direct-to-Consumer Wine Fulfillment, Ecommerce and Marketing
 

September 6, 2011 (Napa, California) — Inertia Beverage Group (IBG) and 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. today announced a strategic alliance designed to enhance both company’s position in the wine business. As part of the agreement, IBG has purchased the WTN Services™ division of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, which provides marketing and fulfillment services to wineries. The newly formed company, WineDirect, will combine the state of the art fulfillment and highly sophisticated e-commerce technologies of IBG with the extensive consumer outreach capabilities and customer service expertise of WTN Services. Under the agreement, WineDirect℠ will now manage all facets of the direct-to-consumer (DTC) fulfillment and telesales, and it will have access to WTN Services affiliates such as major direct-to-consumer retailers, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM and Fannie May Chocolates.

“1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Fannie May Chocolates, and WineTasting.com are nationally recognized DTC retailers with expansive customer bases,” says WineDirect president Joe Waechter. “The fact that they have chosen to team up with us to create WineDirect is a powerful endorsement of the sophisticated professional fulfillment technology and integrated direct sales system that we bring to this partnership. In short, their retailing power is a strong recommendation for our integrated platform’s fulfillment and sales power, accuracy, technology, and reporting. They recognize that our full service system will increase the amount of wine they sell and the efficiency of their DTC operations.”

“1-800-FLOWERS.COM is committed to the wine gifting market and to establishing WineTasting.com as a leader in the direct-to-consumer wine business. This transaction enables us to focus on what we do best; provide great gifts appropriate for every occasion and recipient,” said David Taiclet, president of the Gourmet Food and Gift Baskets division of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. Taiclet noted that the Company plans to work closely with WineDirect to develop the wine gifting space. “As part of our effort in wine gifting, we are pleased to be working with WineDirect to help build sales momentum for WineTasting.com and the growing list of wineries, throughout the world, with which we both work.”

As WineDirect, this new partnership opens enormous potential opportunities to the existing and future winery clients of WineDirect, providing them with increased access to new consumer markets and channels, like WineTasting.com, while leveraging a fulfillment and direct sales platform that is scaled and optimized for handling and shipping direct wine orders seamlessly and most efficiently. Combined with the telesales power of subsidiary Call For Wine and ecommerce partner Vin65, WineDirect creates a new leader in the field of direct wine sales focused on expanding access to new markets, and increasing sales and profits for all of its winery clients.

The operational systems of IBG will continue to serve as the platform for all winery and consumer transactions. “We are already seeing how much more efficient this new company will be for our customers,” says Waechter. “We know how important the fourth quarter is to all of our winery clients and we are all committed to making a seamless transition with no disruption for clients of either company. Operationally, nothing will change for our customers. And we recognize how important it is to keep their customer service team on staff as well. They are a great team and we are working together to make sure that there is absolutely customer service continuity for both of our companies.”

“Joining forces in this way really allows us to take advantage of the best of both companies,” says Waechter. “We provide the very latest platform, fully integrated sales, telesales and fulfillment, and their consumer expertise should offer some enormous opportunities for wine sales in some very exciting new channels and markets. Their activities and facilities in the eastern US should really make a difference for wineries looking to have a larger presence there in the future.”

As part of the new relationship, the WTN Services warehouse on the East Coast will now become part of the new WineDirect network, allowing winery clients to store and ship wine on the East Coast with the most advanced DTC platform in the wine business.

About WineDirect
WineDirect is a leader in the winery direct sales arena, providing technology and services that enable wineries to sell more wine through direct-to-consumer channels. Headquartered in the Napa Valley, WineDirect offers a broad range of logistics solutions including a technology driven fulfillment system, compliance tools, and an extensive 3-Tier network which provides access to new markets and consumers. In addition, the company offers an ecommerce and wine club processing platform with integrated marketing capabilities, and telesales services to help wineries grow their businesses profitably. Each of the company’s services is offered on a standalone basis, or as part of an integrated, end-to-end solution. For further information, visit www.winedirect.com.

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