A scenario that repeats itself. At the restaurant, a consumer excited by the wine that the waiter has just poured him asks to see the bottle so that he can buy it at the SAQ. However, often the products on the card cannot be found in the branches of the state company since they are private imports. For greater accessibility, the SAQ has decided to sell some of these bottles on its site. A first.
Online, the state-owned company will take on the appearance of a “marketplace” by creating a section of privately imported products. The objective is to make consumers’ lives easier by giving them access to wines not available on network shelves, hence the name private importation (IP). Normally, to obtain a product of this type, you have to go through the agent who sells it and buy it at the checkout, a barrier for many consumers who do not want to end up with 12 bottles of the same wine. You then have to pick up your box at the branch.
The difference between privately imported products and those sold at the local SAQ? The first are chosen by an agent who represents and promotes them to his clients. These wines are often more niche, and many are only offered in small quantities.
Products sold in IP are not offered in branches. They are nevertheless imported by the SAQ and it is it which manages the sales. But now some of them will now be more accessible to the general public by being on sale online in the “private import store” on the SAQ website, the state company informed us.
Better access
“We know that there is a need among customers who want more discoveries, more offers and who want us to democratize access to IP,” explained Michel-André St-Jean, director of digital marketing. of the SAQ, during an interview granted to The Press.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Michel-André St-Jean, director of digital marketing at the SAQ
During the summer, the IP boutique will be the subject of a pilot project where six agents (Boires, Rézin, Société Roucet, Alternative, Benedictus and Vin Vrai) will each sell two products.
It will be up to each of them to promote their wine and invite their customers to go to SAQ.com to conclude the transaction, Mr. St-Jean emphasized.
“ [Si tout se passe bien] the idea would then be to open the private import store on SAQ.com in the fall [en même temps] than the major wine salons. »
Thus, customers who wish to purchase IP products tasted during these events will be able to obtain them online. Going through the site, wine lovers are not required to purchase a case. They can get just one bottle.
The same product will remain offered on the site for eight weeks and will then give way to another to ensure diversity.
The role of agents
“ [Pour la suite des choses], how big will it be? How many products are we going to have? We do not know. It will be up to the agent to decide,” says Michel-André St-Jean.
“To have the support of the industry, it was super important that we didn’t impose anything,” he said, adding that the SAQ had no intention of “replacing” itself with work. agents.
They are free to sell or not their IP products in the new SAQ store. They can continue to do this on their own in their own network. And the representation fees that they charge to customers who order bottles from them will be collected online by the state company and paid 100% to them, assures Mr. St-Jean. On the site, customers will be able to see the amount that will be given to the agent. It is he who determines the amount of representation costs.
What do agents gain from displaying themselves in the online store? “What they gain is a new showcase, access to a new clientele, that’s the big benefit. »
The SAQ’s initiative was rather well received by A3, an association representing more than 80 wine and spirits agencies. “What we will pay attention to is ensuring that the agent never loses his autonomy,” indicates its general director, Catherine Lessard. Private importation still remains a channel where the agent is responsible for ordering the products he wants, he is responsible for selling them, he can decide to whom he sells them. »
“It’s important that the idea of selling on SAQ.com is a free decision. If you want to, you do it, you don’t want to, you don’t do it. »
A3 wants to ensure that agents can decide how many products and when they sell them online. The association also emphasizes the importance of maintaining representation costs.
Some agents have expressed interest in the new store while others have no intention of selling their products there at all, said Catherine Lessard.
One of the advantages of appearing on SAQ.com is being able to evaluate, if a product sells well, the possibility that it could one day end up on the shelves. On the other hand, this greater accessibility makes the product lose its little “sexy” and “hidden” side that private importation provides, illustrates Mme Lessard.
The products of A3 members are responsible for nearly 95% of SAQ sales and 50% of IP sales.
Private import, in figures
- 75% to permit holders (e.g.: restaurateurs)
- 19% to individuals
- 6% other (e.g.: duty-free shops and representative agents)
- Sales of IP products represent 4% of the SAQ’s total sales