Online ‘shop window’ builds presence in Singapore

A new online platform offering companies the chance to open up an “online shop” is attracting the attention of leading drinks businesses in Singapore.

Wine Family was launched last November and is seeking to create an online market place where companies and merchants, regardless of size, can sell wine and engage with consumers.

Founded by Paul Gerken (pictured), a former sales and distribution manager for Chilean wine group Concha y Toro in Asia Pacific, the platform allows businesses to set up a virtual shop for free with no costs on web hosting, site maintenance and design and development and Wine Family only takes an 8% commission on all transactions.

Concha y Toro has already signed up an a leading merchant in the region is poised to do likewise.

Gerken told the drinks business: “It builds awareness and it’s an added route to market. We have just launched but it will be a powerful tool for companies to engage with consumers and build their brands.”

Gerken added that even companies with existing ecommerce sites shouldn’t “shy away” from opening up an account on Wine Family.

H explained: “I liken it to if you’re a bricks and mortar retailer and you have the capacity to have a shop on the other side of town.”

He said that some of the other companies that have signed up so far already have existing online retail platforms but use Wine Family as an additional portal.

The platform is only available in Singapore for the moment but Gerken hopes that once it is more firmly established it will be possible to expand the franchise to Hong Kong, Malaysia and even the UK, US and China in the long run.

The website can be found here.