Sendagift counts down to Christmas

Luxury wine gift site Sendagift.co.uk has launched its first wine advent calendar, which has already clocked up more than 2,500 pre-orders.

The site, which is part of online specialist Virgin Wines, has rolled out the ‘adult advent’ calendar (RRP: £69.99), which comprises 24 single serve bottles of predominantly red wine, along with several crisp whites, a couple of bottles of sparkling wine and a port, behind a specially designed ‘wine window’ box.

The company said it came in response to the growing trend for advent tipples that “swept the nation” last year, and it had already seen strong demand since announcing it on the site two weeks ago.

Speaking to db this week, Virgin Wines boss Jay Wright said the gifting service was beginning to see “real momentum” following a rebrand in 2015, and was gearing up for Christmas.

Last year the gifting service, dubbed the “Interflora of wine” by Virgin, saw a stellar Christmas, with year-on-year sales increase of 130%, albeit from a small base.

In June, the Virgin Wines has launched a wine shop for ‘boutique’ by-the-case wines on Amazon market place.

Wright also confirmed that Virgin Wines was ready to relaunch its website, but had postponed the roll-out until after Christmas in order not to disrupt its busiest season.

“It is a lot more modern and based around customer engagement,” Wright explained. It is more about the brand and the experience, more social and occasion-based and more lifestyle-orientated.”