Amazon to sell wine online in Illinois, 11 other states
BY STEFANO ESPOSITO Staff Reporter/sesposito@suntimes.com November 8, 2012 11:50AM
Vinegar made from leftover wine is used to make a vinaigrette dressing at the Camino restaurant in Oakland, Calif. | AP Photo
Updated: December 10, 2012 6:23AM
Amazon.com already sells the “Big Betty XL Jumbo Wine Glass,” the “WineYoke,” hands-free glass-holder necklace and countless other wine-related items — so of course, it makes perfect sense that the world’s biggest online retailer should finally start selling wine.
On Thursday, Amazon launched Amazon Wine, offering “more than a thousand wines” available to online shoppers in Illinois, 11 other states and Washington, D.C., according to a company press release.
“Whether it’s helping customers find a favorite varietal, shop for holiday pairings or expand their cellar with a special hand-crafted bottle, we’re excited to provide the right tools and information needed to guide them to the perfect wine,” Peter Faricy, vice president of Amazon Marketplace, said in an online statement.
Customers can ship up to six bottles for a fee of $9.99, according to Amazon.
The Seattle-based company says it is offering more than 1,000 wines from wineries around the U.S. The prices range from less than $10 to more than $100.
With Amazon Wine, the retailer is competing with online wine sellers such as Wine.com, as well as with traditional brick-and-mortar wine sellers.
