Total Wine & More can be a great opportunity for Makers, but chain business operates differently from sales to independent accounts. There are specific requirements around inventory, ordering, fulfillment and delivery that both LibDib and our Makers must follow.
For that reason, participation in Total Wine & More requires an active Gold Membership.
Gold includes the additional operational support required to service chain accounts, including inventory purchasing and management, warehouse fulfillment, Portfolio Management and ongoing chain support.
Step 1: Submit Your Products to Total Wine
Visit Total Wine's product submission page to present your products for consideration.
If you don't receive a response within 30 days, follow up with the Total Wine submission team.
Important: Product approval is not the same as receiving an order. Approval means Total Wine has approved the product for specified locations or markets. There may still be additional setup required before ordering can begin.
Step 2: Activate Gold and Send Your Approval to LibDib
Once you receive approval from Total Wine, forward it to your LibDib Portfolio Manager. Please include all information provided by Total Wine, including approved products, states and store locations.
You must have an active Gold Membership for LibDib to service Total Wine.
Once Gold is active, LibDib will work with Total Wine to claim your approved products as the distributor of record and establish LibDib to service your Total Wine business. This step is required before LibDib can receive and fulfill Total Wine demand for your products.
This process is not automatic. Total Wine may require additional setup and processing time before your products are connected to LibDib and begin appearing on its demand reports.
Once that setup is complete and we begin seeing demand, we can move into the first-order process.
Step 3: The First Total Wine Order — Expect a Lag
The first Total Wine order works differently from ongoing reorders, so Makers should expect a longer lead time at the beginning.
Once your products are approved, claimed by LibDib and properly set up, we wait until we see actual demand from Total Wine. This tells us which products, stores and quantities Total Wine is requesting. We have seen this take anywhere from one to six months.
Once we see that initial demand on a PO, LibDib purchases and brings in the appropriate inventory specifically to service the Total Wine business. That initial Total Wine demand is then fulfilled during the following month's ordering cycle.
This creates an intentional lag between seeing the first Total Wine demand and fulfilling the first Total Wine order. We do this so that inventory being brought into the market for Total Wine is based on actual Total Wine demand rather than estimates or speculation.
After the first order, LibDib can maintain appropriate Total Wine inventory based on actual sales, demand reports and anticipated reorders.
Don't Wait for Total Wine to Build the Market
The Total Wine inventory process does not mean Makers should wait for Total Wine before developing other business in the market.
In fact, we highly encourage Makers to use this time to actively pursue additional Points of Distribution (PODs). The more accounts selling your products, the stronger your overall market becomes—and building broader demand can support your Total Wine business as well.
Continue reaching out to independent retailers, restaurants, bars, hotels and other appropriate accounts while your Total Wine setup and first-order process is underway.
Need help expanding your reach? Ask your Portfolio Manager about introductions to our feet-on-the-street sales partners or e-commerce partners that may be able to help you develop additional accounts and sales in the market.
Total Wine should be an important account—not your entire market strategy.
Total Wine Orders Must Follow LibDib's Approved Fulfillment Process
Total Wine orders cannot be fulfilled through alternative delivery arrangements requested by individual Makers.
Inventory used to fulfill Total Wine orders must be under LibDib's control and fulfilled through LibDib's designated warehouse and contracted delivery process. Total Wine orders are consolidated with other LibDib Maker orders and delivered according to Total Wine's receiving requirements.
This means Makers cannot substitute FedEx, LibShip, another warehouse, a separate trucking company or direct delivery for the established Total Wine fulfillment process.
These requirements are part of servicing a major chain account consistently and are one of the reasons Total Wine participation requires Gold Membership.
After Your First Order
Once the first order has been successfully completed, LibDib will monitor Total Wine demand and maintain appropriate inventory based on actual sales and anticipated reorders.
Please remember that approval does not guarantee sales or reorders.
Makers remain responsible for creating demand for their brands. Promote your Total Wine placements, support your stores and consider scheduling in-store demonstrations as soon as you're approved, as demos can require significant lead time.
Sell-through matters. Strong sales lead to reorders, and consistent reorders give us an opportunity to approach Total Wine about expanding your store footprint.
If you've been approved but haven't seen demand after 6 months, email chains@libdib.com and we can follow up with the appropriate Total Wine Ordering Captain.
A Few Important Things to Remember
Total Wine requires Gold. There are no Silver or Access exceptions for servicing Total Wine accounts.
Approval is not an order. Product approval, distributor setup, initial demand and fulfillment are separate steps.
LibDib must first claim your products. Once Gold is active, we work with Total Wine to claim your approved products as the distributor of record so we can service the account.
The first Total Wine order takes longer. LibDib waits to see actual Total Wine demand before bringing inventory into the market specifically to service Total Wine. That initial demand is fulfilled during the following month's ordering cycle.
Don't wait to build your market. Continue developing additional Points of Distribution while you're waiting for Total Wine orders. Your Portfolio Manager can connect you with feet-on-the-street sales partners and e-commerce partners if you need additional support.
Chain fulfillment isn't customizable. Total Wine orders must move through LibDib's established warehouse and contracted delivery process.
Makers still drive demand. Distribution makes your products available; Maker sales activity and consumer demand create reorders and opportunities for expansion.
And finally, please be patient. Large chains have their own systems, timelines and receiving requirements. There may be a gap between approval, setup, initial demand and the first completed order. Your Portfolio Manager will help you navigate the process and let you know when action is required on your end.
Questions about Total Wine or Gold Membership? Contact Makers@LibDib.com.
Once you get a reply from the Submission team at TWM (see an example below), forward your approval to your Portfolio Manager so we know which locations you were approved into and we can let the Total Wine Ordering Captain know to add you to those demand reports.
