A 2012 study by the Dyson School looked at how descriptions on tasting sheets influenced wine sales in tasting rooms. Tasting sheets are used in tasting rooms to list information about the products (in this case wines). These notes often include sensory descriptors (Complex and big with flavors of strawberry preserves, black raspberry and a hint of violet) in addition to other information.
The study, which included 9 wineries in central New York, used two versions of tasting sheets, alternating them by weekend. One included sensory descriptors (Tasting Notes) and the other did not. At the end of each weekend tasting room managers compiled information on daily wine bottle sales and dollar sales. The study controlled for other variables like the day of the weekend, festivals in the area, and the specific tasting room.
Both bottle volume sales and dollar sales were higher on the weekends without the sensory descriptors on the tasting sheet.
Why might this have been the case? Studies of consumer behavior indicate several possibilities.
- The sensory descriptors “turned-off” some customers. Descriptors that are unappealing to some consumers may bias them negatively towards the product before they try it.
- The descriptors could be intimidating to inexperienced consumers who may be further frustrated if they cannot recognize the same attributes in the wine.
- The lengthy descriptions may be contributing to consumer overload of information, which has been shown to result in poorer purchase decisions.
- Finally, satisfaction with service has been reported to increase customer liking and removing the sensory descriptions may have encouraged the tastings to become more interactive. The interaction with staff could have resulted in a greater chance of consumers liking the wine and ultimately purchasing it.
This research reinforces other studies that show that having well-trained staff and good service are likely to be the key to selling your product in a tasting room.
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