Online wine store with local delivery
Sell curated wines through your own website, with a small stock and delivery to customers' doors.
- A$8k-40k
- Side hustle
- Online
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
A web-based wine shop with a focused range, such as small-producer wines, a regional theme or monthly mixed cases. Orders are packed and sent from a small storage space or a third-party warehouse.
Your first three steps
- Check your state or territory liquor licensing body for the licence needed to sell and deliver alcohol online, including where your stock can be stored
- Choose a niche and approach a few small producers or distributors about wholesale pricing and minimum orders
- Set up a simple online shop with age checks and delivery options, and build an email list before you launch
Who pays
Home drinkers who want something better than the supermarket, gift buyers, and small businesses ordering for staff or clients.
How it makes money
You sell bottles and mixed cases at a markup, add delivery fees or free-shipping thresholds, and build repeat sales through email lists and subscriptions.
Skills that help
- Wine knowledge or a clear niche
- Online marketing and social media
- Photography and writing product descriptions
- Packing and order organisation
Watch out for
- A liquor licence is needed for online sales, and delivery rules (age checks, delivery times, sale across state lines) differ by state and territory
- Storing stock at home may need council approval or may not be allowed under your licence, so check first
- Breakage and freight costs can eat into margins, and wine can be damaged by heat in transit
- Public liability and stock insurance
- GST registration once turnover reaches the threshold
- Competition from large online retailers, so a clear niche matters
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: online wine store with local delivery
Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start an online wine store?
Estimates suggest typically around $8,000 to $40,000, depending on your website, initial stock and storage or warehouse arrangements. Breakage and freight costs can eat into margins, so allow for them.
Do I need a licence to sell wine online in Australia?
A liquor licence is needed for online sales, and delivery rules such as age checks and sale across state lines differ by state and territory. Also check storing stock at home, insurance, and GST registration.
How much revenue can an online wine store make?
Monthly revenue is typically around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on your range, marketing and any business orders. Expect at least about 15 hours a week, and a clear niche matters against large online retailers.
Other ways to run this business
Similar retail ideas
Clothing wholesaler for local boutiques and markets
Buy clothing in bulk and sell it on to independent shops, market stallholders and online sellers.
- A$8k-40k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Gas bottle delivery service
Deliver and swap LPG bottles for homes, caravan parks and small businesses from a ute or van, without a full shop.
- A$8k-40k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Premium beauty vending in shopping centres
Run a few stylish machines selling premium beauty items in shopping centres, airports and hotels.
- A$10k-40k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Van-based wholesale supplier to local shops
Buy everyday groceries and household goods in bulk and deliver them to corner shops, cafes and kiosks on a regular round.
- A$8k-40k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Sheepskin and wool trade supplier with a unit
Hold a wider range of sheepskin and wool goods in a small unit and supply shops, designers and online sellers.
- A$10k-40k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Consignment shop on your local high street
Sell other people's quality second-hand items from a small shopfront and keep a share of each sale.
- A$8k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Photo: Michelle-Maria on Pixabay