VinNOW has run wine clubs and tasting rooms for decades. The platform is low cost, and its reporting and club tools are strong. Wineries usually start looking for an alternative for one of three reasons: they want to run their business from anywhere rather than a computer at the winery, they are tired of stitching compliance and shipping onto it through separate tools, or their payment processing fees have climbed above 5% due to using legacy processors. If any of this sounds familiar, here is what to weigh.
Where wineries outgrow VinNOW
It is rooted in a local install. VinNOW was designed to run on a computer or a local network at the winery, with a cloud option added over time. If you want your POS on an iPad, your club management accessible in different locations, and your data in one place you can reach from anywhere, a cloud-based native platform is the right move.
Compliance and shipping run through integrations. VinNOW connects to ShipCompliant for compliance and carriers for shipping labels. That works, but it means more relationships, vendors, contracts, and more moving parts.
Locked into high payment processing rates. By managing your own merchant processing relationship this means monthly invoices that include processing fees + statement fee, PCI fee, authorization fee, and batch processing fee.
What to look for in a replacement
One system instead of several. POS, club, online store, compliance, tax, state reporting, and payment processing on a single platform means one customer record and one set of numbers, not a local database plus a compliance and shipping tool.
Cloud access. Run the tasting room, the club, and the reports from any device, anywhere, without depending on one machine at the winery.
Built in compliance and expansion. A platform that verifies age, calculates tax, and includes all the state reports that you need to report and file on time.
How Vinoshipper compares
Vinoshipper runs your online store, club, and point of sale on one cloud platform, with compliance, tax, payment processing, and fulfillment built in. The POS works on a computer, iPad, or iPhone with Apple Tap to Pay and the Stripe M2 Connect reader, so you are not tied to a single machine. Age verification, tax to the nine digit ZIP code, and volume limits run automatically, and the trademark production agreement lets you expand your brands reach to over 40 states.
If you already use Vinoshipper for shipping alongside VinNOW, moving fully onto Vinoshipper consolidates the two into one system, so customer data and reporting stop living in separate places. Migration is handled by Vinoshipper at no cost, including your customer records, club members, and order history, plus credit cards where your processor allows it. There are no sign up fees and no monthly fees. Pricing is based on transactions.
VinNOW is a capable system, and some wineries have no reason to leave it. The wineries that benefit most from the move are the ones who want a modern platform instead of a local install with all other items stacked around it.
Frequently asked questions
Is VinNOW cloud based? VinNOW was built to run on a local computer or network, with a cloud option available. Vinoshipper is cloud native, so the POS, club, and reports run from any device.
Does VinNOW handle compliance and shipping? VinNOW connects to ShipCompliant for compliance and to carriers for labels through integrations. Vinoshipper includes compliance, filings, and shipping to over 40 states in one platform, with no separate compliance vendor.
I already use Vinoshipper with VinNOW. Should I consolidate? If you run Vinoshipper for shipping alongside VinNOW, moving fully onto Vinoshipper puts your POS, club, store, and brand expansion in one system, which ends the double entry and split reporting between them.
What does it cost to switch? Migration is handled by the Vinoshipper team at no cost, and there are no sign up or monthly fees. Pricing runs on successful transactions.
Thinking about the move? Get started with Vinoshipper.
If you are on WineDirect, you already know the platform is going away. Commerce7 acquired WineDirect's software division, and WineDirect Classic is set to retire on December 31, 2026. Every WineDirect winery has to land somewhere else before then. The default path is Commerce7. However, the move is a great time to ask: what does your winery need from its next platform?
Here is how to think about the move, and where Vinoshipper fits as an alternative.
The migration is a decision, not a formality
A platform change is disruptive, so the instinct is to take the path of least resistance and follow the default. That instinct is worth resisting for a beat. You are already going to move your customers, your club, your products, and your history. The cost of evaluating one alternative is small next to the cost of spending the next several years on a platform that was chosen for you rather than by you. Ask what you were missing on WineDirect, and pick the platform that closes that gap.
What to look for in a replacement
Where does compliance live? Commerce7 is a hub. Compliance, fulfillment, payment processing, taxes, state report filings, and expansion to additional states are run through separate tools like ShipCompliant plus a compliance agency or even Vinoshipper! If you would rather not rebuild that stack, look for the platform that includes compliance.
Who does the migration, and what does it cost? Ask what comes across, who does the work, and what you pay for it. Migration is where the fear lives, so get a straight answer before you commit.
What is the real monthly cost? Add the platform, the processor, the compliance tools, and any per module fees. Compare the total cost of ownership, not just the headline figures.
How Vinoshipper compares
Vinoshipper is a direct sales platform built for beverage alcohol producers, with compliance, tax, payment processing, state report filings, and state expansion included rather than bolted on. Where a move to Commerce7 leaves you assembling compliance, tax, and shipping from separate vendors, Vinoshipper runs your online store, club, POS, compliance, wholesale invoicing and reporting on one platform. Age verification, tax to the nine digit ZIP code, and volume limits run automatically at checkout, and through the trademark production agreement, we can help you expand your brand to 40+ states.
On migration, Vinoshipper does the work in house at no cost. Your customer records, club members, and order history come across, along with your credit cards where your processor allows it, so club billing keeps running. There are no sign up fees and no monthly fees. Pricing is based on transactions.
None of this means Commerce7 is the wrong answer for every winery. It means the migration is your opening to compare, and Vinoshipper is worth putting side by side before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
When does WineDirect shut down? WineDirect Classic is scheduled to retire on December 31, 2026. Commerce7 acquired WineDirect's software division, and all WineDirect wineries need to migrate to another platform before then.
Do I have to move to Commerce7? No. Commerce7 is the default path offered to WineDirect clients, but you can migrate to any platform that fits your winery, including Vinoshipper.
What comes across in a migration to Vinoshipper? Your customer records, club members, and order history, plus credit cards where your processor allows it. The migration is handled by the Vinoshipper team at no cost.
Does Vinoshipper include compliance? Yes. Compliance, tax rates, age verification, dry zones, and self-file state reports are all included so you are not adding separate compliance vendors after the move.
Weighing your options before the deadline? Get started with Vinoshipper.
Vinoshipper is hosting an afternoon event for California producers on Wednesday, July 15, at Dot Wine at Bacchus Landing in Healdsburg.
Attorney John Trinidad of Dickenson, Peatman & Fogarty will speak about several regulatory issues currently affecting the state's wine industry, including the new AB 720 / Type 93 Estate Tasting Event Permit and how counties are interpreting it, proposed changes to winemaker dinner tied-house exceptions, and ongoing legal challenges to the three-tier system and their implications for DTC and wholesale sales.
Meet the local Vinoshipper team in person and see what's new on the platform, from POS to club management to compliance. Come with any questions!
The event runs 3:30-6:00pm, with John beginning at 4:00pm, followed by wine from Dot Wine, light bites, and networking with fellow producers and the Vinoshipper team.
Event Type: Seminar
Location: Healdsburg, CA
Date: 7/15/2026 — 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM
Vinoshipper is hosting an afternoon event for California producers on Wednesday, July 15, at Dot Wine at Bacchus Landing in Healdsburg.
Attorney John Trinidad of Dickenson, Peatman & Fogarty will speak about several regulatory issues currently affecting the state's wine industry, including the new AB 720 / Type 93 Estate Tasting Event Permit and how counties are interpreting it, proposed changes to winemaker dinner tied-house exceptions, and ongoing legal challenges to the three-tier system and their implications for DTC and wholesale sales.
Meet the local Vinoshipper team in person and see what's new on the platform, from POS to club management to compliance. Come with any questions!
The event runs 3:30-6:00pm, with John beginning at 4:00pm, followed by wine from Dot Wine, light bites, and networking with fellow producers and the Vinoshipper team.
Vinoshipper, the leading compliance and direct sales platform for adult beverage producers, launched a native subscription product, giving wineries, cideries, meaderies, distilleries, and other craft beverage producers a simple way to run prepaid membership programs inside the same platform they already use to sell, ship, and stay compliant across more than forty states.
Customers pay a set amount in advance. That payment becomes spendable credit in their account, and they spend it on future orders on their own timeline. Producers control when billing happens, tied to their own release schedule rather than an automated renewal clock.
The feature is built around a new product type called Credit Deposit. Producers create a Credit Deposit product at a fixed price, add it to a club release, and when the release runs, customer payments convert directly to stored credit.
Removing another outside dependency
For years, producers who wanted a prepaid membership program had to bolt on separate subscription software, maintain a separate customer record, and reconcile billing across systems. Vinoshipper has been steadily folding those jobs into one platform: ecommerce, club, point of sale, and compliance. The subscription product is the latest addition.
The subscription product via Credit Deposit is available today in all Vinoshipper accounts.
About Vinoshipper
Vinoshipper is the premier platform for alcohol producers seeking to expand their direct sales. Since 2006, its compliance engine has supported wineries, cideries, meaderies, and distilleries by offering a fully compliant online store, point-of-sale, club management, UPS integration, and comprehensive compliance management services. For more information, visit vinoshipper.com .
Media Contact
Adrienne Harrison | Communications Manager | pr@vinoshipper.com
Event Type: Webinar
Location: Zoom
Date: 5/28/2026 — 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
It's been a great year of updates so far. Join our Founder & CEO, Steven Harrison, and Director of Client Success, Terra Jane Albee, for a mid-year walkthrough of what's new across POS, club, wholesale, CRM, and reporting, and what it means for how you run your business.
Thursday, May 28
10:00 AM PST / 1:00 PM EST
We will chat about:
The latest in the POS, and a pricing change worth knowing about
Customer data that powers Klaviyo, RedChirp, and Mailchimp
All sales in one place: DTC, wholesale, distributor
Why and how Shopify, Commerce7, OrderPort, and Activ8 now integrate with Vinoshipper
How Vinoshipper can now manage all your DTC license acquisition, renewals, and reporting
We will have a live Q&A section at the end, so bring any questions!
Event Type: Webinar
Location: Zoom
Date: 5/13/2026 — 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
California Producers: Learn about AB 720
If you hold a Type 02 license, AB 720 extends your tasting room privileges to a vineyard you own or control — and to property adjacent to your production facility. No second permit. No new winery site.
Join the Micro-Winery Guild, InnoVint, and Vinoshipper for a working session on what the law actually allows, how producers are structuring agreements to host guests in the vineyard, and the practical details — ADA, risk, guest experience — worth thinking through before you open the gate.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 @ 10am PST
Register here
Event Type: Webinar
Date: 3/26/2026
Disconnected systems create missed revenue and unnecessary manual work. The new Vinoshipper & RedChirp integration closes the gaps between your e-commerce, club, POS, shipping, and customer communication systems.
During the session, attendees will learn six powerful ways to activate the integration, including:
- Powering 1:1 customer service
- Growing SMS lists through webchat and opt-in tools
- Communicating more effectively with club members
- Automating shipping notifications
- Leveraging AI-powered bulk messaging
- Tracking revenue with order attribution reporting
Thursday, March 26th @ 10:00am Pacific
National Direct Sales Report Webinar this Friday
Date: January 16, 2026
Time: 11am PST
Register: https://wineindustryadvisor.com/event/vinoshipper-2026-national-direct-sales-report/
Vinoshipper releases its 2026 National Direct Sales Report this Friday with a webinar and full report.
The data is clear: growth is no longer happening by chance. Wineries that invested in clubs saw better outcomes. Events drove engagement and loyalty. And producers who know their metrics are making smarter decisions because of it.
Last year, hundreds of producers shared their direct sales numbers to create the industry's most comprehensive benchmarking report. Now we're gathering data for year two.
The 2026 National Direct Sales Survey takes about 10 minutes. Your responses help tell the story of what's really happening across the industry.
What we are measuring:
- Sales channel performance
- Shipping volumes and trends
- Compliance costs and challenges
- Consumer behavior shifts
- What's working in 2025
We'll combine your responses with transaction data from over 3,000 producers using Vinoshipper to create the most accurate picture of direct sales in the industry.
Survey closes December 7, 2025.
On January 15th, we'll host a webinar with Wine Industry Network to share our findings and publish the full report. The more producers who participate, the stronger the data becomes for all of us.