Sarah Shadonix started Scout & Cellar, the Clean-Crafted™ wine company, in 2017. This year marks the company’s eighth anniversary. It is making a number of changes to its direct-sales business in order to modernize and strengthen its position in the direct-to-consumer (DTC) wine market. These changes include working with Shopify, making its commission model clearer, speeding up order processing, giving consultants more benefits, and reaffirming its commitment to being good for the environment.
The biggest thing Scout & Cellar has done so far is incorporate with Shopify as its e-commerce platform. This new version is to offer independent consultants more professional and adjust stores, smoother online sales and a modern backend. It is indicative of a move away from more traditional direct-sales infrastructure into the tools common in e-commerce.
Alongside the tech upgrade, Scout & Cellar is simplifying its direct-sales/commission structure to make earnings more rewarding and accessible. Consultants will retain higher commissions under fewer barriers. Other benefits include a 10% discount on products, free shipping, and access to a private community app that is meant to help with support, collaboration, and keeping customers.
Identifying a shared gap in the wine DTC category, Scout & Cellar is scaling operations so shipments now arrive at customers in days instead of the weeks-long process seen previously. The enhancement could increase loyalty, lower complaints, and make it more competitive with premier online wine sellers.
Scout & Cellar remains a Certified B Corporation, which underscores its commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) benchmarks in sourcing and packaging as well as companywide initiatives. The cleaner booze replaces processed, pesticide-laden and sugar-added commercial wines that people don’t want any more.
Full Glass Wine Co. bought Scout & Cellar in 2024. The company is now building a collection of high-end DTC wine brands. Scout & Cellar can use more resources, shared infrastructure (like warehouses in the U.S.), and operational knowledge thanks to this deal. It might be helping with the rollout.
Scout & Cellar is now a mix of old-school MLM/direct-sales companies and new-school DTC brands because of these changes. The brand wants to be more open, competitive, and scalable by combining ethical, sustainable wine production with better technology, a simpler way to make money, and a better experience for consultants.
Will better fulfillment and integration with Shopify be enough to keep things running smoothly during times of high demand or growth?
Scout & Cellar must find a balance between using centralized resources and keeping its unique Clean-Crafted™ identity under Full Glass Wine Co.
Many people don’t drink wine every day or week, so it may be harder for consultants to keep their income steady over time than with fast-moving consumables.
Scout & Cellar’s eighth anniversary is more than just a big deal. The company is changing how it does business by combining DTC e-commerce, ethical wine production, and a new direct-sales model to appeal to both modern shoppers and independent sellers. Adding Shopify, better consultant benefits, and faster order fulfillment are all big steps toward making the business run more smoothly, openly, and competitively. Scout & Cellar is still facing some problems, but under Full Glass Wine Co.’s ownership, it looks more and more like a model for how wine and lifestyle brands can combine purpose, product, and platform in the digital age.
Get more information
There are no reviews yet. Be the first one to write one.
