In-store Product Demonstrations

Preparing for your tour or event

Hosting a sampling or product demonstration in our stores allows you to connect with your existing and new customers in a fun and personal way. To submit a request for samplings or demos in any Total Wine & More store, please begin by reviewing our guidelines.

Sampling and demo events are only permitted for products we currently carry in our stores. (Need to submit a new product? See our Product Submission page.

We require specific notification timelines so we may order products for your events. Exceptions can be made if booking directly with a store that already has inventory of your product available.

• Beer suppliers/distributor – 2 weeks notice
• Nationally distributed producer tours – 6 weeks notice

We do not provide lodging.

Market Restrictions

Requirements for in-store product demonstrations may vary by state and county. Please familiarize yourself with the applicable laws, guidelines, and permit and training requirements before your scheduled store visit. We reserve the right to turn you away if you are not in compliance with applicable laws on the date of your scheduled in-store demonstration. If you have further questions please reach out to your Total Wine Buying Partner.

Safety Protocols

Before your demonstration, it is important that you review our protocols listed below:

• All demonstrators must check in with the Store Manager upon arrival and after a demonstration has ended.
• The demonstrator will pour product into a plastic thimble tasting cup as each customer approaches. Do not pre-pour samples. Tasting cups will not be re-used.
• Sanitize and wipe down the tasting area frequently between customers.

Submitting a Request

• We encourage advanced scheduling for better availability of tasting hours and lead time to order sufficient inventory.
• Our product guidelines for tastings are relatively flexible but do vary by state. However, consistency amongst all states we prefer items meet one or more of the following:
  • New Items
  • Innovative Items
  • Local Items
  • Seasonal Items
  • Above average price point items (i.e., Wine $15+ and Spirits $25+)
• You must submit the online request to be considered for a tasting event. You can enter up to 25 tastings/demos on a single request form.
• A submission email will send once your tastings are submitted. Use the unique link found in this email to track the status of your requests. We will respond to your tasting request within 10 business days.
• To see the submission process, review the TWM Vendor Tasting Request Guide.

Best Practices and Tips for Submitting

TWM Vendor Tasting Request Guide

Troubleshooting

If you are having issues with submitting samplings, please refer to the details below to understand and resolve your issue.

Error Code:

• The SKU provided is not available at [list of stores] - There are two possible issues related to this error:
  • The product is not available for web sales in the store - Check the website and select the store you are trying to schedule.  If the product does not show as available to buy online, then scheduling tastings is not possible.
  • The SKU was entered incorrectly - Please review the SKU you've entered and ensure it contains the correct digits. Pro tip: Do not include the dash-digit at the end of the SKU (ex. '-1').
• Product is not eligible for sampling [list of stores] - There are two possible issues related to this error:
  • Reason 1: If the product was recently delivered for the first time to our stores, there is a waiting period before you can schedule a tasting. If you know this might be the issue, try again at the end of the following month. We are not able to bypass the waiting period.
  • Reason 2: Product does not meet our internal requirements for tastings. Not all products are eligible for sampling. We are not able to share the internal requirements or make exceptions. If your product is not new and you can see it on the website of the store, then this is the reason for the error.