Wine and web marketing strategies. The case study of Italian speciality wineries

This paper aims to investigate the level of internet marketing in use and the web marketing strategies models implemented by the Italian Speciality Wineries (ISWs). The paper surveyed a sample of 272 high quality wineries. The analysis of the existing web sites has been conducted through an adapted 7Cs model. The 7Cs model data analysis has been developed both at a univariate and a multivariate level. The entrepreneur’s perception of internet marketing has been analyzed through a market research questionnaire. The use of internet marketing by the ISWs is at an initial stage. “Show-case” is the main purpose while functionality is the most important web site characteristic. Five groups of wineries have been identified through cluster analysis. The web marketing approaches implemented revolve around the choice to effect online sales. The web marketing strategies map highlights that the future development of the ISWs web marketing models goes in two different directions. The entrepreneur’s perception of quality of the web site is identified in navigability parameters. The paper contributes to a greater knowledge of the strategic web marketing models utilized by Italian speciality wineries. It also discusses the entrepreneur’s perception of internet marketing.