Product allocations allow you to create exclusive offers for limited-release products targeted at specific customer segments. For example, you can allocate a rare vintage wine with limited availability (e.g. 500 bottles) to members in the Gold Membership Tier who have spent at least $4,000 in the past 12 months.

VIDEO GUIDE: Setting up Allocations

Allocation emails are deemed to be 'promotional' so will only be sent to customers who have consented to marketing emails (eg. your newsletter subscribers)

How to Create an Allocation

1. Open the Allocations tab in Winehub

   • Click on 'Create New'

2. Set Up the Allocation

   • Follow the on-screen prompts to configure the allocation.
   • Choose the product to be offered (ensure stock levels are sufficient).
   • Set an expiry date that is at least twice the length of your allocation acceptance limit. For example, if customers have 7 days to respond, set the expiry to at least 14 days to allow time for waitlisted customers to purchase.
   • Decide whether to publish the allocation immediately or schedule it for a future date.
   • Optionally, assign the first offer to a specific customer from the waitlist to get started, or let Winehub randomly select. Note: Offers are sent out hourly, so publishing might not result in immediate dispatch.

3. Build Customer Requirements

   • Use the Customer Requirements Builder to define eligibility criteria.
   • Fill out the Requirements or use an existing customer segment to generate a Customer Offer List.
   • Review the generated list, and add or remove customers manually as needed.

4. Manage Stock and Waitlist

   • If the number of eligible customers exceeds stock availability, Winehub will automatically create a waitlist.
   • Offers are sent to the maximum number of customers that stock offered allows, calculated as:
     Available Stock ÷ Bottles per Offer = Maximum Offers Sent Initially.
   • Rejected offers or those that time out will automatically be sent to the next customer on the waitlist until the allocation expiry date.
     

Use the 'first come, first served' option to offer the total stock offered. This allows you to have an initial offering greater than the Available Stock ÷ Bottles per Offer.

1. Customer Notifications

   • Customers will receive an invitation to purchase via email, including details of their acceptance deadline.
   • Reminder emails are sent based on the schedule you configure in the Allocation setup (customise these in Winehub settings > Action Email Template).

2. Order Completion

   • Once a customer accepts an offer, they have a limited time (default: 3 days) to complete their order. This draft order expiration can be modified in Winehub General Settings.
     

Best Practices for Allocations

• Always ensure stock levels are accurate to avoid overpromising.
• Include at least one waitlisted customer in your initial allocation to maintain momentum.
• Use clear and targeted customer requirements to maximise conversion.

By setting up allocations effectively, you can optimise the sale of rare or limited-stock items while rewarding your most loyal customers.