LCBO Online Ordering System Faltering in Mississauga (and Beyond)

Back in July, the LCBO announced that you could order up to 5,000 products online and have them delivered directly to your door in Mississauga (and beyond).

Sadly, it doesn’t appear that the provincially-controlled store has generated a lot of online sales.

According to a recent Toronto Star article, the LCBO only nets about 80 or so online orders a day, meaning it has generated about about $1.7 million in sales so far.

“It’s a very small percentage of (the LCBO’s net) sales,” LCBO CEO George Soleas told The Star.

In fact, The Star reports that online sales represent about 10 per cent of what the brand loses annually to theft.

While Soleas told the news outlet that the LCBO hasn’t–at this point, at least–done too much in the way of marketing its new ecommerce site, the brand is hoping sales increase in the lead up to the holiday season.

In terms of marketing, it is true that the LCBO hasn’t done too much (at this juncture, at least) to spread the word about its online ordering system. That said, now is the time to remind people that they can order a vast selection of wine, beer, cider and spirits on the company’s website and access products that might not be available at local stores.

If you’re planning a Christmas party, you can order here (and the selection really is fantastic).

If you are, say, a red wine aficionado, you can refine your search by country, region, sub-region and price. You can also peruse bottles from the LCBO‘s vintages section and access a good number of online exclusives.

In terms of how it works, orders of $50 or more will be free to pick up at your local LCBO. Home delivery through Canada Post will cost $12 plus tax. Home delivery orders will arrive with two to three days, while pickup orders might take four to 12 days.

So, if you’re ordering a big batch of craft beer for a party, be sure to plan for a longer waiting period if you want to pick up in store to avoid the fee.

All in all, the ecommerce site is good for consumers — especially those who live near smaller LCBO locations with less selection. If you’re willing to wait a little longer or spend a little more, you’ll have access to brands and bottles that you might never have heard of otherwise.

So, Mississauga, take advantage of online ordering and get some booze delivered to your nearest LCBO location or your home. It’ll make party planning much easier this holiday season!