Nick Fede Jr., Executive Director, Rhode Island Liquor Operators Collaborative.
How to Have a Successful Holiday Selling Season
By Nick Fede, Jr., Director, Rhode Island Liquor Operators Collaborative
The holiday season is the Super Bowl of beverage alcohol retail. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s, customers spend more on wine, spirits and beer than during any other stretch of the year—and they expect an elevated, effortless shopping experience. For retailers, it’s both an opportunity and a test: How well you’ve trained your staff, stocked your shelves and communicated your story will determine whether you merely survive December or finish the year strong.
Here are some key strategies that retailers across Rhode Island have used to make the holiday season not just busy but successful, sustainable and enjoyable.
Plan Your Inventory Like a Chef Prepping for a Feast
Success starts weeks before the first bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau hits the shelf. Retailers should review sales data from previous years, identify seasonal winners and adjust for current trends. Are your customers leaning into ready-to-drink cocktails this year? Have they shifted from Napa Cabernets toward Italian reds? Knowing those answers lets you order smartly and avoid both stockouts and overstock.
Don’t forget logistics. Distributors get backed up, warehouses run thin and trucks get delayed once December hits. Place your key orders early and confirm delivery dates in writing. Build a reserve of bestsellers—prosecco, bourbon, Irish cream and mid-priced Pinot Noir—so you’re not scrambling when customers come in for “just one more bottle” before Christmas dinner.
Train Your Staff to Be Holiday Ambassadors
A knowledgeable, enthusiastic staff is your best sales tool. This is the season to invest time in short daily “huddles.” Review what’s new on the floor, which products are on promotion and what substitutes to offer when items sell out. Equip your team with stories: “This Cabernet comes from a third-generation family vineyard in Sonoma,” or “This bourbon was part of a single-barrel pick from our trip to Kentucky.” Those details turn transactions into experiences.
Equally important, teach your staff to recognize and celebrate repeat customers. A warm “Welcome back!” or a quick “How did that wine go over at Thanksgiving?” creates loyalty that lasts long after the tinsel comes down.
Promote Early, Often and Everywhere
The best holiday retailers start building awareness in early November. Use social media to spotlight new arrivals, seasonal gift sets and tasting events. Short videos or reels showing staff unboxing holiday shipments or recommending “what to pour with turkey” perform
especially well.
Email newsletters should highlight convenience—extended hours, curbside pickup or same-day delivery—and emphasize limited-time deals. Partner with local restaurants or with community events to cross-promote; Rhode Island consumers love supporting small businesses that collaborate.
Host Experiences, Not Just Tastings
In the post-COVID retail landscape, people crave connection. Holiday weekends are a chance to create memories as well as sales. Consider small, themed events that emphasize the festive, gift-giving season. These events draw foot traffic, generate social media content and position your store as a destination—not just a stop.
Partnering with local distilleries, breweries or wineries also strengthens Rhode Island’s beverage community. When a customer samples a spirit from a South County distiller and loves it, everyone wins: the producer, the retailer and the customer who now feels part of a local story.
Keep Compliance and Community at the Center
Amid the rush, never lose sight of the rules. Card every customer who looks under 40. Rhode Island beverage alcohol retailers know that professionalism and compliance protect the entire
industry’s reputation.
Also remember the “neighbor” part of “neighborhood store.” Collect donations for a local food bank, sponsor a toy drive or spotlight a Rhode Island-made product. When your store contributes to the community, your customers notice—and remember.
Finish Strong and Reflect
Once January arrives, don’t just collapse (tempting though it may be). Review what worked: which promotions moved the needle, what inventory lagged and how staffing levels held up. Meet with your distributor reps early in the new year to debrief. Those conversations pay dividends next holiday season.
Closing Thoughts
The holiday season tests every part of a retailer’s operation—but it’s also when our industry shines brightest. People come through our doors to celebrate milestones, reconnect with friends and mark the end of another year. We have the privilege of helping them raise a glass.
If we plan carefully, sell thoughtfully and treat every customer like a guest at our own holiday table, success follows naturally. From all of us at RILOC, here’s to a safe, spirited and prosperous season for every Rhode Island retailer.
Nick Fede Jr. serves as RILOC’s Executive Director, American Beverage Licensees’ Vice President (Off-Premise) and is a third-generation liquor retailer.
