What Day Do Liquor Stores Make the Most Money?

And How Can Wine and Liquor Store Owners Take Advantage of It?

You know the saying: “It’s five o’clock somewhere.” Well, for liquor store owners, there are certain days when it’s not just five o’clock—it’s payday, baby. Liquor store sales aren’t evenly spread throughout the year; there are specific holidays and days that see massive spikes in revenue. 

So, what days bring in the most cash, and how can you as a wine and liquor store owner take full advantage of them? Spoiler alert: It’s more than just stocking your shelves—you need to get creative with strategies, tactics, and even your shopping carts.

The Biggest Money-Making Days for Liquor Stores

First, let’s talk about when liquor stores rake in the most money. While you might think every Friday night is a gold mine, there are a few key dates that stand out. Here are the days that liquor store owners circle in bright red on their calendars:

• New Year’s Eve: This one’s a no-brainer. People are stocking up for the biggest party of the year.
• Fourth of July: Independence Day means BBQs, fireworks, and lots of beer and liquor.
• Thanksgiving: Yes, Thanksgiving. While people aren’t necessarily guzzling booze on turkey day, they’re prepping for the weekend ahead.
• Christmas Eve: People want to be well-stocked for family gatherings, and wine and liquor top the list.
• Super Bowl Sunday: Even if you’re not a sports fan, you know that this day is all about food, drinks, and commercials.

These days are when people come in droves, and it’s your job to make sure you maximize every sale. So, let’s dive into some smart strategies to boost sales in a liquor store during these peak periods.

How to Increase Liquor Store Sales During Big Sales Days

1. Run Targeted Promotions and Bundle Deals

If you want to know how to increase liquor store sales, start by offering irresistible promotions. For example, create special bundles for popular holidays. Bundling a few bottles of wine with a festive bottle opener or a fancy cocktail shaker can be more appealing than selling each item individually. Who doesn’t love getting more bang for their buck?

Another strategy is to time your discounts. Offering last minute discounts and flash sales in your liquor store means providing significantly reduced prices on specific products for a very short period of time. This strategy helps create a sense of urgency and encourages customers to buy immediately. This is often used in retail to clear excess inventory or generate quick sales by leveraging the “fear of missing out” psychology.

Offer steep discounts on specific brands or products during the last hour before you close. That last-minute shopper will feel like they’ve struck gold, and you’ll move products faster than you can say “happy hour.”

2. Host In-Store Events and Tastings

During major holidays or big sales days, it’s all about creating an experience. Many of the best liquor stores in the US will tell you that hosting in-store tastings is a great way to drive foot traffic and increase liquor store sales. People are more likely to buy a bottle of wine or liquor if they’ve had a chance to try it first, especially if they’ve got a holiday party to host.

Here’s a tip: Don’t just focus on what’s trendy—feature some hidden gems. People love to feel like they’ve discovered something new, and it’ll give you an edge over the competition.

3. Maximize Your Digital Marketing and Social Media Presence

You might have the best promotions in town, but if no one knows about them, they’re useless. In the lead-up to big liquor store sales days, ramp up your social media game. Post photos of your best-selling products, share cocktail recipes, and announce any special offers you’ve got going on. You could even run a quick poll on Instagram or Facebook, asking your followers which limited-time deal they want to see.

And don’t forget email marketing. A well-timed email blast reminding customers to stock up for New Year’s Eve could be the nudge they need to stop by your store instead of your competitor’s.

4. Optimize Your Store Layout for Maximum Sales

Store layout can make or break a sale. When your store is strategically arranged, it naturally leads customers toward key products and encourages more impulse buys. This is where placement bias comes into play—customers are more likely to grab items at eye level. So, make sure your premium, high-margin items are placed where they can’t be missed.

5. The Secret Weapon: Upgrade Your Shopping Carts

If you’re really serious about increasing liquor store sales, you might want to rethink your shopping carts. Yes, the carts. Believe it or not, the right shopping cart for liquor stores can actually help you increase sales—effortlessly.

Take The Wine & Cheer Cart for example. This isn’t just any old cart. Its design taps into powerful psychological triggers, like the Zeigarnik Effect, which makes people more likely to finish incomplete tasks. When customers place a few bottles in the cart’s safety rings, the empty rings create a sense of an unfinished task, encouraging them to fill the cart. 

In fact, when studied, more than 70% of customers who use these carts report buying more bottles than they originally planned. Talk about an easy way to boost sales without lifting a finger!

But that’s not all. The Wine & Cheer Cart also leverages our natural predilection to achieve symmetry. This is how symmetry influences purchasing decisions. Studies show that humans are naturally drawn to balance and symmetry, which these carts have built into their design. When customers place items into the cart, they may feel compelled to complete a set of unfilled rings by filling them with bottles—resulting in bigger purchases.

So, if you want to passively increase sales in a liquor store, upgrading to carts like these is a no-brainer. You can’t find them at any of the other top shopping cart manufacturers; you need to contact The Wine & Cheer Cart directly.

6. Incentivize Bulk Purchases

During the holiday season, customers are often buying for parties or large gatherings. Why not capitalize on this by offering discounts for bulk purchases? If they buy three or more bottles of wine, they get 10% off. This not only encourages them to buy more but also improves their perception of value.

You can even create special packages with pre-selected items for convenience. This can be especially useful for customers in a rush who don’t want to spend time browsing.

7. Use Data to Drive Decisions

One of the best ways to increase sales in a liquor store is by leveraging data. Keep track of which products sell the most during your peak days and use that information to make smarter decisions for future promotions. Stock up on these best-sellers and place them in high-visibility areas.

8. Partner with Local Producers

There’s nothing like promoting local products to bring in extra foot traffic. Team up with local wineries, distilleries, or breweries to feature their products during big sales days. Not only does this give your customers something unique, but it also helps support your local community—something that resonates with today’s consumer.

Take Advantage of Every Opportunity to Boost Sales

Knowing which days liquor stores make the most money is just the first step. The real magic happens when you implement strategies that capitalize on those days, from hosting in-store events to offering special promotions and even upgrading your store’s carts.

For more tips on how to increase wine and liquor store sales, please subscribe to our blog! Let’s make this year’s holidays your most profitable holidays yet! Now get out there, put these tips into practice, and watch your sales soar. 

Cheers to more sales! 🥂