1) The New York Grape and Wine Classifieds launched in April 2009 and has had almost 500 ads listed in its first year of existence. (The previous site hosted an average of about 80-90 listings per year.)
2) A user survey found that 77 percent of users had a favorable or very favorable impression of the new site and 87 percent found the site easy to use.
3) Survey respondents indicated that the website helped them to sell or purchase 346 tons of grapes and 10,250 gallons of bulk wine this year. Based on the overall average prices for grapes and bulk wine this year, the Finger Lakes Grape Program (FLGP) estimates that the site was responsible for over $260,000 worth of fruit and wine sales for the industry this year.
4) The FLGP acquired $5,000 in funding from the New York Wine and Grape Foundation for the development and maintenance of the website in 2009. The FLGP also worked with the Foundation to market the site to grape and wine industries in other states around the country. This effort will continue over the next couple of years.
impact statement issue
The recent downturn in the economy left many wineries in New York with higher than normal inventories as consumers cut back on purchases and visited fewer tasting rooms. A number of wineries found themselves with more bulk wine than they needed, which meant that they would also be purchasing fewer grapes from growers. This resulted in a significant surplus of grapes in New York and especially in the Finger Lakes region in 2009, particularly those varieties used for premium wines. Many buyers of grapes indicated early in the growing season that they were going to substantially cut back on their grape purchases this year or eliminate them altogether. Growers had to find a way to market surplus fruit and wineries needed a way to market surplus bulk wine.
impact statement response
The Finger Lakes Grape Program (FLGP) developed the ‘New York Grape and Wine Classifieds’ website for growers and wineries throughout New York to help market their surplus fruit and wine to new buyers. The site replaced the former Finger Lakes Grape Listing site (discontinued due to technical issues). The new site allows any grower or winery in New York to quickly and easily create classified ads for their surplus fruit and wine, and for businesses looking for those products to find them. The site includes other categories such as equipment, vines, and a help-wanted section. Listings from people outside New York are limited to those looking to purchase grapes, wine or equipment, but the site is free for anyone to use and search. The FLGP also developed instructional screencast videos and written materials to help users search for and create ad listings for the site. The site’s address is http://media.cce.cornell.edu/hosts/grape-classifieds.
impact statement summary
The New York Grape and Wine Classifieds website hosted almost 500 ads for growers and wineries to buy and sell grapes and bulk wine in 2009, its first year, and was responsible for the sale and purchase of at least 346 tons of grapes and 10,250 gallons of bulk wine, with an estimated total value of over $260,000.
