New: Elevate Your Winery's Payment Experience with the ID Tech VivoPay 3300

We are thrilled to introduce the ID Tech VivoPay 3300, the ultimate all-in-one reader designed to enhance payment processing for wineries. With its small portable form factor, advanced features, and seamless integration with WineDirect POS, the VivoPay 3300 is set to transform your payment processing and boost customer satisfaction.

Key Benefits 

• All-in-one payment acceptance - Accept MagStripe, EMV cards, and NFC/contactless payments, catering to your customers' diverse payment preferences. Insert, tap, or swipe - the choice is yours! 
• Elevate the checkout experience - You can accept popular mobile wallets like Android Pay, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay. Empower your customers to pay however they prefer, creating a frictionless and convenient checkout experience. 
• Enhanced security - Rest easy knowing that the VivoPay 3300 is built with the highest security standards to protect your customers' payment data. Compliance with industry regulations ensures a secure and worry-free payment environment. 
• Seamless integration with WineDirect POS - The VivoPay 3300 seamlessly integrates with the WineDirect POS system, streamlining payment processing and eliminating manual input errors. This integration enhances operational efficiency and provides a seamless payment experience for both wineries and customers. 

Pricing 

The ID Tech VivoPay 3300 pricing starts at $145.00 USD per device. To place your order, please visit the shop page or contact WineDirect Payments at (818) 346-9888. 

visit store

 

Bundle and Save

For a limited time, we are offering special savings on the VP3300 card reader and an enclosure/stand solution.

• For iPad Generations 7, 8, or 9 (Save $70!)
• For iPad Mini 6th Generation (Save $70!)
• For all other iPad sizes, choose the ID Tech Stand. (Save $35!)

All-New WineDirect 

The ID Tech VivoPay 3300 is currently undergoing testing for seamless integration with the All-New WineDirect platform. By this summer, you can expect a powerful combination that streamlines processes and enhances your winery's payment experience. Get ready to elevate your operations with the VivoPay 3300 and the All-New WineDirect platform. For the latest details, see what's new with the new platform.

Eligibility Requirements 

• Participants must be current customers of WineDirect Payments and be based in the US 
• If you are NOT already using WineDirect Payments for payment processing, we recommend starting the sign-up process today so that you will be eligible to obtain the solution and purchase hardware. 
• Participants must purchase terminals from WineDirect Payments to ensure they have the correct encryption.  
• We encourage you to visit the WineDirect Payments store and order your terminals now. Inventory is available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Please note that the ID Tech VivoPay 3300 is designed for use with one card reader per iPad, providing optimal performance and security. While the device can be uninstalled and paired with different iPads, it is not recommended for daily use in a busy environment. To ensure smooth operations, we recommend ordering one ID Tech VivoPay 3300 for each iPad you plan to use as a checkout station. 

Support 

If you have any questions, please review the complete documentation and contact our team at support@winedirectpayments.com.

New: Unlock Customer Insights with Enhanced GetContactStatus() Method

Exciting news for wineries! Our GetContactStatus() method has been upgraded, offering access to all contact statuses through our API. Easily retrieve crucial customer information, including "Prospect," "1st Time Customer," and "Repeat Customer" statuses.

Benefits:

• Streamlined Integration, Enhanced Results: Seamlessly integrate and streamline your Contact Services 3.0 workflow. Fine-tune marketing strategies and nurture customer relationships with precision.

• Effortless Engagement Customization: Leverage a variety of contact statuses for powerful customer insights. Tailor engagement effortlessly, nurture prospects, and reward loyalty for growth.

• Swift Implementation, Instantaneous Results: Explore documentation for seamless implementation of enhanced GetContactStatus(). Retrieve customer statuses effortlessly and achieve swift results.

Check out the documentation for more information about Contact Services 3.0.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at support@winedirect.com.

New: Zeamster Payment Gateway Enhancements

Update 9/25/2023: We're excited to announce the deployment of Zeamster Enhancements! This update offers streamlined payment processing, enhanced features to mitigate duplicate orders, and ensures accurate transaction tracking. If you encounter POS issues, please refer to our 'Fix: POS Blank Deposit Account Error' article. For additional questions, reach out to our support team via the 'Ask a question' option in the bottom right chat bubble or email us at support@winedirect.com.

Update 9/18/2023: We've decided to postpone the deployment of the Zeamster Enhancements due to some issues encountered by wineries. We're addressing these problems and aim to roll out the updates on Wednesday, September 18, 2023, at 5:00 a.m. PDT. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

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As part of our commitment to continually improving the winery experience, we are excited to announce enhancements to the Zeamster payment gateway. We have reprogrammed the entire payments integration to improve transactional reliability for WineDirect clients who use WineDirect Payments and Zeamster as their default payment gateway. This massive overhaul will bring new behavior, such as Zeamster credential validation, multi-merchant functionality, and a section to define a deposit account depending on its transaction origins. We've made several improvements and fixes to the payment processing system.

These features are only for WineDirect Payment customers with Zeamster as their default payment gateway. If you have any questions or want to switch to WineDirect Payments and/or Zeamster, please get in touch with WineDirect Payments.

Here are the key benefits: 

• The EMV and VivoPay terminals now process payments more efficiently, which means faster transactions and less data sent 
• We've added new features to prevent duplicate orders and to keep track of transactions more accurately 
• The overall payment process has been improved 

And here are the bugs we've fixed: 

• Duplicate and missing orders have been eliminated 
• We can now retrieve the proper location ID 
• Camera capture for purchases now works correctly 
• EMV terminal timeout messaging fixed 

Deposit Accounts 

One of the additional features we added as a part of the refactoring project is the ability to select a specific deposit account for a transaction, depending on its origin. 

The way that deposit accounts function is that orders and transaction amounts from a specific source or origin will appear in a specified deposit account. Check out the documentation on deposit accounts here.

Please note that you do not need to perform any manual setup if you do not wish to change your default deposit accounts. We have selected a default deposit account for all transactions. Please change these settings at your own risk, as it can affect your internal accounting. 

Eligibility Requirements:

• Use WineDirect Payments (FortisPay) with Zeamster as your default gateway

Looking to upgrade to Zeamster as your default gateway? Reach out to WineDirect Payments here.

Looking for more info on Zeamster? Check out the documentation here.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at support@winedirect.com.

New: WineDirect & Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

If you are a Google Analytics user, you may have observed that Google Analytics 4 will replace Universal Analytics. As of July 1, 2023, Universal Analytics properties will no longer handle data. However, you can still access your Universal Analytics reports for a limited time after July 1, 2023. Note that incoming data will only be directed to Google Analytics 4 properties.

New Google Analytics 4 Integration

We are excited to introduce the new WineDirect integration for Google Analytics 4 (GA4). WineDirect integration for GA4 is now live and enabled by default for all wineries. With this integration, you can seamlessly connect your WineDirect account with GA4, allowing you to track and analyze key metrics related to your winery. By leveraging the power of GA4, you will gain deeper insights into customer behavior, marketing effectiveness, and overall performance.

 

Setup

We have prepared a comprehensive step-by-step guide to get started with the WineDirect integration. You can find this guide on the WineDirect documentation site, which provides detailed instructions on how to set up and configure the integration to ensure smooth data flow between WineDirect and GA4.

ADDITIONAL CONTEXT

Check out this blog from our friends at WineGlass Marketing about updating your Google Analytics.

Support

We value your feedback and are committed to continuously improving our services. If you have any questions, suggestions, or issues during the integration process, please don't hesitate to contact our dedicated support team at support@winedirect.com. We are here to assist you every step of the way.

Update: Temecula Valley Wine & Agricultural Heritage District Tax

Update 6/28/2023: We have successfully resolved the bug regarding the Temecula tax applying to non-taxable products. With the fix in place, you can now confidently utilize the Temecula tax feature without any concerns about incorrect tax calculations for non-taxable products.

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On April 1, 2021, a hybrid tax was implemented for all wineries within the Temecula Valley Wine & Agricultural Heritage District (TVWAHD). This five-year term stipulates that 1% of all gross sales be funneled into advertising for the valley.

If your winery is based in the Temecula region, you must collect the TVWAHD tax. We have recently enhanced our application to allow the collection of this tax. This tax will be applied on top of other applicable taxes. In addition, the TVWAHD itself is subject to sale tax. Please see the instructions below on how to enable it.

How to Enable TVWAHD Tax:

• Start by logging into the admin panel and clicking on Settings > Website Settings. Click on the Store tab and expand the “State Profile” section to access the following screen:

• Add “TVWAHD” and select the “Is TVWAHD?” checkbox 
• Then, navigate to Store > State Profile and select California. Click Edit in the Wines section and set the tax rate for the TVWAHD 

• Customers will now see this tax applied when they checkout their order 

If you have any questions, please get in touch with support@winedirect.com.

We're Upgrading Your Support Experience

We are excited to announce enhancements to your support experience at WineDirect! With the new support tools, you can expect a seamless and fast support experience. Your inquiries will be routed directly to the best person available to assist, providing you with quick and accurate solutions.

Key Benefits:

• Streamlined user experience 
• Centralized hub for all support interactions
• Faster resolution time since our team can collaborate seamlessly

The new support tools bring you the convenience of getting help right where you need it - directly within the WineDirect platform. To get started now, simply click on the pink chat bubble in the bottom-right corner of this page. Keep your eyes peeled on the WineDirect Administration Panel, as well, as we will be rolling this feature out to wineries in the coming days.

As part of this upgrade, access to the legacy ticketing system will be discontinued. Archived tickets will remain accessible to clients through March 1st, 2023. Should you wish to back up the details of any support tickets, simply access the legacy support portal from the WineDirect Administration Panel: Click Support>View All Cases>Click on any case 'Detail' button and screenshot the relevant information.

We are confident that this upgrade will bring you a more efficient and satisfying support experience, and we can't wait for you to try it out. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at support@winedirect.com.

New Feature: Stronger Password Policy for Winery Customers

Online security continues to be a top concern for wineries. WineDirect is always looking at the latest security trends to keep wineries and their customers safe.

We are excited to announce our new, more secure password policy for your winery customers. Having a strong and unique password can drastically help protect them against malicious attempts. New passwords must:

• Be at least 12 characters long.
• Contain letters, numbers and special characters (~!@#$%^&*_-+=`|\(){}[]:;"'<>,.?/)

This update will only affect new passwords created for new users or users who change their password or edit their profile; current passwords will not be affected.

Here is where the new password policy is live and where it is planned to be implemented next.

Phase One (currently live):

• Front-end websites
• Forgot password
• Edit profile

Phase Two (ETA: Q1 2023):

• Point-of-Sale (POS)

Please check our security documentation for more information about WineDirect's security measures.

Update: WineDirect Platform Stability - December 2022

The 2022 Holidays were busy for wineries. WineDirect is delighted to report almost zero downtime across all our applications! Our commitment to platform stability has never been stronger as we understand how crucial continuous uptime is for your winery. From your website to point of sale, having reliable connectivity is critical for the day-to-day activities you rely on to sell DTC.

We are pleased to provide the following summary report on application uptime for December 2022:

“For wineries, the holiday season is the most critical time of year. Our engineering team and automated systems enabled our clients to get through this busy season without downtime, even during peak hours. We remain dedicated to constructing a strong and dependable platform for all wineries.” 

- Edwin Lo, WineDirect Product Owner

Thank you for trusting us with your DTC operations. Check out the WineDirect Status page for the latest up-to-date system status.

New: Strong Cyber Weekend Results for 2022

The post-Thanksgiving weekend is such a key time for wineries, with everyone pulling together to reach their sales goals while providing a great experience for consumers. Despite challenging market conditions, your hard work paid off. While sales declined compared to last years' post pandemic spending sprees, same-store sales across all DTC channels increased +6% compared to 2020 and a strong +20% compared to pre-pandemic 2019. 

 

WineDirect Platform Stability: Black Friday Through Cyber Monday

Our Classic platform performance also continued to be a standout - our continuing commitment to enhancing our architecture has resulted in lightning-fast transaction speed and stability, even in the face of extremely high demand.

These enhancements are just the beginning of what's in store as we count down the days until All-New WineDirect is available for all wineries in early 2023. We are incredibly grateful to have you join us for this next step forward. 🥂 

You're Protected - OpenSSL Security Vulnerability

Here at WineDirect, providing a secure platform for wineries and their clients is a top priority. We have recently become aware of possible vulnerability issues with OpenSSL. OpenSSL is one of the most widely used technologies that allows information technology systems to communicate securely.

There is no risk for WineDirect clients. In less than 24 hours, we have finished reviewing all services and can confirm we are 100% in the clear. This includes all platforms such as fulfillment, ecommerce, etc.

We will continue to monitor the situation and share updates promptly. We appreciate your support in achieving our shared objective of top-notch performance across our whole platform. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to hello@winedirect.com.

 

Thank you, Kalani Keala Chief Information & Security Officer, CISO Kalani.Keala@winedirect.com