Ask the Collective
The questions independent drinks founders ask most — answered. Distilled from years of community knowledge so the good stuff never disappears in the feed again.
What is the current sales performance and experience with NOT IN THE HIGH ST as a retail channel?
NOT IN THE HIGH ST has experienced a significant decline in sales volume for members over the past couple of years. The channel was previously strong for seasonal peaks (Father's Day events generating around 500 bottles), but has contracted sharply as competition has intensified. **Key findings:** - **Volume decline** — Members report dropping from ~200 bottles/month baseline with seasonal peaks of ~500 (Father's Day) down to approximately 20 bottles/month currently. This decline is attributed to increased competition as other sellers discovered and leveraged the personalisation angle that initially worked well on the platform. - **Timing** — The significant drop-off began after Christmas (noted as "very quiet for us since Christmas" in recent discussions). - **Current assessment** — The consensus is that NOT IN THE HIGH ST has become oversaturated and is no longer a reliable sales channel for most members. While the platform may still generate occasional orders, members should expect substantially lower volumes than in previous years and plan alternative revenue channels accordingly.
What KPIs should you track to measure a dedicated sales representative's performance for an alcoholic beverage brand?
For a single-brand or small-portfolio sales role in the UK, members emphasise **activity-based metrics** over output alone, particularly because London's on-trade market is highly competitive and education-heavy for niche categories like sake. **Key recommendations:** - **Activity focus** — Track input metrics (calls, visits, conversations) as a leading indicator; members stressed that 'being active seems to be a dying art' and that activity levels expose weaknesses early. This is especially critical for niche categories where category education is time-consuming. - **On-trade listings won** — For London focus, measure secured accounts and placements rather than volume alone; members noted that defining your objective upfront (profit vs. halo accounts vs. volume) changes how you measure success. - **Multi-skilled execution** — KPIs should reflect the rep's ability to handle both pure sales and education; for niche drinks, 'sales skills alone aren't enough—there must be genuine passion and dedication to elevate the entire category.' - **Cost-per-listing benchmark** — Members recommend clarifying upfront how much you're willing to lose per on-trade listing won, as a dedicated single-brand rep is typically a loss-maker for several years before ROI. **Caveats:** Members flagged that niche categories (like sake) require reps with both commercial drive and genuine category passion—pure sales metrics can mask a lack of motivation if the rep isn't passionate about the drink. One member noted they'd used **Nomad Collection** agency for years with 'nice guys' but achieved limited on-trade traction, suggesting that agency vs. dedicated hire choice matters as much as the KPIs themselves.