The Liquor Stores Association NSW/ACT (LSA) has partnered with the National Online Retailers Association (NORA) to give its online liquor retail members access to specialised and additional events, insights and education.

The partnership joins other LSA national affiliations with the Australian Liquor Stores Association (ALSA), the National Retail Association (NRA), and the Associations Forum.

LSA’s Executive Director, Michael Waters, said the new partnership was driven by growth in online liquor retail membership. Waters said there has been significant growth in the segment since increased regulation in NSW has made packaged liquor licences more difficult to obtain.

“In 2009 when I started with the association there were only six online retailers; today there are about 350,” Waters said.

“NORA members all have to have an online presence, some have bricks and mortar stores as well,” Water explained. “Some of their members are our members as well, and some of their members are not in liquor.”

LSA currently has around 40 online liquor retailers as members and Waters believes that number will continue to grow.

To support these members, LSA has taken several steps over the last few years to improve its online service offering, which also includes the election of the Board’s first online liquor retailer as a committee member. David Short, owner of Shorty’s Liquor CBD was among the first to pioneer the online sale and delivery of alcohol in Sydney’s CBD and has been central to growing LSA’s presence in this segment.

LSA’s annual awards now also feature the Online Liquor Store of the Year award, judged by NORA. Online liquor retailers are judged on design, content, structure & navigation, functionality, interactivity and overall experience across their web, mobile and tablet site.

Tickets to the awards are still available. Click here to purchase them.