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Guizhou Moutai takes a key step in building a multi-dimensional collaborative marketing system of “Direct Sales + Distributors + Consignment + Consignment Sale.”

On March 13, Shanghai Securities News reporters learned from multiple distributors that starting from March this year, several non-standard products, including Aged Moutai (15 years), Boutique Moutai, Zodiac Moutai, and kilogram Moutai, have fully implemented the “Consignment Sale” model.

On the evening of January 13, Guizhou Moutai announced that the company’s operating model would shift from the traditional “Direct Sales + Distributors” to a multi-dimensional collaborative marketing system of “Direct Sales + Distributors + Consignment + Consignment Sale” to better meet, reach, and convert consumer demand.

According to the new rules, all consigned products must be sold through the iMoutai platform at the official unified price. Distributors no longer own the products nor participate in pricing; they only assist in promotion and sales as service providers and can earn a 5% service fee of the total sales price. The company has also set relevant assessment requirements.

An industry insider believes that this innovation in the sales model for non-standard products is beneficial for Guizhou Moutai to control prices and aligns with the company’s comprehensive market-oriented reform towards “C.”

“Although the profit per transaction may not be as high as when earning from price differences in the past, in the long run, this is a relatively ideal model,” said a distributor. Under the new model, distributors do not need to lock up large amounts of capital; they only need to pay a deposit to steadily earn 5%.

A source provided a table clearly showing the operation process and rules of the consignment model.

Taking Guizhou Moutai (15) as an example, if a distributor currently consigned 10 boxes (6 bottles per box) at a unit price of 4,199 yuan per bottle, they need to pay a one-time deposit of 4,199×6×10=251,940 yuan.

This deposit remains valid throughout the contract period, and no additional payment is needed for restocking later. For each bottle sold, the distributor earns about 210 yuan in service fees (about 5% of the selling price), with a total of 12,597 yuan in service fees per box.

However, the new model also introduces new assessment pressures. It is reported that only when inventory drops below 30% of the initial stock can distributors apply for restocking; if they do not apply for restocking for two consecutive months, the system will automatically terminate their consignment rights for that product.

“This means we must actively seek new customers and improve our customer acquisition capabilities,” admitted another distributor.

Not all distributors feel pressured. Some with stable customer resources say that the total consignment volume is currently not very large and has limited impact on them.

Chinese independent wine industry commentator Xiao Zhuqing believes that Guizhou Moutai’s move is highly similar to the marketing logic of Apple iPhones and Tesla cars: brand owners hold the ownership and pricing rights of the products, while channel service partners rely on product display and user experience services to earn service fees. Since the service fee is decoupled from the transaction price, this fundamentally ends any possibility of channel dealers and “bounty hunters” influencing Moutai prices.

Author: Gao Zhigang