> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://crushsuite.gitbook.io/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://crushsuite.gitbook.io/docs/compliance/managing-products/alcohol-vs.-non-alcohol-products.md).

# Alcohol vs. Non-Alcohol Products

Your Shopify store can sell wine alongside merchandise, accessories, gift cards, and other non-alcohol items. CrushSuite distinguishes between these product types so that compliance rules only apply w

### How CrushSuite Tells Them Apart

CrushSuite identifies a product as an alcohol product when it has **compliance data** — specifically ABV (alcohol by volume) and volume (ml). Products without these fields are treated as non-alcohol items.

| Product Type                      | Has ABV & Volume? | Subject to Compliance?                                   |
| --------------------------------- | ----------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| Wine (any varietal)               | Yes               | Yes — state restrictions, alcohol fees, age verification |
| Beer, spirits, cider              | Yes               | Yes — same compliance rules apply                        |
| Merchandise (shirts, hats)        | No                | No — ships anywhere, no compliance checks                |
| Accessories (corkscrews, glasses) | No                | No                                                       |
| Gift cards                        | No                | No                                                       |
| Food items (cheese, crackers)     | No                | No                                                       |

***

### What This Means at Checkout

When a customer has a mixed cart (wine + merchandise), CrushSuite handles each product type appropriately:

* **Wine products:** Subject to state availability checks, alcohol fees, and compliance verification
* **Non-alcohol products:** No alcohol fees, and no state restrictions of their own. Note that in a **mixed cart**, the compliance check applies to the order as a whole — the non-alcohol items travel with the wine. A mixed order can therefore be held or flagged because of its wine component.

The state alcohol fee line item in the cart only counts wine bottles — merchandise in the cart doesn't affect the fee calculation.

***

### Making Sure Products Are Categorized Correctly

#### Vinoshipper users

Products synced from Vinoshipper automatically have compliance data (ABV, volume) mapped. Products you add directly to Shopify (like merchandise) won't have this data, so they'll naturally be treated as non-alcohol items.

#### Self-compliance users

When you add compliance data to a product in CrushSuite (Mapping Product Compliance Data), that product becomes subject to compliance rules. Products without compliance data are treated as non-alcohol.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Non-wine products are fully supported.** You don't need a separate Shopify store for merchandise. Compliance rules are driven by products with ABV and volume data. A cart containing **only** non-alcohol products flows through standard Shopify checkout with no compliance gates. A **mixed** cart is evaluated as one order, so the non-alcohol items follow the wine's compliance outcome.
{% endhint %}

***

### Common Questions

**Can a customer buy only merchandise (no wine) and skip compliance checks?** Yes — if you enable it. Turn on **Skip compliance when cart has no synced items** in the CS 5. Cart embed settings, and any cart containing only non-alcohol products (gift cards, merch) goes straight to Shopify checkout with no compliance form. The moment the cart contains at least one compliance-tracked product, the form reappears. If you leave the setting off, the compliance form shows for every checkout.

**What if I sell non-wine alcohol (cider, mead, spirits)?** If the product has ABV and volume data, CrushSuite treats it the same as wine for compliance purposes. State DTC shipping laws may vary for non-wine alcohol — consult your compliance counsel.

**What about wine accessories bundled with wine?** If you sell a gift set that includes a bottle of wine plus a corkscrew, the wine component should have compliance data. The accessory component (sold separately) should not.