Food delivery today doesn’t feel like an immense achievement. It is an everyday thing. We can quickly calm our cravings through a few clicks here and there in food delivery apps like Uber, GrubHub, etc. But what about liquor? A blissful wave carried all the boozers to a trance when alcohol delivery services started in the USA with the advent of Drizly and Uber. We sure have heard of Uber as a ride-sharing and food delivery company, but does Ubereats deliver alcohol too? And if yes, then what are the process and requirements? Furthermore, where do we see alcohol delivery services going in the future?
Does Ubereats Deliver Alcohol?
Uber, a food delivery technology giant, had risen to success with its revolutionary ride-sharing idea in March 2009. The purpose was to provide rides to people in need, like taxis, using an app as a medium. It worked and led Uber to get funding of $11 million and $37 million from Feb-Dec 2011. Around this same time, another startup was making news as an alcohol delivery app – Drizly. Boozers could now order alcohol online. As Drizly was growing around, Uber was spreading itself as a food delivery company too. Uber Eats was introduced. But in 2021 it acquired Drizly and said cheers to this new delivery service too. So, does Uber Eats deliver alcohol? Yes, it does. UberEats Alcohol Delivery is a reality now. But there are restrictions to it.
Things You Need to Know About Uber Alcohol Delivery
Uber Alcohol Delivery as a service became a reality on October 13th, 2021 after completing its acquisition of Drizly. The deal stood at a whopping $1.1 billion. The purpose was to help the boozers that were typing alcohol delivery near me or Who delivers alcohol near me on their phones. It is now completely possible to order alcohol online using applications like Uber Eats. But the question is how is it possible? What are the restrictions under which it works? And what are the countries where Uber Eats delivers booze?
“Alcohol e-commerce is expected to reach $42 billion by 2025, a growth of over 66%”
How does Alcohol Delivery Actually Work?
Alcohol delivery, unlike food delivery, works under some restrictions and policies. Government usually scans Alcohol under hundreds of things because of its ability to intoxicate. For example, anyone can order food, be it elders, adults, or children. But when it comes to alcohol, every country puts an age bar on the buying process. Various countries have various limits set accordingly. This age limit keeps wobbling anywhere from 16 to 25. For example, the minimum age for buying alcohol in the USA is 21, while the same is 16 in Germany. Few African countries have no regulations set around alcohol.
Technology can now help companies deliver alcohol to homes in selective states. Depending upon the local laws about alcohol, delivery companies frame their policies accordingly to be in accordance with the laws. Furthermore, booze or liquor delivery depends on a few more things. Here is how it actually works:
- Liquor Delivery companies use a website or an application as a medium. Many companies like Uber Eats get their application developed through experience developers. Another option
is to choose clone app development. This helps liquor delivery startup companies to clone famous delivery apps and use them. You can be one of these too! - The delivery applications like Uber Alcohol Delivery then create a bridge between liquor and wine shops nearby and the buyers. These applications use location services like GPS to find the nearest shops based on proximity.
- Users use the application to find nearby wine and liquor shops.
- Users look through various choices and place their orders.
- Delivery agents thus pick up the orders and deliver them to the boozers.
This is the basic structure on which food and liquor delivery work.
But Uber alcohol delivery is a little different. So how does Ubereats deliver alcohol? And how can it deliver despite the restrictions? What is its revenue model?
How is Uber Eats Allowed to Deliver Alcohol?
Uber entered the alcohol business with its takeover of Drizly. Drizly was founded in 2012 as an alcohol delivery company. It covered various US states under its digital wheels. The company has over 4000 retail partners at present and serves over 1500 cities in 31 states. Uber Eats, on the other hand, currently handles liquor delivery for selected cities in Canada. The process Uber works under regarding liquor is a little different. Here is how the delivery process that Uber Eats uses to deliver alcohol:
- The delivery agents can choose freely to accept or reject the delivery.
- Delivery agents check the sobriety level of the buyers in various ways like these: if the customer is staggering; if the eyes are blood red; problems in breathing; poor coordination etc.
- One valid ID proof must be checked before passing the order in every state except British Columbia. In British Columbia, one must provide an extra ID to get the alcohol order confirmed.
- The agent must then match the photo in the ID with the person.
- The delivery agent must mark the reason for canceling the delivery order.
- Alcohol cannot be delivered to restricted places like parks, subways, or bus stops.
- The app accepts the order once everything is confirmed.
But what are the countries where Uber Eats Alcohol serves?
“Did you know that you are not allowed to consume alcohol in the British Parliament, unless you are the chancellor delivering the annual budget statement.”
Countries, States, and Cities where Uber Eats and Drizly Deliver Alcohol
Just because you are craving booze and looking for booze near you doesn’t mean you’ll get it. At present, Uber Eats and Drizzly work in selected states. Uber Alcohol Delivery works in selected Canadian cities, Florida, and New Zealand. If the restaurants near you that serve alcohol, or liquor shops, have registered them in the app, you may get your delivery.
When it comes to Drizly, alcohol can be delivered through the Drizly app in 31 US states. These states are Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, and Alberta. 1500 cities in these states come under Drizly.
But why are we seeing many startups around liquor doorstep delivery? What benefits does it offer? And how can you start an alcohol delivery business of your own?
Benefits of Alcohol Delivery Business
The delivery business around liquor works almost the same way as any other food delivery business. The only difference with alcohol is the laws and restrictions around alcohol. People today are looking for everything in their homes’ comfort. They want food to be delivered instantly when their hunger peaks, and so is with their booze-craving. People now often get this thought, ‘Where can I buy alcohol near me because of the way delivery startups have muffled the world. This very problem gives way to delivery startups providing better business solutions.
But what are the benefits of starting an alcohol delivery business? Does it have enough potential to yield revenue for the business?
Here are the following benefits that bolster the liquor delivery startup idea:
- The US alcohol market has seen revenue of US $261.10 billion in the year 2022. This is expected to grow with a CAGR of 10.5% by 2025. This growth in alcohol consumption opens up a river of fortune for businesses trying to capitalize on this space. Out of this revenue, online delivery services will generate 1.5%. This lower number is due to the absence of delivery businesses in this field. Companies are seeing a huge potential and are coming forward to fill this gap.
- The growing dependence of people on technology to buy groceries and every other item provides a sense of security to businesses stepping into the alcohol industry. At present, the US has an internet penetration rate of 92%. This means that almost 10 out of 10 people use the internet every day to lead their lives.
- Improved customer satisfaction is another benefit that people crave. We, humans, seek luxury in every little thing, and this craving increases when it comes to boozers. And what better luxury is there to get the booze delivered to your doorstep when you feel like having it but do not want to step out?
- You help a good cause of “do not drink and drive”. Because people will be getting their bottles at home, there are fewer chances that they will be driving. It helps not only them but others who walk with their loved ones beside the roads.
- Reduced costs of application development have provided a sigh of relief to startups with restricted budgets. Today, app development is more pocket-friendly than a decade ago. Applications like Ubereats Alcohol Delivery are easier to make. There is a more efficient option like App Development. It helps you get your favorite app cloned and get your business running.
- The convenience of online platforms leads to a higher Customer Retention Rate. Food delivery business models have also seen this surge.
Apart from these above benefits, there are many reasons like better safety, extended sales, reduced startup costs, branding opportunities, etc. that make this a better option. So, how do you get your business started running and peak?
How You Can Put a Step in Liquor Delivery Business?
The way to any online delivery business goes through a well-thought business framework and efficient execution. But because alcohol is not an ordinary product, it goes through various provincial laws and regulations. Read this article if you want to get in-depth knowledge about how to start an alcohol delivery business. Otherwise, here is a brief on how to work through it.
- The first to any delivery business, or any business, is to check with the local laws. Some countries do not allow alcohol. It is illegal there. The first step is thus to check your country’s laws regarding alcoholic products like wine, rum, beer, etc.
- Setting up an online ordering system is the next step. Make sure that your delivery app helps your business model and does not restrict it. For example, if your business model considers advertisement to be the major source of revenue, provide relevant and proper spaces for advertisements.
- Then it comes down to app development. You may either get your delivery app developed afresh or get the app clone done through trusted companies. Many Clone development provides quick and effective solutions, thereby saving time and money.
- Buy servers to provide a platform for your website and application. Having better servers provides smooth surfing and transaction experiences to customers. This leads to trust and revenue growth.
- Hire delivery agents, promote your app to alcohol stores and a targeted customer base, and get things running.
- And then it all comes down to better after-sales services.
These are all the basic things that an alcohol delivery business needs to excel on to cheer things up.
Conclusion
The present reforms in the technology sector have opened up novel gates for businesses. The world is moving towards online platforms at an immense pace. This is creating huge gaps in customer demands and business solutions. Except for Uber Alcohol delivery and Drizly, no one has truly explored this area yet. But since the time Uber Eats delivers alcohol, many start-ups have thus come up forward to provide proper business solutions. And the solution is just this – an excellent delivery app and framework.
aPurple believes that the way to an excellent future goes through an excellent app that actually works. It has served over a hundred clients with its sheer expertise in app cloning and development. Today, a business without an online presence is a business that doesn’t exist for people. Make sure the words of your business get heard by the world that is spending most of its time online.