Drizly To Test Online Orders, Store Pickup

Drizly, the alcohol delivery platform startup, is testing the ability for customers to buy online and pick up their spirits in a store.

According to a report, Nick Rellas, chief executive officer of Drizly, said the company is testing the service in several markets, although he declined to name which markets and whether or not there will be a fee for this service. The new service is slated to be available next year, according to the report.

“Delivery is a fulfillment option. It’s not a business,” Rellas said. “Our business is the eCommerce selling of alcohol.”

Drizly isn’t a company that operates its own stores, but rather it works with liquor stores in 27 markets around the United States that give Drizly their inventory and pricing lists. Its online marketplace, which was launched at the end of September, enables consumers to comparison shop and then see which liquor stores have a product, as well as the price in each store.

“We’re able to tie into a liquor store, know their inventory and present it to a consumer. That allows them to shop across time, price and place,” said Rellas in the report.

Drizly gets a monthly fee that is based on the size of the area it services. Launching the ability to purchase online but pick up in a store is a natural extension of the startup’s online marketplace, said Rellas, noting it’s something the company thought about when it launched the online marketplace. “It comes down to convenience,” he said. “Delivery isn’t always the most convenient option. Waiting for delivery isn’t always time-efficient. There’s a more convenient in-store pickup than delivery for some people.”

Drizly has raised $33 million in venture funding from six rounds since it launched in 2013. A $15 million round was led by venture capital firm Polaris Partners. That round closed in the early part of August, noted the report.