The alcohol retail marketplace has undergone seismic transformation in recent years. Wineries have access to most of the U.S. drinking population through expansive direct-to-consumer (DTC) networks. Craft manufacturers are gaining ever more legal privileges to reach and serve retail consumers.
Bottle shops, grocery stores, package stores and other off-premise retailers process more and more orders for local delivery, often through third parties. Restaurants and bars are even mixing to-go cocktails for their patrons to enjoy away from their establishments.
All the while, consumers are flooded with apps, like Vivino, Untappd and Minibar, to help them learn about, find, select, purchase, share and rate alcohol. By many metrics, it has never been a better time to be an alcohol consumer in post-Prohibition America.
Yet, one transformation remains highly contentious, increasingly risky and more popular than ever: alcohol sales by out-of-state retailers. These appear in familiar formats - for instance, online shops where consumers can buy alcohol as easily as they can pet food or a sweatshirt. But these also include a diverse range of subscription services and membership clubs, which offer alcohol products.
Retailers - and third-party ecommerce companies who rely on them - continue to join this nationwide marketplace and innovate the consumer experience. But judicial and enforcement attention has recently turned on interstate alcohol sales, and now, more than ever, those involved in this business are facing an increasingly embattled legal landscape in which to operate.
To delve deeper into this topic, continue reading Brian’s full article on the SevenFifty Daily website.
