E-commerce platforms enable direct-to-consumer alcohol sales

BigCommerce and Square are both launching programs to facilitate online wine and liquor transactions, including delivery.

Open SaaS e-commerce platform BigCommerce is partnering with Wine Direct, a provider of direct-to-consumer (DTC) services for wineries, to provide Wine Direct’s over 2,000 winery clients the ability to extend their market reach, engage with, and sell to consumers online via BigCommerce.

Through the partnership, BigCommerce will provide online checkout, analytics, and customization through flexible APIs and third-party apps. Wine Direct will offer services including fulfillment and marketplace distribution.

“Together, BigCommerce and WineDirect provide the modern platform wineries need to take their e-commerce capabilities to the next level,” said Russell Klein, chief commercial officer for BigCommerce. “As consumer buying behavior continues to evolve, particularly in the aftermath of COVID-19, wineries have the opportunity to significantly enhance their online sales. Through this partnership, wineries will now have access to world-class digital storefronts, inclusive of the functionality, security and speed needed to jumpstart their digital transformations.”

WineDirect’s new platform powered by BigCommerce will begin to roll out to winery partners in time for the holiday season 2021 with full migration beginning early 2022.

Meanwhile, mobile technology payment provider Square is now providing the ability for its sellers to offer alcohol delivery through the on-demand delivery feature of its Square Online e-commerce platform. Now, any seller using Square Online can offer the option to purchase alcohol from their website and have the order fulfilled through a delivery partner, without having to build out a delivery fleet or hire additional staff.

When an order is placed on a Square Online ordering page, a courier from Square’s delivery partner DoorDash is dispatched to the business location, picks up the order, delivers it to the buyer, and ensures age verification. The buyer is able to track their order every step of the way and sellers pay a flat fee of $1.50 per order to Square and a delivery fee to the fulfillment partner, with no marketplace commission. Restaurants can pass a portion of their fees to the buyer or offer custom delivery promotions.

“We’re excited to offer a new way for restaurants, retailers, and alcohol sellers to get the most out of their current inventory,” said David Rusenko, head of e-commerce at Square. “Whether that’s a restaurant monetizing its wine cellar, a grocery store supplementing their on-premises sales, or a local brewery introducing old favorites to a new crowd, we’re proud to provide our sellers with a new way to make more money.”

Square sellers can get started today with on-demand alcohol delivery powered by DoorDash, in select states nationwide.