Pennsylvania C-stores Team Up With Vroom & Uber for Alcohol Delivery
MIAMI — More than 200 convenience stores across Pennsylvania will soon be able to offer alcohol delivery services.
Through a new collaboration with Vroom Delivery, a digital commerce platform for the c-store industry, and Uber, a global mobility and delivery platform, alcohol delivery for convenience retailers in the Keystone State will be available via Uber Direct, Uber's on-demand delivery-as-a-service platform.
In this capacity, c-store operators will be able to offer alcohol delivery via their mobile apps and websites through Vroom Delivery's first-party ordering software, with orders delivered by Uber couriers.
[Read more: C-store Retailers Get Creative to Build a Better Beer Identity]
"Helping retailers meet their customers' expectations and grow their businesses through their own channels is at the heart of what Uber Direct offers," said Bernie Huddlestun, general manager of Uber Direct for U.S. and Canada. "Research shows 75% of consumers expect express delivery as an option. By working with Vroom Delivery to help make alcohol delivery possible for Pennsylvania retailers in a seamless way, we look forward to helping local businesses meet their customers’ expectations and continue to grow."
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Alcohol orders must adhere to all state requirements. For example, there are regulatory limits on the volume of beer and wine that can be placed in a single order that must be enforced by the online ordering platform, Vroom Delivery. Couriers delivering via Uber Direct are also required to attain physical or digital permits to deliver alcohol.
The program launched with several pilot stores in Pennsylvania in September, and more than 200 additional stores across the state are set to come on board within the next two months. Together, these stores will cover a large portion of the state.
In addition to alcohol, retailers will be able to offer everything in their store, utilizing Vroom Delivery's Automated Menu Management system that automatically lists all inventory that is in-stock within the physical store without any manual menu maintenance by the retailer. This allows for large, accurate menus with thousands of SKUs as well as the same deals and offers that are available in-store, according to Vroom.
Stores will also be able to utilize their loyalty programs online for customers that are already enrolled and new customers may elect to sign up when placing an order.
"Before we launched this partnership with Uber, Pennsylvania retailers who wanted to offer online ordering of alcohol had to work through the intricacies of state regulations alongside a compliant courier service in what was a cumbersome and time-consuming process," said John Nelson, CEO of Vroom Delivery. "We have now made this process generalizable so that any retailer on Vroom Delivery that sells alcohol in-store can now do so online in a compliant manner. We are excited to see what this can do to boost the online sales and customer base for our partner retailers not only in the alcohol category, but also to their foodservice offerings as this becomes an increasingly important part of the industry."
Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Miami, Vroom Delivery is a full-stack e-commerce solution for convenience stores, providing every technical aspect required for c-store chains to operate and manage their own e-commerce and delivery services.