Drizly Review – What is it and where is it available?

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  • Post last modified:August 29, 2020
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Summary

Drizly is an app and online service that claims to be the world’s largest alcohol marketplace. And, they say they’ll deliver it to you in under 60 minutes. But do their claims hold up? Read our Drizly review to find out. 

  • Delivery Fee if Local: $5
  • Delivery Fee by Post: Varies
  • Tip optional: 10% default

Our Rating: 4.8/5

A luxury of the modern era, app-based alcohol delivery such as Drizly is making the dreaded booze run a thing of the past. But how well does their service actually function? Is it actually worth shelling out a bit of extra cash for the convenience? 

Each person will have their own preference on how regularly they’ll want to use an app like this, but there’s a solid argument to be made for using Drizly for nights when you want a larger variety of alcohols to be made available without having to make your way to a specialty shop. 

My personal experience with their app allowed me to try some bottles that I had no idea were even available around me, and the prices weren’t bad either.

Table of Contents

Our Take 

Outside of not having to go to the store, which is ideal these days, the biggest benefit I found using Drizly was the large selection of difficult to find alcohol. Specifically, I have been in the search for a good sake for the better part of this year and Drizly had the goods.

Unfortunately, my initial selection ended up out of stock at the store I was ordering from. The good news was that the customer service was very quick to help me and I was rapidly put in touch with the owner of the store who gave me a great recommendation for an alternative. 

However, this does bring up the potential weak link in the chain of this service. Ordering through Drizly puts you at the whims of your local stores, both with hours and selection. In my case, this ended up being a good thing, as the owner provided me with quick help, but I could see potential issues coming up depending on the scruples of the individual store.

PROS

  • Large selection
  • Quick and knowledgeable customer service
  • Fair delivery costs

CONS

  • Local delivery not available everywhere
  • Prices and hours vary depending on local alcohol shops

What is Drizly?

Of the major booze delivery apps that have been a hit in larger American metropolitan areas, Drizly has its own spin on the concept. Instead of hiring their delivery drivers ala Doordash and the like, they act as a sort of middle man between local alcohol shops in your area. 

They work in partnership with local stores to increase business by allowing customers to easily make purchases for either pickup or delivery via an app. 

Drizly has been around since 2013 and claim themselves as “the Amazon of liquor,” which I don’t think is an exaggeration. Quick, local deliveries are available within over 100 markets across the US and Canada, and postal deliveries are available in many more.

How Drizly Works

Placing an order with Drizly was simple and intuitive, allowing me to go through the catalog and picking out my selection before dealing with making an account and payment. I was happy with the prices as well, though this can also vary depending on the local you’re ordering from.

Overall it was a good experience and I’ll probably end up going back sometime soon when the itch to try out non-standard booze hits me again.

How You Order

After downloading the app, you’re greeted with an easy to navigate home page that goes over the categories available and allows easy access to your account and previous orders. The deals section is also nice, as certain local stores offer specials through Drizly that may not be available in-store.

An ordering screen on the Drizly app

The next step is to simply choose whichever bottle interests you. On that page you’re given the choice of a few different ordering options including immediate, getting it later, pick up, or shipping if ordering from a non-local location.

A product page on the Drizly app

Towards the bottom of this same page, there is a well-written description giving you some basic information and reviews of the product in question. This is very reminiscent of how Amazon product pages and reviews work which can help in selecting a new product.

A product description on the Drizly app

After you’re satisfied with your selection you can add it to your cart and checkout or continue shopping.

The Cost

Price-wise I found the experience very fair. There are no mark-ups via the app, as the prices are set by the local company you are ordering from. Delivery for an immediate local purchase was $5 plus an optional tip that defaults to 10%. 

Otherwise, there’s a minimum of $20 on all orders and a service fee of around $2.

If ordering through shipping the price is around $20, which is a bit heftier but can still be worth it if purchasing in bulk.

Our Delivery Experience

I had zero issues with delivery, outside of the aforementioned stock issue which was rectified, personally, by the owner of the store. I couldn’t be happier with that part.

Contactless delivery is not legal with alcohol purchases, however, Drizly has put out a fairly level headed statement regarding any potential safety issues with delivery. This can be read here and asks for customers to meet the delivery person outdoors among other sensible advice.

Final Thoughts

Drizly seems like a great choice for those looking to avoid their alcohol budget getting too high, while still avoiding stores. The selection is massive and the customer service is some of the best around. Services of this quality are few and far between.

Go download the app and give it a browse.

FAQs

Is alcohol more expensive or marked up on Drizly?

Drizly does not mark up any of their listed products, though local stores have the final say in prices.

How much are the fees?

Local deliveries are a flat rate of $5 plus an optional tip, while shipping through a postage carrier varies depending on the store’s pricing.

All orders have a small service fee as well, though it’s lower than most other apps.

What are Drizly’s operating hours?

This varies depending on state laws and the hours of the store you’ll be ordering from.

Are there promo codes?

New accounts can redeem a $5 off coupon, which ends up covering the delivery fee, and there are special deals and promotions from time to time depending on state laws and if stores opt into them.