Drizly’s climb in the alcohol market is a classic case of strategic adaptation within the complex U.S. three-tier system. But let’s call a spade a spade — this compliance-centered approach primarily fattened Drizly’s wallet, extracting substantial value from brands. Now that Drizly is shutting down, brands need to consider their options for building their own digital shelf.
What Happened
Uber acquired Drizly for $1.1 billion in 2021, but the integration never quite worked as planned. The alcohol delivery market proved more complex than expected, with state-by-state regulations making it difficult to scale the way Uber had hoped. The decision to shut down Drizly leaves a significant gap in the market.
What This Means for Brands
If your brand relied on Drizly for online sales, you are now faced with a critical decision: find another marketplace, or build your own direct-to-consumer channel. We believe this is actually an opportunity in disguise.
The Case for Brand-Owned DTC
When you sell through a marketplace, you are renting someone else’s shelf space. You do not own the customer relationship, you do not control the experience, and you are subject to their fees and algorithms. Building your own DTC channel through a platform like AccelPay gives you full control over your brand experience, customer data, and margins.
Making the Transition
The transition from marketplace dependency to brand-owned DTC does not have to be painful. AccelPay provides the compliance infrastructure, payment processing, and fulfillment network so you can focus on what you do best: building a great brand.