If the rise of Web 2.0 has taught us anything about why we love the Internet, it's probably that convenience trumps all.
Instacart, for example, a grocery delivery service startup with roots in San Francisco and operations in Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C., has just announced that its Philadelphia-area customers can now have alcoholic beverages from
Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores delivered to their homes in as little as one hour.
If you've never heard of Instacart, you're not alone. In fact, when the company launched its local service on February 18,
Whole Foods was literally the only choice available to customers willing to pay anywhere from $3.99 to $14.99 for the convenience of having groceries brought to their doorstep.
Super Fresh and
BJ's Wholesale Club have since signed on (customers aren't required to have BJ's memberships), and with the recent addition of its liquor service, Instacart seems primed to capture a large portion of the food delivery market.
The company's deliveries are handled by a team of "personal shoppers" who use their own vehicles. And because Instacart has no warehouses, trucks, retail locations or full-time drivers, their overhead remains manageable.
"We're growing every week," says Instacart operations manager George Shotz. "It's just constant."
Asking customers to complete wish-list surveys is one way Instacart aims to fill its customers' needs. According to Shotz, liquor has consistently been one of the surveys' most-requested items.
Securing an alcohol delivery license with the
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board was a breeze: "We just applied and followed their rules," he explains. "And they approved us. They were great."
Visit the
Instacart website to view a map of the company's local delivery area and to open an account.
Source: George Shotz, Instacart
Writer: Dan Eldridge