Dive Brief:
- DoorDash has expanded its alcohol delivery service to New Jersey, according to a Thursday announcement.
- Starting late last week, shoppers in the Garden State gained access to an “Alcohol” tab on DoorDash’s app, allowing them to browse and order from a selection of products.
- As the e-commerce company continues to expand its alcohol marketplace to new states, it has also bolstered safety measures, primarily to prevent underage drinking.
Dive Insight:
As DoorDash continues to expand its alcohol delivery platform, it’s hoping a focus on the enhanced safety measures it takes to prevent underage drinking will reassure retailers and consumers.
The company’s ID verification process requires scanning IDs prior to a consumer’s first alcohol purchase as well as again at the door. A physical ID check is also done at the point of delivery. The company notes this system goes beyond what a typical store transaction consists of and ensures a customer’s age and level of intoxication are checked before the delivery is completed. High-risk areas, such as college campuses, are also blocked from placing alcohol delivery orders to limit the risk of underage drinking.
DoorDash allows customers to voluntarily exclude alcohol from appearing as an option on its marketplace platform, the announcement noted.
New Jersey Dashers who are interested in including alcohol to their routes are required to complete a course on safe and responsible delivery, per the announcement. DoorDash also provides guidelines on how to “safely and compliantly” deliver alcohol.
For alcohol orders that cannot be completed, DoorDash provides drivers step-by-step instructions on how to return the alcohol to the store, ensuring a Dasher won’t have to “choose between completing a delivery or complying with the law,” according to the announcement.
DoorDash has been upping its safety measures surrounding alcohol deliveries in recent years, including adding two-step ID verification in July 2022. This past September, DoorDash launched new safety protocols in Massachusetts, including blocking high-risk areas and Dasher’s completing an alcohol compliance module.
DoorDash introduced alcohol to its marketplace in 2020 and now delivers in more than 30 states as well as Washington, D.C., per the company’s website. In 2021, the company also expanded alcohol delivery to Canada and Australia.
