With our phones at our fingertips, downloading an app and purchasing a product right at home is convenient for most. Do you want to drink a glass of wine on the couch while watching Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder on ‘Thank God It’s Thursday?’ Using Drizly, you are able to get on demand liquor, wine and beer products from an on screen touch in under 30 minutes. Who wouldn’t want that?
We talked with Cory Rellas COO of Drizly about his upcoming Interactive panel and his take on new consumer expectations for getting things in a fast and convenient way.
1. How did you hear about SXSW Interactive?
“My co-founders and I have been following SXSW for the past few years and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to participate this year on a panel with some other great on-demand founders.”
2. For those people who might not know what Drizly is, how would you explain it?
“Drizly is the technology company powering on-demand alcohol delivery. By simply downloading our app, or visiting our desktop site, consumers can shop their favorite beer, wine and liquor, make a purchase and get delivery in less than an hour direct to their doorstep. We partner with local retailers across the country to power the inventory and delivery aspects of the service.”
3. How many users does Drizly have? How fast has it grown since 2012?
“We have tens of thousands of users every month. We’ve grown to 18 markets in the past three years and expect to be in a total of 30 markets in the next year.”
4. What do you think makes mobile commerce so important in today’s market?
“Decisions happen where you are. It’s no longer a separate thought process to want to do something and then going to the appropriate place to actually buy, talk, learn, etc. The US is actually behind China in the integration of commerce into mobile. Purchasing occurs without ever leaving the application where the audience spends their time – social and messaging. Content is important, but ultimately the purchase is what matters.”
5. What advice do you give to those that are interested in pursuing their own start up?
“Agonize over everything when evaluating the idea – the up-front work is what gets you comfortable to consider hitting “go.” But once you’re ready to start, you need to jump in 100%.”
6. Do you use any on-demand apps daily? If so what sort of affect might they have on your personal life?
“Yes, food and transportation apps are what I use almost daily. As you would expect, the things I need every day are the on-demand companies I’m most regularly looking to.”
7. What are some challenges that Drizly has been faced with when trying to convince consumers to buy through the app?
“I think one of the biggest questions we get asked by consumers when they first hear about Drizly is whether or not alcohol delivery is legal. We work with regulators in each city that we are in to ensure Drizly and our retail partners are making safe, compliant alcohol deliveries. By explaining our business model and specifically how our proprietary identification software works at the delivery, consumers often have that “aha” moment, like why wasn’t this thought of sooner?”
The enormous popularity of on demand services like Drizly have changed many consumer habits. The question is whether these services will retain and attract new customers. This panel will jump right into answering that and so much more.
When and Where:
Saturday, March 12
11 a.m.- 12 p.m.
Hilton Austin Downtown – Salon C/ 500 E 4th St