Online delivery platforms have opened up a whole new world of possibilities, with one startup making a bottle shop in your pocket a reality with a few taps of the finger.
Since launching in November 2015, online alcohol delivery service Tipple has continued to expand its offering, stocking over 500 product lines and servicing 262 suburbs across Melbourne and Sydney.
Co-founder Ryan Barrington said Tipple is establishing itself as the leading platform by offering the most choice and not placing a restriction on orders.
“We have over 500 different products available on the app and unlike others trying to penetrate the market, customers are not restricted by the amount they can purchase, so it quite literally is like having a bottle shop in your pocket,” he said.
But what about safety?
To mitigate safety concerns around the supply of alcohol, Tipple ensures all ids are checked and recorded within the system, while drivers are required to abide by the laws around safe and responsible alcohol supply.
Ryan said technology is making it possible to gain a more comprehensive and in depth view of Melbourne and Sydney’s drinking habits.
“The data we have available at Tipple and the amount of insight it gives us into Melbourne and Sydney’s drinking habits is truly unique; for the first time we can profile our customer’s behavior.. Prior to Tipple, these valuable insights would only be available on smaller local levels of a bottle shop and even then, there would be no indication of the age of the purchaser or where they actually lived,” he said.
Ryan said that above all else, customer safety is paramount to their business.
“By using predictive analytics, algorithmic learning and profile analysis, we are able to leverage our data in unique ways, which enable us to synergize our logistic processes with customer demand. This ensures that we are proactively monitoring our market place and identifying areas of risk and we are able to adjust our services as required.”
What next for Tipple?
As technology continues to evolve, Ryan said the next step for Tipple involves creating a smarter and quicker verification tool that will involve users scanning their proof of age into an encrypted platform.
The brainchild of Ryan and his brother Shane Barrington, Tipple has pipped the interest of well-known figures within Australia’s property space, who have been instrumental in getting the startup off the ground with private investment.
As technology continues to evolve, Ryan said Tipple’s next focus is to tap into Australia’s bourgeoning bottle shop market and make alcohol an on-demand service for all Australians.
Tipple employs all its 50 drivers across Melbourne and Sydney, but in order to keep up with demand, may look into the sharing economy in the future.
“There are many successful businesses who have dived into the sharing economy while successfully maintaining an employed work force; it’s all about ensuring we’re able to meet demand, while doing the right thing by our drivers and the industry.”
