Like Uber Eats and Doordash, GoPuff is a service that delivers food, beverages, toiletries, baby items, and other everyday needs to your door.
In doing so, you get to skip out on shopping at crowded stores and spending extra on gas.
Founded by Rafael Ilishayev and Yakir Gola, GoPuff is a premier choice for buying alcohol from the convenience of your home.
GoPuff is a contactless delivery service with many intricacies to consider.
In this article, we’ll answer questions about how GoPuff alcohol delivery works, its limitations, and alternatives you might want to consider.
We’ll also talk about how to troubleshoot any problems with the service so that you can take full advantage of all that it has to offer.
Does GoPuff Deliver Alcohol?
Yes, GoPuff delivers alcohol. Their vast product inventory includes wine, spirits, beer, mixers, and more.
You can also order alcohol-free drinks from classic brands such as Heineken.
You can purchase singles, bundles, or party-size assortments of drinks on their website.
Note that alcohol and liquor delivery terms vary by state and are not permitted in some states, such as Utah and Kentucky.
Shipment via GoPuff costs only $1.95 for delivery, but shipping alcohol incurs an additional $2 charge for compliant delivery and ID verification.
Related: Does Uber Eats deliver alcohol?
What Types of Alcohol Can You Buy On GoPuff?
The following are the different kinds of alcohol purchasable on GoPuff:
- Liquor, including tequila, vodka, whiskey, rum, gin, and brandy
- Wine, champagne, sherry, and port in a variety of flavors
- Hard drinks like seltzer, tea, coffee, cider, and malt liquor
- Craft and import beer from popular brands like Busch and Heineken
- Cocktail mixes and other kits for creating alcoholic beverages at home
You can also purchase syrups, tonics, and mixers to create your ideal cocktail.
Many of these alcohol choices are available as bundles through GoPuff.
Bundles allow you to save money on bulk orders of your favorite drinks.
Some bundles are variety packs of different wines and brews to try, making them perfect for parties or gatherings.
Some bundles even come with branded apparel, such as the Howler Head Red Hoodie Bundle.
How Does GoPuff Alcohol Delivery Work?
Taking advantage of the GoPuff alcohol delivery service is convenient and uncomplicated.
First, you must either access their website or download the app from the iOS or Android app stores.
Once you have downloaded the app, you will be prompted to make an account that will streamline the ordering process of future orders.
Once your account is made, select the items that you are interested in.
The service will confirm their availability for your area and notify you of any legal restrictions in your state.
Note that while GoPuff delivers in over 1000 cities, this service is yet unavailable in some regions of the United States.
Areas of Service
GoPuff also services many cities in the United Kingdom, including Bristol, Leeds, and London.
At this time, GoPuff does not permit advance orders, but customers can place orders to somebody else.
Payment Methods
GoPuff works congruently with almost every non-cash payment method.
For health-related reasons, all deliveries are currently contact-free, so cash payments aren’t accepted at this time.
Credit and debit cards, Google Pay, Venmo, and Apple Pay are the current buying options.
Note that a minimum of $10.95 applies to each order.
Points and Reward Programs
The service has systems like Puff Points and GoPuff Fam that reward frequent, recurring purchases.
GoPuff Fam incurs a monthly subscription fee but makes all deliveries free (not counting tips).
Delivery Process
Once you’ve placed your order and paid in advance, the drinks you requested are delivered to your door.
Since GoPuff typically operates within cities, the average time to receive your order is about twenty-five minutes.
When ordering alcohol, you are required to show your ID to the GoPuff delivery person when your order arrives.
If you appear intoxicated at the time of delivery or fail to provide an ID, you may be charged a 50% restocking fee.
This pays for the cost of the driver returning your product to its place of origin.
After the procedure is complete, you can enjoy your drink of choice without ever stepping out of your home.
Where Does GoPuff Get Their Alcohol?
GoPuff has acquired two major alcohol retailers since its founding: BevMo! And Liquor Barn.
BevMo! services the west coast while Liquor Barn services the Philadelphia-Kentucky area.
The alcohol it sells and distributes comes from these local retailers.
The items are stored in close, convenient warehouses across the country for drivers to access.
When orders are placed, drivers access the items from their designated warehouse and deliver them to clients’ homes.
GoPuff Alcohol Delivery Hours
Orders can be placed at any time during GoPuff hours of operation.
GoPuff shippers either work late or 24/7, depending on your location.
The app or website will notify you if you cannot request delivery at a given time in your area.
Deliveries usually take around 25 minutes to complete, depending on traffic and other factors.
GoPuff Warehouse Locations
The service is growing quickly and has established many warehouses since its founding.
Its founding city of Philadelphia has many warehouses, including in the Ludlow area.
Several sites were recently established in the Jacksonville, Florida area, and warehouses are positioned in every service-accessible city.
Being founded by college students and catering to convenience culture, GoPuff favors cities with colleges and institutions.
The warehouses are typically located far from city centers but close enough that every order is shipped quickly.
For instance, their Philadelphia warehouse on Cottman Avenue is a 21-minute drive from Drexel University.
Troubleshooting GoPuff Alcohol Delivery Errors
While it is a convenient service, it is still young (being established eight years ago) and has its limitations.
You may experience issues using GoPuff in your area or getting the app to work properly.
Here are some problems you may face and how best to resolve them.
GoPuff Alcohol Delivery Not Available
If GoPuff alcohol delivery isn’t available, it is most likely because of local or state restrictions.
States like Utah, Kentucky, and Mississippi have regulations on alcohol delivery that could inhibit the process.
You should still be able to purchase mixers and other party supplies without restrictions.
The app will notify you if alcohol delivery purchases aren’t allowed in your state.
In those states, it is legal to purchase alcohol at a registered retailer.
Try looking for your preferred beverage at a local BevMo! or Liquor Barn.
These stores have the same selection as GoPuff since they are acquired properties.
It isn’t as convenient as ordering from home, but it’s the only way to legally purchase those beverages.
GoPuff is Down and Not Working At All
GoPuff is an online service that sometimes experiences local outages.
These usually don’t last long, but they can inhibit your ability to order.
If you suspect an outage, call GoPuff’s customer support at 855-400-7833.
You can also tune into their social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other sites for updates.
Alternatives to GoPuff Alcohol Delivery
Due to increased innovation in convenience culture as well as the Covid-19 pandemic, many services like GoPuff popularized.
Each of these is a viable alternative for alcohol delivery, especially the best alcohol delivery apps available to customers.
They all have different features and benefits, so try each one to see which service suits you the best.
1. Uber Eats
While Uber Eats is popular for delivering food from restaurants and grocery stores, you can also order alcohol.
Like GoPuff, this service requires you to download an app and check the availability of the products you want, but you must present an ID at the time of delivery.
Unlike GoPuff, each item with Uber Eats is subject to a variable delivery fee.
One advantage Uber Eats has over GoPuff is its availability.
The service is available in over 6,000 cities across 45 countries, but because it sources from restaurants, hours of operation vary accordingly.
In addition, Uber Eats accepts Paypal as a valid payment method, as well as each of the methods GoPuff supports.
2. DoorDash
DoorDash’s new program, Shop and Deliver, is very similar to GoPuff in that it allows consumers to purchase convenience and retail items from home.
This includes a large assortment of alcoholic drinks from grocery and liquor stores in the area.
Like with Uber Eats, the hours of availability depend on the hours of the stores your product is sourced from.
While DoorDash is a convenient GoPuff substitute, it has its limitations.
The program only services 300 cities, which often means only one city per state.
However, unlike with UberEats, DoorDash allows you to conveniently shop for almost anything—not just meals and food delivery.
3. Drizly
Drizly specializes in alcohol delivery and pairs with local breweries to bring you premium alcohol choices.
Like with the other services, ordering is as simple as downloading an app, checking product availability, and placing an order.
Orders usually take under an hour to complete, but hours are restricted by the operating hours of the retailers.
Drizly is a great alternative due to its massive selection of over 2,000 alcoholic products.
There’s also an extensive catalog of extras to purchase, including mixers, gifts, and snacks.
However, you can’t use the service to order convenience goods, and they only operate in states where alcohol delivery has no legal complications.
Wrapping Up
GoPuff is one of many relatively new companies that has been pioneering shopping automation for the past eight years.
Now that you know about the service and how to use it, you can get started ordering drinks for your pleasure or your next gathering.
The delivery fee is only $3.95, and the service is 24/7, so it feels like having a convenience store in your home.
Meta description: GoPuff is a convenient service for delivering alcohol to your home.
Here’s all you need to know to start enjoying it.
I would have liked to see some Clarity on what the driver actually makes per delivery.