Boston. US on-demand alcohol e-commerce operator Drizly believes that though some pandemic-inspired consumer trends— such as stocking up and in-home cocktail making — have slowed in response to the on-premise reopening, that consumer adoption of e-commerce and on-demand delivery for alcohol purchases will remain strong in 2022, according to its new BevAlc Insights 2021 Report.
“Now that alcohol e-commerce has become more mainstream, the focus will shift to improve the consumer experience,” says Cory Rellas, the CEO of Drizly. “This could mean personalization for customers based on the categories and types of products they typically shop for, as well as more information becoming readily available about new products and innovations.”
Drizly anticipates that e-commerce technology will improve in 2022 to better serve both shoppers and retailers through personalization and greater access to product information. “We will work with retailers to improve operations to meet customers’ expectations around things like delivery times and gift presentation to win in an increasingly competitive market,” said Rellas.
On-line gifting has boomed since the onset of the pandemic. Drizly estimates that at its high-water market, gifting accounted for 19% of total sales in December 2020. That trend continued last year, with gifting rising by 66% over 2020, and gift orders now account for an average of 10% of total Drizly sales.
The company predicted: “That brands will develop new gift products in 2022, and retailers will invest greater resources in marketing their on-line gift offerings.”
The report made a number of other predictions for the upcoming year, including:
Tequila will challenge vodka as Drizly’s second best-selling spirit- Vodka currently accounts for a 23% share of liquor category sales on Drizly, down slightly year-over-year and showing a significant decline from 30% share in 2019. Tequila saw a 13% increase year-over-year in 2021 and now commands an 18% share of the liquor category.
Non-alcoholic drinks will continue to grow– In response to the trend toward better-for-you beverages, non-alcoholic wine, beer and spirits is a trend to watch in 2022. Non-alcoholic beer is currently the biggest seller on Drizly, while non-alcoholic spirits have seen the strongest share growth within the liquor category — up 200% year-over-year.
Hard Seltzer’s Competitors Will See Gains– Ready-to-drink sales showed strong sales growth continued in 2021 — driven largely by quality and innovation — and the category is poised to challenge hard seltzer in 2022. “In 2022, we expect hard seltzer shelf space will re-balance with other hard alternatives like hard tea, hard lemonade, wine-based drinks, and RTDs,” says Rellas. “Innovation across all of these categories is booming.”
Consumers Will Buy Local– National brands saw a surge during pandemic shutdowns, with customers unable to explore local products at taprooms and bars. In 2022, however, local products will likely see a resurgence, partially due to supply chain difficulties.
