Dutch e-tail platform Bol.com takes another step into food deliveries: it has decided to start offering a selection of alcoholic beverages. The Ahold Delhaize subsidiary will not create an own alcoholic selection however, but rather give a platform to specialised retailers like Gall&Gall and Belgian Beer Factory.
Beer, wine and spirits
The move sees Bol.com’s product range grow with several thousands of drinking related products, like wine, beer and spirits. Accessories like glasses and coolers are also available on the platform. The articles cannot be sold to children under 18, and therefore Bol.com takes special precautions. “We know that alcohol sales is a special kind of retail that demands an extensive knowledge of the product range and a reliable age check upon delivery”, says CCO Margaret Versteden. “We will therefore work together with a small number of specialised partners, who offer their product range and product information through our platform – and will also take care of stocks and deliveries.”
Bol.com has been selling a small range of food products for a while, focusing on items that do not need to be refrigerated to be stored or transported. As drinks also do not have this requirement, it has proven to be an interesting next step in the conquest of the grocery market.
The platform of German origin was originally founded as ‘Bertelsmann on-Line’ in 1999 to sell books all over the world, but the Dutch was sold in 2002 to a joint venture of three shareholders. In 2012 the company was acquired by Dutch retailer Ahold and currently focuses on the Netherlands and Belgium.
