Dive Brief:
- Instacart announced Tuesday the launch of Fizz, a separate app for delivery orders of snacks and drinks. Event platform Partiful has integrated Fizz into its virtual invites for hosts and guests, according to the press release.
- With Fizz, customers ages 21 and older can access a $5 flat rate delivery fee, group ordering and automatic payment splitting, allowing people to place a consolidated order for one address.
- The launch gives Instacart a stronger foothold in the party-planning space as the grocery technology company continues to expand its reach in e-commerce.
Dive Insight:
From smart fridges to New York Times Cooking, Instacart has worked to expand its grocery e-commerce presence beyond its app and the websites it powers for retailers. Fizz is Instacart’s latest venture to meet consumers where they’re already at.
The standalone app not only indicates the grocery technology company sees considerable opportunity in the party planning space but also that the needs of party goers and hosts call for a tailored e-commerce experience.
Instacart said the app aims to allow a group of people — not just the host — to prep for an upcoming event. The app also comes with perks and discounts. Every new user gets $5 in Snack Bucks, and when people buy drinks, they earn Snack Bucks to use for discounts on the price of snacks. Instacart said Fizz does not require a membership to use.
While Fizz is a separate app, the inventory connects to the retailers already partnered with Instacart.
After someone starts a “party cart” on Fizz’s app or website, they can share the link in a group chat so that others can add items and view what’s in the cart. On Partiful, the app allows hosts to toggle on the group ordering feature and automatically link to a Fizz cart for the event page. Each person who orders alcohol must be 21 or older and enter their birthday in the app.
The host, who is charged the flat $5 delivery fee, decides when to place the order and whether to have a scheduled or on-demand delivery. When the order is placed, people get charged for only the items they added, according to the announcement. Each participant in the group cart must hit a $10 order minimum per person, Instacart said in an email.
The tailored focus of Fizz allows key categories like beer, seltzer, chips, dip and party supplies to be front and center, Instacart noted in the announcement, adding that the selection and retailers showcased are based on the delivery address for the order. The party supplies category includes items like games, decor, gift supplies and table-setting items. Instacart said in an email that it might explore adding more categories to Fizz based on user demands.
