Beers 247 is the Manchester‑based “Domino’s for alcohol,” stepping in when local shops close after 11 p.m. and promising doorstep drinks fast in neighbourhoods with few late‑night options.
Project Origins & Scope
Legacy operation: The service had taken phone orders (and later Just Eat/Hungry House) for years; the first website digitised that workflow.
Role: Solo designer‑developer on WordPress/WooCommerce; collaborated with a local photographer for product imagery.
Efficiency driver: The owner wanted lower transaction fees than third‑party platforms and automated address capture for drivers.
Goals & Metrics
Increase efficiency by shifting orders from high‑fee apps/phone calls to Stripe‑powered web checkout.
Streamline logistics—customer enters address once; dispatch can forward it straight to drivers.
Rationalise inventory—pricing and product placement nudge users toward a tighter range, so drivers carry fewer SKUs and can run more deliveries per pick‑up.
No formal KPIs were set, but order mix and fee savings were the owner’s success signals.
Regulatory & Compliance
Challenge
Approach
Age verification
Challenge 25 at the door with official ID only.
Licensing window
Service operates 10 p.m.–6 a.m.; UI currently doesn’t grey‑outoutside hours—flagged for future UX pass.
Responsible‑drinking message
Professional tone, DrinkAware link prominent in footer.
Audience & Brand Vibe
Actual users: Less affluent neighbourhoods with few 24‑hour off‑licences, not just student parties.
Brand adjectives: Fast, efficient, dependable.
Tone: Neutral and trustworthy—emphasising legitimacy to local council/licensing bodies
Research & Insight
Shadowed call operators and drivers for several days to map pain points.
Competitive research focused on Domino’s order‑routing rather than newer alcohol‑specific apps (site predates Uber Eats Alcohol).
Insight: With limited competition, a click‑first catalogue beats search; customers already know which category they need.
Information Architecture & Flow
Element
Decision
Rationale
Category nav
Lager, Cider, Wine, Spirits, Offers
Mirrors verbal phone‑order vernacular.
Menu‑drawer first
No homepage search bar
Small catalogue → faster taps.
Geo‑filter
Postcode gate hides Add to basket if out of zone
Prevents dead‑zone orders.
Bundles
Multi‑packs listed as single SKUs
Encourages higher AOV, simplifies driver load.
Visual & Interaction Design
Palette: Night‑mode darks with bright accents to cue urgency.
Typography: Clean sans‑serif for 2 a.m. legibility.
Micro‑interactions: Minimal—no cart shakes or timers yet; potential area for future polish.
Social proof: Mid‑page Google review block boosts first‑time conversions.
Technical Build & Performance
Stack: WordPress + WooCommerce + Stripe.
Inventory: Manual CMS updates (catalogue stable for ~7 years).
Routing: No auto‑dispatch yet; future wishlist includes driver‑app integration.
Performance: Lean theme keeps load times ≈0.4 s; small, fixed catalogue aids speed.
Accessibility: Basic contrast + alt text; deeper work still on roadmap.
Content & SEO
Neutral, compliance‑first copy; DrinkAware links.
Cocktail‑recipe blog posts used to capture alcohol‑related long‑tail keywords.
Former microsites targeting “alcohol delivery [place]” acted as local landing pages; many now sunset.
Launch & Iteration
Alpha‑as‑launch: Went live city‑wide—no soft beta.
Iteration: Few post‑launch tweaks required; primary gain was Stripe fee savings versus Just Eat.
Biggest surprise: Customer base skewed toward lower‑income areas rather than student party hubs.
Outcomes & Reflection
Exact metrics untracked, but web orders continue to displace higher‑fee channels.
