# How are online alcohol orders fulfilled?

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Source: https://help.reservebar.com/en_us/how-are-online-alcohol-orders-fulfilled-BJvpevx0o

Last updated: 2024-04-25T13:00:37.280Z

In the United States, federal law mandates a three-tiered system of alcohol distribution. The first tier, who are the producers or importers of alcohol products, can only sell to the second tier, who are wholesale distributors. This second tier can only sell to the third tier, who are licensed retailers, and only the third tier can sell alcohol products to the public. 

When you place an order for an alcohol product online, the order is sent to a licensed retailer (i.e. the third tier) to be fulfilled. If the selected retailer does not have the needed product in stock, they may need to wait for a shipment from the wholesale distributor (i.e. the second tier), who may in turn need to wait for a shipment from the producer or importer of the product (i.e. the first tier). When a ReserveBar order does not ship at the expected time, a delay at the first or second tier of this three-tiered system is often the reason.  

When the retailer has the needed product(s), they ship your order via ground shipping. Most orders ship in 1-2 business days, but please note they may take longer.

We facilitate the ability to order with a licensed retailer. If you have any additional questions or concerns don't hesitate to reach out to our Customer Experience team!