Shopify runs your store, product pages and brand. AccelPay handles what alcohol needs on top: routing each order to a licensed retailer, age verification at checkout, adult signature at delivery, and sales tax.
Reach: 40+ states through the retailer network, and 3,500+ licensed retail stores.
Can I sell alcohol on Shopify?
Yes, but Shopify on its own leaves alcohol compliance to you. Shopify's Acceptable Use Policy says merchants are "responsible for following the rules of your platform, your partners, and the law." For a brand selling and shipping bottles itself, that means holding the right licenses and shipping only where direct shipping is legal. Shopify's Shop app sales channel also lists alcohol among its prohibited products, so alcohol sells on your own store.
With AccelPay, a licensed retailer in the buyer's state is the seller of record, so the brand does not need its own retail or shipping license.
How does Shopify on its own compare with Shopify plus AccelPay?
| Feature | Shopify on its own | Shopify plus the AccelPay apps |
|---|---|---|
| Who sells the bottle | You, with your own licenses | A licensed retailer in the buyer's state (merchant of record) |
| Spirits state reach | Only where direct shipping is legal | 40+ states |
| Retail or shipping license needed | Yes | No |
| Checkout | Your Shopify store | Your Shopify store, theme and apps, with the AccelPay Fulfillment app installed |
| Age and delivery checks | Your responsibility | Age verification at checkout; adult signature at delivery |
| Sales tax | Your responsibility | AccelPay calculates and remits as the marketplace facilitator |
| Marketplace reach | Your store | ReserveBar.com listing, plus advertising credit on ReserveBar.com and Minibar |
| Same-day delivery | Depends on your own delivery setup | Gopuff and BevMo instant delivery (Portfolio plan); DoorDash from local retailers |
| Customer data | You keep it | You keep it; Klaviyo, Meta and Google audiences |
| Price | Your Shopify plan | Your Shopify plan, plus AccelPay plans from $1,000 setup + $500/month, 12-month term; no per-order charge to the brand |
How does AccelPay work on Shopify?
You keep your Shopify storefront, theme, apps and admin, and add the AccelPay Fulfillment app. There is no domain or DNS change. At checkout, the app identifies each item's category (alcohol, non-alcoholic or merchandise), splits mixed carts, sends alcohol to a licensed retailer and merchandise to your 3PL or to you, and processes payment through a gateway already cleared for alcohol. Setup takes three steps:
- Grant collaborator access to dev@accelpay.io, with admin permission, in your Shopify admin.
- Install AccelPay Fulfillment from the Shopify App Store. AccelPay's team can install it for you once it has access.
- Work with AccelPay's onboarding team to confirm consumer pricing, your shipping setup, terms and conditions, and FAQs.
How do payments work on Shopify?
AccelPay splits each payment and sends each part to the partner that fulfills it: the licensed retailer for alcohol, and your 3PL or you for merchandise. It does this through Stripe Connect, at checkout or at fulfillment.
With the AccelPay Payments app, AccelPay's Success team enables the app for your store. You then go to Settings, Payments, Manage, choose "Switch to a third-party provider" and select AccelPay Payments.
What can I sell and run on Shopify with AccelPay?
Spirits, wine, beer and RTD, alongside your merchandise, from the same store. The AccelPay Fulfillment app splits the cart automatically: alcohol ships from a licensed retailer, and merchandise ships from you or your 3PL.
- Subscriptions and clubs through Recharge and Skio, on the payment setup that supports them
- Bundles of bottles, glassware, merch and gift packaging, built with AccelPay's bundle manager in your Shopify admin, plus customer-built variety packs and gift boxes
- Klaviyo, Gorgias and Triple Whale alongside the rest of your Shopify apps, plus Meta and Google audiences built from your own customer data
- Presales before product reaches the retailer
- In-cart upsells, gift messages and free-shipping thresholds
See our recommended Shopify apps for alcohol brands.
Where can I ship from my Shopify store?
40+ states. AccelPay routes each order to a licensed retailer that carries your product and can ship to that address, from a network of 3,500+ licensed retail locations. Transit is about 5 days, and shipping is about $20 for up to a 6-bottle case.
For same-day orders, brands on the Portfolio plan can offer Gopuff and BevMo instant delivery, plus DoorDash delivery from local retailers. Metro delivery averages about $6.
Do I get reach beyond my Shopify store?
Yes. Every AccelPay brand gets a listing on ReserveBar.com and in the ReserveBar corporate gifting catalog from the same setup, with no second integration. Half of the first-year platform fee ($3,000 on the starting plan) comes back as advertising credit on ReserveBar.com and Minibar.
How long does it take to launch on Shopify?
About one week from kickoff. To start, AccelPay needs your product category, current distribution, wholesale price and suggested retail price. You can open a presale before product reaches the retailer.
What does it cost?
Plans start at $1,000 setup + $500/month, 12-month term, no per-order charge to the brand, discount pricing available for craft brands. Half of the first-year platform fee comes back as advertising credit on ReserveBar.com and Minibar. Your Shopify plan stays billed by Shopify as usual. Full details are on the pricing page.
Who should use Shopify plus AccelPay?
Choose Shopify plus AccelPay if:
- you sell spirits, wine, beer or RTD on Shopify and want to ship to 40+ states without your own retail license
- you are a bourbon or tequila brand adding online ordering to an existing Shopify site
- you want your checkout, customer data and brand to stay on your own store
- you want subscriptions, mixed alcohol and merch carts, or same-day delivery
- you want a ReserveBar.com listing and advertising credit on ReserveBar.com and Minibar
Comparing platforms? See the best DTC platforms for alcohol brands or AccelPay vs Bevstack.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell alcohol on Shopify?
Yes. Shopify runs your store, and the brand is responsible for following alcohol law. With AccelPay, a licensed retailer in the buyer's state sells and ships each order, so the brand can reach 40+ states without its own retail or shipping license.
Which Shopify app should an alcohol brand use to sell direct to consumer?
AccelPay Fulfillment, a native Shopify app. It identifies alcohol, non-alcoholic and merchandise items in each order, splits mixed carts, routes alcohol to a licensed retailer in a network of 3,500+ locations, and splits the payment to each fulfillment partner.
Do I need a liquor license to sell on Shopify with AccelPay?
No. The licensed retailer is the merchant of record, holds the license and ships the order. You still need your federal and state production licenses.
How many states can I ship to from my Shopify store?
40+ states through AccelPay's licensed retailer network, depending on where your product is available.
Does AccelPay work with Recharge and Skio on Shopify?
Yes, many of our clients utilize Recharge and similar subscription applications. They're one of the recommended Shopify applications in our portfolio.
Can I sell merchandise and alcohol in the same Shopify cart?
Yes. The cart splits automatically: alcohol ships from the retailer, and merchandise ships from you or your 3PL. The shopper checks out once.
How much does AccelPay cost on Shopify?
Plans start at $1,000 setup and $500 a month, with a 12-month term, no per-order charge to the brand, and discount pricing for craft brands. Half of the first-year platform fee ($3,000 on the starting plan) comes back as advertising credit on ReserveBar.com and Minibar.
How long does Shopify setup take?
About one week from kickoff. You grant collaborator access to dev@accelpay.io, AccelPay installs the AccelPay Fulfillment app, and the onboarding team confirms your pricing, shipping setup, terms and FAQs.
Do I need to change my domain or DNS to use AccelPay on Shopify?
No. AccelPay runs inside your existing Shopify store, so there is no domain or DNS change. You keep your storefront, theme, apps and admin.
Last updated: Oct 22, 2026
Sources
- AccelPay Fulfillment, Shopify App Store (fetched Oct 22, 2026)
- Shopify Acceptable Use Policy (fetched Oct 22, 2026)
- Shopify pricing (fetched Oct 22, 2026)
- Prohibited products on Shop, Shopify Help Center (fetched Oct 22, 2026)
- AccelPay pricing (fetched Oct 22, 2026)
- AccelPay Setup Best Practices FAQ (fetched Oct 22, 2026)
- How to sell alcohol online (fetched Oct 22, 2026)