How Can an Age Verification Machine Ensure Safe Alcohol and Marijuana Curbside Pickup?

The retail industry has changed drastically since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic at the beginning of 2020. The businesses that have been the most affected by the pandemic are those that sell age-restricted products such as alcohol and marijuana. This is because the sale of such products is heavily regulated by the state and federal governments.

Before the outbreak of COVID-19, liquor stores and marijuana dispensaries had to confirm the age and check the driver’s license of every customer who walked through their doors and made a purchase. Sometimes, they also had to maintain records of the driver’s license information for compliance purposes.

However, the pandemic – and the resultant lockdowns – made in-store purchases a rarity. Retailers of all types had to get used to delivering the products to their customers, who were confined to their homes and unable to visit the store in person. Retailers also had to ensure safety and hygiene during the delivery, which meant that too much contact between the buyer and the delivery person could not be allowed.

As a result, the process of age verification became more difficult and error-prone than ever before. The delivery person could not touch the buyer’s ID card, as that would increase the risk of infection. So, the buyer typically held up their ID card for the delivery person to see.

Because the ID card had to be verified at a distance, the risk of mistakes and verification errors increased drastically. It also became easier for minors to trick the system with a fake ID card, as forgeries are harder to spot at a distance. As a result, more and more liquor stores and marijuana dispensaries are adopting portable ID scanning technology for home deliveries and curbside pickups.

Curbside Pickup for Age-Restricted Products

Curbside pickup is a service that allows customers to have a product delivered to a convenient location near their home or workplace. The popularity of curbside pickup has skyrocketed in recent months, due to the social distancing measures necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For instance, you can place an order and have the product delivered to a store near your home. You can then park your car near that store, and a staff member will bring the product you ordered out to your vehicle. This is extremely convenient and involves minimal contact, thus reducing the risk of viral transmission.

For age-restricted products like alcohol and marijuana, however, curbside pickup is a bit more complicated than for normal goods. This is because the age of the buyer has to be confirmed before the ordered item can be handed over. If the delivery person hands alcohol or marijuana over to a minor, the retailer could face serious legal consequences, including large fines, lawsuits, and license cancellations.

This is why a portable age verification machine is so important for liquor stores and marijuana dispensaries trying to stay operational during the pandemic. Such a machine can help the delivery executive determine the age of a buyer, without having to touch their ID card or driver’s license.

The buyer simply has to hold up their ID card when picking up their order. The machine will automatically scan the card and verify the information stored in it. This scanning and verification process is completely safe and contactless.

If the ID card or driver’s license is fake, the age verification machine will immediately alert the delivery executive. The executive can then cancel the delivery and return to the store with the age-restricted product, thus avoiding the legal repercussions of selling alcohol or cannabis to a minor.

Buying the Best Age Verification Machine

The owners of marijuana dispensaries and liquor stores must be careful to only buy high-quality age verification machines for their curbside pickup services. The most important factor to consider is the portability of the machine. To be carried around by a delivery executive, the age verification machine must be compact, wireless, and relatively easy to use.

The machine should also be able to scan and verify ID cards at a distance, without the need for any physical contact between the buyer and the delivery person. This is essential for marijuana and alcohol retailers to maintain hygiene and safety standards during the pandemic.

Lastly, the age verification machine being used for curbside pickup of alcohol and marijuana should be fast, accurate, and durable. It will be carried around from place to place at all hours of the day. Hence, it must be sturdy and quite resistant to wear and tear.

Speed and accuracy are also essential for ensuring customer satisfaction and regulatory compliance. Ideally, the age verification machine should come with pre-installed compliance reporting software, capable of storing the relevant ID data for due diligence proof.

Now that you know the essential qualities of a reliable age verification machine, you can buy a quality product from a reliable manufacturer, that meets all the needs of your liquor store or marijuana dispensary.