Direct-To-Consumer Trends Reportedly Expanding Even With RTO Migration — The Latest? VIP Gas On Demand

The pandemic saw an explosion in demand for direct-to-consumer (DTC) delivery and on-demand services as people confined to their homes looked for new ways to meet their needs without venturing outside. 

Food-delivery services like Instacart and DoorDash Inc. DASH became essential during the quarantine and continued to help millions — especially at-risk populations most vulnerable to COVID-19 — get their groceries and enjoy restaurant-quality meals even when so much of their daily routines were turned upside down.

Now, economies are reopening and companies are increasingly calling workers back into the office. But even as the world transitions back into old routines, that pandemic-era surge in direct-to-consumer services looks like it’s here to stay. 

It’s not just limited to groceries or consumer goods, either. The rapid growth of newer DTC services like EzFill Holdings Inc.’s EZFL on-demand fuel delivery app is proving that this same model can revolutionize almost any industry. 

Pandemic-Era DTC Delivery Space Sees Sustained Demand Even As People Return To The Office

While DTC services existed before the pandemic, the public health measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID helped spur unprecedented growth in the space. Revenue for grocery delivery services alone increased almost 73% in 2020, for example. 

The continued popularity of these services makes sense. For consumers, they’re a convenient and affordable alternative to the hassle of running errands — especially as a return to the office also means a return to daily commutes that will leave consumers with less time for those errands. For on-demand app companies, it’s a profitable and low-overhead business model that can eliminate many of the costs of traditional retailers. 

Customers Can Now Use An App To Get Their Gas Tank Filled Or Electric Vehicle Charged

One of the latest DTC trends to emerge is on-demand fuel delivery. In addition to groceries, food and pet supplies, consumers can now get their fuel tanks filled without having to go to the gas station. Florida-based EzFill’s app allows customers to choose from a variety of fuels, including regular or premium gasoline, and a range of specialty fuels to power trucks, boats and other vehicles. Then, they can pinpoint their car’s location on a map and schedule a delivery time. 

An EzFill service provider will come by within that delivery window and fill the customer’s tank with the requested fuel type. Instead of squeezing in a trip to the gas station before or after work, an EzFill customer can simply drive to work, schedule a delivery during work hours, and when they’re ready to head home for the day, they’ll get into a car with a full tank of gas. 

The innovative mobile fuel delivery app raised $25 million in its initial public offering last year, which it is using to grow its delivery vehicle fleet and expand into new territory across the country. Similarly, in the electric vehicle space, SparkCharge launched a mobile EV charging app called BoostEV.

Like EzFill, BoostEV lets customers schedule delivery through an app to have a service provider come to their car and charge it using a portable, modular fast-charging system that can deliver up to 70 miles of charge in an hour. The app developer raised $23 million in Series A funding last May from dozens of investors, including Mark Cuban, Tale Venture Partners and SVB Financial Group SIVB subsidiary Silicon Valley Bank.

The opportunity for services like these is huge. In its first year of fuel deliveries, for example, EzFill delivered over 4.8 million gallons of gas and that was just in its home territory in Florida. Such companies are now looking at the opportunities for more fleet and office park services. As EzFill pursues a rapid expansion strategy, it hopes to see those numbers keep climbing as its mobile fuel delivery app reaches new customers.

Featured photo provided by EzFill

This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice.