Big news!
Last week, on January 19, the Michigan Liquor Control Commission issued ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2023-01, requiring all wholesale beer and wine deliveries to retailers to be paid by electronic funds transfer (EFT). The requirement will go into effect on March 31, 2023, following a similar mandate from 2021 requiring that all wholesale spirits deliveries be paid by EFT. With this change, there is now a more uniform and modern process for buying beer and wine in Michigan.
The Commission believes EFT payments help ensure the safety of delivery drivers and other personnel responsible for transactions. There is no longer a need for drivers to carry cash and be exposed to potential harm. In the Administrative Order, the Commission noted that EFT payments help speed up the delivery process, as there is less time needed to count payments at the time of delivery. This benefits both the wholesaler and the retailer. As well, using EFT payments for alcohol deliveries means that a check-signer doesn’t have to be available when the delivery arrives.
Included in the Order are these additional clarifications:
- “The Wholesaler licensee must initiate the EFT payment.
- The EFT payment transmittal to the banking institution must occur no later than the next banking business day.
- A single EFT payment may be made to a Wholesaler licensee making deliveries to multiple locations of a chain retailer on the same business day.”
Wholesaler licensees are responsible for selecting a third-party payment processing company to facilitate EFT payments. Luckily for Michigan retailers, Fintech is a trusted and established EFT payment processor with a strong footprint in the state.
If you are a Fintech PaymentSource customer, you can log in to your account here to add all your beer and wine distributors for automated EFT payments at no additional cost. Need help adding your distributors? Call 1-800-572-0854 and press “1” for Client Services followed by “2” for Activation. You can also email [email protected] for assistance.
If you are a Fintech Distributor Autopay customer, log in to your account here to add your beer and wine distributors. You can do this free of charge. Call 1-800-572-0854 and press “1” for Client Services followed by “3” for Distributor Autopay. You can also email [email protected], and someone will get back to you.
If you are not a Fintech customer and wish to sign up for convenient, automated EFT payments on your alcohol deliveries, complete the demo request form here.
Add your distributors before March 31st to stay compliant and ensure prompt payment!
