Alcohol retailers will be able to order products from the state Liquor Control Board online day or night under a system launched on Monday, the agency said.
The Licensee Online Order Portal, or LOOP, replaces “an archaic ordering system of phone calls and faxes to stores with a web-based portal offering 24/7 access,” said LCB Chairman Tim Holden.
Previously, wine and spirits orders placed by about 15,000 restaurants, pubs, hotels and other licensees could only be made during normal business hours by contacting a state store.
The new system is the second technological overhaul launched by the agency in as many months. In May, the LCB debuted an online licensing and permitting system called PLCB+ that replaced a combination of electronic forms and nearly 70 paper processes.
LOOP was tested for more than a year at several locations, including Rivers Casino on the North Shore, and earned high marks from users.
“Rivers Casino is a 24/7 operation, so our food and beverage department appreciates the instant notifications regarding sales, stock and delivery,” said casino general manager Craig Clark in a statement.
LOOP will enable retailers to see upcoming sale prices, generate personalized reports and get direct delivery of wine and spirits though the Licensee Delivery Program.
To register for LOOP and LDP, licensees can go to www.plcbloop.pa.gov, call 1-800-332-7522 (option 5), or email plcbloop@pa.gov.
Kari Andren is a Tribune-Review staff writer.
