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Looking at an online platform?

March 20, 2020 By Judith McGeary

If you haven’t looked at selling online before, it may feel daunting to jump into it in the middle of this crisis.  The Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network developed a good list of questions to ask when you’re choosing which service to work with:

  • How long has your online sales platform been in use?
  • How many farmers are you currently working with?
  • What will it cost my farm to use your platform? What is your fee structure?
  • I’m ready to start selling products right now. What does it take to get started? Is there a wait because of the current increase in demand for online sales platform services?
  • How will your online sales platform integrate with my current website?
  • What is the process for entering the products that I have to sell?
  • How do I update my product list and pricing?
  • Will I be able to set inventory limits so that I don’t oversell products?
  • How does the customer interface work? Is your platform easy to use on a Smartphone?
  • How do customers pay for products?
  • Are credit and debit card fees charged to customers?
  • Can customers pay by check or cash on delivery?
  • Can customers pay with EBT?
  • Is there a way for me offer customers discounts, coupons, and promotions?
  • How long does it take for customer payments to deposit into my farm’s bank account?
  • How is sales tax handled on your platform?
  • Is it possible to integrate your platform with my accounting software?
  • Is it possible to create pack lists directly from your sales platform? How about labels?
  • Does your platform offer any suggestions for delivery routes based on orders?
  • What kind of IT support does your company provide?
  • How is my farm’s sales data used and/or shared?
  • What happens to my farm’s sales data if I stop using your platform?
  • What other features does your platform offer that I should know about?

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Case Studies:

  • Case in Point – Apples
  • Case in Point – Eggs
  • Case in Point – Raw Milk

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