How to Run a Convenient Farm Pickup Service
Pickup services and drop-off sites are pivotal to accessing Farms in local communities, giving customers the convenience of accessing Farms in their “backyard.” As grocery stores and restaurants have established Curbside Pickup, it has become an alternative for customers on-the-go who want the convenience of picking up orders without spending extra time.
However, to operate a successful Pickup service, Farmers will need to meet buyers’ expectations of convenience. When Farms offer the convenience of online ordering coupled with easy fulfillment options, we've found that they increase their customer base and drive sales. Here are four ways your Farm can run successful and convenient Pickups:
Be Online
Sixty-seven (67%) of Americans admit that they’ve increased their online ordering in the past two years solely due to convenience. That’s why it’s essential to allow buyers to order from your Farm online, anytime. Paired with a convenient Pickup service, Farmers are using in-person interactions to supplement online ordering– which doesn’t require customers to call, text, or email to place an order! With different Pickup locations, Farmers can serve multiple communities, drive brand awareness, and create lasting relationships with customers.
Choose Your Pickup Location(s)
Choose pickup locations that are convenient for buyers and don’t require additional effort on the part of the Farmer. You can choose different drop-off sites that buyers frequently visit - farmer's markets, church or school parking lots, community centers, or complementary businesses. Catering to busy parents' and working professionals' schedules by offering locations that are “on the way” is essential for customers to make a purchase decision. If your Pick-ups aren’t convenient, Farmers run the chance of not selling products.
While offering on-Farm Pickups is tempting, any location considered “out of the way” is inconvenient. Some customers will enjoy visiting your Farm as an outing for their children, but if your Farm is located 15+ miles away from town, it will deter those who don’t want to travel the distance.
Your Pickup location should be easily identifiable to someone driving or walking past to the drop site. Pickups that are just as convenient as attending the grocery store (located on major streets or along popular driving routes) are critical to offering customers an easy way to access your products. Post a sign directing customers to where they can grab their order, and if you choose to set up at a designated parking lot or your Farm, add a canopy to keep customers out of the weather and keep the products cool and dry. At the market, organize a section of your stall for Pickup orders to separate online orders from market orders, which will help streamline the process.
Designate Your Pickup Days and Times
Choose 2-3 days a week to offer Pickups. You’ll want to think about your customers' everyday lives – what are their working hours, when are they driving, and how would it be convenient to pick up their order? By determining when customers are likely available to pick up their orders, it’ll be easier to configure your schedule. Having different options allows customers (and their busy schedules) to add their regular errands rather than making time out of their day to pick up their orders.
When Farmers use a solution like Barn2Door to plan fulfillments, they can create consistent Pickup schedules for customers. For example, if you offer Pickup at the farmer’s market, set the time frame for the markets’ operating hours. Or, if you offer Subscriptions that are fulfilled weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, align your Pickups to cater to Subscription cadence. Buyers purchase Subscriptions for consistency, so having a consistent time and place to retrieve their orders is important to creating a simple and convenient experience.
When you choose your location and Pickup cadence, it’s important to inform your customers! Send an email or post on social media to share a new location, Pickup day, or additional items that can be accessed when they pick up their orders.
Remind Your Customers
Farmers that send regular Order Reminders through email enjoy 28% higher average order volume. Remind customers to place an order that will be ready for Pickup in a location near them. Buyers are often busy and forget to purchase, so that’s why frequent and automated order reminders can act as a nudge to drive more sales.
You can also remind customers to pick up their orders depending on their fulfillment schedule. Farmers typically send a reminder 24 hours before the fulfillment! Automating order reminders will help you save time as you won’t have to inform each buyer individually. Farmers who use Barn2Door can set up automatic order reminders to send to their customers 24 hours before Pickup to ensure products will be accounted for.
Your Farm can delight customers with a convenient Pickup Service when you thoughtfully plan and coordinate locations, times, and dates. With a streamlined order management solution like Barn2Door, it’s easy to create consistent fulfillment schedules while streamlining the ordering process for customers. Pickups will help your Farm build in-person relationships with customers while simultaneously offering easy access to your Farm in places that your buyers frequently visit. Giving customers a convenient experience from order to fulfillment will be the key to building a thriving Farm business.
Barn2Door provides an all-in-one solution to grow and manage your Farm business. If you’re curious to learn why successful Farms run on Barn2Door, watch this 5-minute video.