Happy Members => High Retention Rate => Profitable CSA.
Our limited choice bundles create happy members. They choose from what's actually ready. And less stress for you --- no worries about having a good cabbage for every box.
Our EFF automation makes the process seamless for you and your members.
Important EFF Platform Overview: Net cost of $15 per month,
includes real time inventory, buyer accounts, farm pickup and delivery locations,
pick lists, assembly lists, home delivery mapping, free subvendor accounts.
Go to www.eatfromfarms.com for more platform details.
(USA and Canada)
So how does this work?
You:
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choose the products you want to make available for this week's bundles
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assign a point value to each product (like $2.35 retail = 2.35 points)
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set a maximum number of points for the bundles
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limit the quantity available on any special products to 1 or 2 per bundle
Your Members:
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go to your website and choose the bundle that matches their CSA level
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choose the items they want, staying under the point total you've set
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put the bundle in their shopping cart
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perhaps order some add-ons
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submit their orders
Behind the scenes, our EFF automation:
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puts incoming orders into your Order Manager, organized by farm pickup or delivery locations
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immediately reduces available inventory of each product as each order is placed
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creates pick lists, assembly lists, pickup lists, delivery lists
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updates the ledger in each buyer account to create an ongoing record and current balance
Want To See?
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click Product Bundles from the left side panel
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choose products and watch your points add up
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note that some items have restricted quantities
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when done, add the bundle to your cart, choosing any of the pickup options
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you can add more products to your shopping cart from the other categories
Go Ahead, Place The Order:
Then you can see what a customer actually experiences.
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when asked, username - test@eatfromfarms.com & password - Bundles
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do the remaining check out steps
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feel free to add a comment to the order for us to see
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if you want us to contact you, add your contact information to the comment
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submit the order
Submitting the order will do several things:
It will trigger our system to send an email to us (since we are the test account customer) with the order details and any comments you made.
It will put that order into the correct place in our Order Manager.
And it will lower the inventory for the items you ordered.
FAQ:
Q: This sounds hard to set up? How hard is it?
A: Once your inventory is in our system, setting up bundles is quick and easy.
Q: Can I turn products on and off as the season progresses? And what about updating inventory quantities?
A: We provide a "Spreadsheet View" - a simple list of all your products. You can click products on and off. You can see and update quantities. When you click SAVE, everything is updated immediately.
Q: Do all my CSA members need to participate?
A: That's up to you. If some just want a standard bundle every week, you can do whatever you normally do.
Q: How do I know what quantities to put into the inventory system?
A: You need to make an assessment of what's available to harvest. Then input the quantities before ordering takes place.
Q: Can I have different sized bundles?
A: Yes. You can create whatever you want. You can also have fixed bundles where YOU decide what's in there.
Q: Do I need to create new bundles every week?
A: No. It's often easier to edit existing ones as products change.
Q: What's this about creating points?
A: In setting up inventory, you put in your retail price for each product. In adding products to bundles, the points match the retail prices. A $3.25 item is 3.25 points. Simple!
Q: If I'm charging $450 for my 18 week CSA, that's $25 per week. So do I put 25 points as the limit?
A: You could, but normally a CSA offers a cost savings from retail. For example, you could make the bundle limit 30 points. In that case, you are giving them up to $30 in products in exchange for the $25 per week they paid. Normally, any add-ons would be at retail price, although you can discount that as well.
Q: What happens if a bundle is over the point limit?
A: Our system very clearly shows their current point total as they make choices. It won't let them place an order where they are over the limit. They will need to change something in their bundle.
Q: What happens when I have something with a very limited quantity? I want it being shared.
A: You can limit that item to one per bundle. When the inventory reaches zero, others will not be able to choose that item. The early bird wins. You can put limits on any products available for bundles.
Q: What happens if members skip a week?
A: That's up to you. But if you are using our buyer account system, nothing will automatically be deducted from their accounts because they haven't placed an order. That will leave them with extra money to buy add-on items at retail prices.
Q: Are there rules that members need to follow?
A: Yes. They are the rules you set in making an agreement with them. One of the most important is to set an end date by which time their invested money needs to be spent. Another would be your policy on skipping weeks, perhaps allowing it but also limiting it.
Q: Could I offer Home Delivery?
A: Sure. In addition to scheduled pickup at the farm, you can have delivery locations and/or the option of home delivery. Our system handles the details, also mapping out all the home locations on one map. Typically, delivery is free to the central location, with an added charge for home delivery.
Q: Can members add money to their accounts if they buy too many add-ons?
A: Sure.
Q: Can I create "Specials" on my site to move products when I have a bounty?
A: Sure.
Q: Can I......?
A: I'm not sure...... Why don't you give us a call!
518-326-1638 ...... Or use our contact form to reach out to us.