Pre-Season Sales Checklist for Farms: Tune Up, Lock In, and Sell More

A System Only Works if You Work the System

Nobody likes the monotonous task of cleaning up listings, double-checking stock, or testing checkout flows. But if it’s not written down, it doesn’t get done—and if it doesn’t get done, your online store won’t run smoothly when peak season hits.

You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.

Spring is the time to audit, adjust, and improve the systems that keep your business running. Follow this checklist, get your systems dialed in, and audit them as the season goes on. The better your systems, the faster, easier, and more profitable your busy season will be.

Ain’t nothing to it but to do it—let’s get started.

Step 1: Clean up your inventory & product listings

Nothing kills a sale faster than out-of-stock items or outdated listings. When customers browse your store, they expect real-time accuracy—if they see something they want, they assume it’s available. But if they try to purchase an item only to find out it’s unavailable, their trust in your business takes a hit. And once that trust is gone, they’re unlikely to come back. Keeping your inventory up to date improves the customer experience and helps build long-term loyalty.

Actions to take: 

• Check stock levels now: Remove sold-out products and update available quantities before customers get frustrated.
• Clear out old listings: Get rid of winter crops or discontinued products that won’t be back.
• Add fresh spring products: Make sure your customers see in-season offerings front and center.
• Optimize product descriptions: Turn boring listings into compelling copy. (Instead of just “Carrots,” say “Sweet, crisp, farm-fresh carrots—perfect for roasting or juicing.”). Check out our guide to writing farm product descriptions!
• Adjust pricing before it’s too late: Factor in production costs, market trends, and wholesale pricing changes now so you don’t lose margin later.
• Refresh product photos: A great photo boosts sales. If you're still using last year’s images, update them now before orders start rolling in.

Pro Tip: Use urgency in product descriptions to drive action. Example: “Limited spring harvest—get yours before they’re gone!”

How Local Line helps: Stop inventory headaches before they start. With Local Line, you can say goodbye to overselling and frustrated customers. Their automatic stock updates ensure that your inventory is always accurate, so customers only see what’s actually available. Plus, bulk product management tools let you update multiple listings in just a few clicks—saving you time and reducing the risk of errors. Whether managing seasonal availability or restocking popular items, Local Line keeps your store running smoothly, so you can focus on growing your farm or food hub.

Step 2: Refresh your storefront & branding

Your online store is often customers' first interaction with your brand, and first impressions matter. Potential customers will quickly lose trust and move on if your storefront looks outdated, cluttered, or difficult to navigate. A confusing layout, poor product images, or inconsistent branding can make your business seem unprofessional, no matter how great your products are. Customers expect a seamless, visually appealing shopping experience that makes browsing easy and enjoyable. A well-organized, modern store builds credibility and keeps visitors engaged, increasing the chances they’ll explore your offerings—and ultimately make a purchase.

Actions to take:

• Update your homepage now: Highlight new products, seasonal offers, or CSA sign-ups while customers pay attention.
• Check your branding: Ensure fonts, colors, and messaging are consistent across every page.
• Refresh your ‘About Us’ page: Customers love a behind-the-scenes look. Update with fresh photos, team updates, or a seasonal message.
• Tell your farm’s spring story: What’s growing? What’s new? Make your farm’s story part of the customer experience.

At Siskiyou Farm Co., we refresh our homepage visuals every season and swap in new farm photos—it makes a huge difference in how customers connect with us.

How Local Line helps: Keep your storefront looking sharp and on-brand. With Local Line’s customizable storefront tools, you can easily update logos, colors, and product displays to match your farm’s unique identity. Whether you’re refreshing your seasonal offerings or fine-tuning your brand presence, their intuitive design features make it simple to create a professional, cohesive shopping experience that keeps customers coming back.

👉Get the 5 storefront hacks to grow your sales with Local Line.

Step 3: Optimize pricing, bundles & promotions

Spring is the perfect time to maximize revenue with smart pricing and promotions.

• Create seasonal bundles now: Offer “Spring Harvest Boxes” or “CSA Shares” to boost bulk purchases. Curious how to start building bundles, check their guide to selling boxes and bundles.
• Set up early-bird discounts: Reward customers who commit early so you lock in revenue before the rush.
• Review wholesale pricing: Make sure your pricing is competitive and profitable before wholesale buyers start placing orders. Learn how to price your products for wholesale.
• Launch limited-time offers: “Spring Kickoff – 10% Off This Week!” creates urgency and drives quick sales.
• Offer loyalty perks: Repeat buyers and referrals bring in more business—incentivize them now.

Pro Tip: People buy what feels exclusive. Use language like “Limited spring selection—order now before it’s gone!”

How Local Line helps: Easily run seasonal promotions and maximize sales without the extra hassle. Whether you're offering holiday bundles, limited-time discounts, or exclusive member perks, Local Line’s powerful tools make it effortless. Use custom price lists to tailor pricing for different customer groups, promo codes to attract new buyers and reward loyal customers, and subscriptions to lock in recurring revenue. Automate your promotions, streamline inventory management, and watch your seasonal sales soar—without adding to your workload.

Step 4: Test & streamline checkout & payments

A slow, confusing checkout process can drive customers away at the final step. Before the seasonal rush hits, take the time to test every part of your checkout and payment system to ensure a seamless experience. Make sure pricing, taxes, and discounts apply correctly, test multiple payment methods, and confirm that the checkout flow is smooth on both desktop and mobile. A frictionless, fast checkout prevents abandoned carts and builds trust with customers.

Actions to take:

• Place a test order: Walk through checkout like a customer. Fix anything unclear now, not when orders are piling up.
• Verify payment options: Ensure your store supports credit cards, LocalPay, Square, or other payment methods your customers prefer.
• Enable CSA deposits today: If you offer CSA shares, set up deposits or partial payments now to lock in revenue early.
• Fix abandoned carts before they cost you: Set up automated email reminders to capture lost sales. Learn more about Local Line’s abandoned cart settings.

How Local Line helps: A frictionless checkout equals more sales, and Local Line makes it effortless. By integrating with trusted payment processors like LocalPay, Square, and Stripe, we ensure your customers can complete their purchases quickly and securely, no matter how they choose to pay. Whether it’s credit cards, digital wallets, or local payment methods, Local Line’s seamless integration takes the stress out of payments, reducing cart abandonment and boosting conversions. Plus, these integrations offer reliable payment tracking and reporting, giving you valuable insights to better manage your sales

Step 5: Organize fulfillment & delivery

A disorganized fulfillment process can lead to shipping delays, wasted time, and frustrated customers—especially during peak seasons. Get ahead by streamlining your logistics now. Ensure your inventory is accurate, packing stations are efficient, and your team knows the fulfillment workflow inside and out. Set clear delivery schedules, communicate timelines with customers, and optimize routes if you’re handling local deliveries.

Actions to take:

• Map out delivery routes: Optimize for time, fuel costs, and efficiency so you're not wasting money on logistics.
• Set clear order cut-off times: Customers need to know exactly when to place their orders for next-day or weekly delivery.
• Stock up on packaging supplies now: Make sure you have boxes, bags, labels, and everything you need before orders pile up.
• Confirm vendor schedules: If you source from multiple producers, double-check their availability and delivery timelines now.
• Consider pick-up points: Partner with local businesses or community centers to cut costs and increase convenience.

How Local Line helps: Stay on top of every order with automated fulfillment tracking, route planning, and scheduled pickups—so you can focus on growing your business, not chasing logistics. Local Line’s tools help you track orders in real-time, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks. With route planning, you can optimize delivery schedules, reduce fuel costs, and keep customers informed about their orders. Plus, scheduled pickups let you easily coordinate collection times, whether for individual customers or wholesale buyers. 

👉Local Line looked at the most common fulfillment settings and found what the most successful farms and food hubs were using. Read the numbers behind successful pick-up and delivery.

Step 6: Market now (before peak season hits!)

Waiting until the peak season is in full swing to market your store is a missed opportunity for success. The earlier you begin your marketing efforts, the more you can build anticipation, generate excitement, and capture customer interest ahead of the rush. Start now by promoting upcoming product launches, special seasonal offers, and exclusive discounts through multiple channels, such as social media, email newsletters, and your website. Create engaging content like sneak peeks, early-bird offers, or behind-the-scenes looks to give your audience a taste of what’s coming.

Actions to take:

• Send an email blast: Announce new products, CSA sign-ups, or early-bird deals to your customers now.
• Update social media: Share behind-the-scenes content, customer testimonials, and sneak peeks of spring harvests.
• Push pre-orders today: Lock in early commitments from wholesale buyers and CSA members.
• Launch a referral program: Incentivize word-of-mouth sales with customer referral discounts.

Pro Tip: Always include a clear call to action. Example: “Order now—limited CSA shares available!”

How Local Line helps: Local Line’s built-in CRM allows you to manage customer relationships seamlessly, keeping track of preferences, purchase history, and contact information in one centralized place. With email marketing tools, you can easily craft and send targeted campaigns—whether it’s promoting seasonal deals, new products, or special promotions—all without the hassle of using multiple platforms.

Plus, Local Line helps you create customized promotions and track their effectiveness, so you can drive more sales and engagement while saving time. No more juggling between different systems or manually segmenting lists—everything you need is at your fingertips.

Spring is coming—Make sure you’re ready!

Getting your systems in place now means less stress, more sales, and smoother operations when peak season hits.

The key to success during your busiest season is preparation. You’ll set yourself up for a more efficient, profitable season by getting ahead of the game now. With Local Line, you don’t have to juggle multiple systems or handle the chaos of inventory updates, fulfillment, and last-minute marketing alone. Local Line’s all-in-one platform simplifies everything, helping farms and food hubs like yours stay organized, reduce stress, and increase sales.

Whether you’re managing your inventory, fulfilling orders, or planning marketing campaigns, Local Line streamlines each process, ensuring you stay ahead of the rush. Automate tasks, track performance, and manage your business from one easy-to-use platform.

Dial in your systems now—so when the orders roll in, you’re ready. Get prepared, stay on track, and maximize your seasonal success with Local Line.

Get started with Local Line today.