Effective inventory management can significantly impact your farm operations. If done correctly, it can drive your farm workflows and business forward.
Keeping your online listings automatically updated with real-time product availability, accurate prices, and detailed product information is crucial for running a successful farm e-commerce.
In this blog, we uncover five essential inventory hacks to help you save time on your farm during this busy season. Keep reading for insightful inventory tips to optimize your sales and meet customer expectations!
Easily manage your master inventory of products across different customer segments with Local Line price lists! Price lists are individual storefronts for your different customer segments (e.g., wholesale, restaurant, retail). You can create unique price lists with varied pricing, packaging, and availability.
For instance, if you sell to retailers and restaurants, you only need to maintain one master inventory and use price lists to cater to your different customer segments (e.g., retail and restaurant). Gone are the days of juggling multiple spreadsheets; now, you can focus on satisfying different customer demands!
To see price lists in action, check out the video below!
➡️ Read Argus Farm Stop's success story: Discover how they leverage Local Line price lists for their retail store and food hub.
Sell products with different packaging variations using Local Line’s advanced inventory feature. It allows you to create and manage multiple packages of one product, all pulling from one master inventory.
This means you can cater to different customer preferences, whether they want to buy in bulk or purchase single packages. You can also make different packages visible on different price lists to tailor to your customer’s specific needs.
For example, let's say you have 50 lbs of blueberries in stock and offer 1 lb containers and 3 lb containers. With advanced inventory, if a customer orders two 1 lb containers, their amount is automatically deducted from the 50 lbs of blueberries available, leaving you with 48 lbs of blueberries in stock. So effortless, right?
To see how Local Line’s advanced inventory works, click on the video below!
Never fear selling out of stock again. Local Line’s farm e-commerce platform sends you email notifications when your products are running low or out of stock.
Simply check off Notify me when this product is sold out under Track Inventory when creating/editing a product. You can also enable low inventory notifications by setting a number (e.g., 10) under Notify me when inventory reaches. With these automated emails, you can manage your inventory easily, taking the stress out of selling.
In the example below, potatoes are out of stock under the Product tab in the back office. Typically, one would have to track all of this in a spreadsheet, which can become complex and time-consuming, especially if you offer many products (e.g., fruits, meats, vegetables).
But with Local Line, you receive automatic email notifications when a product runs low or goes out of stock!
It's important to display your products on your storefront, even if they're sold out. This helps customers see what you have to offer and can encourage them to come back and make a purchase in the future.
For example, if you're known for selling the best berries in town but are currently out of raspberries, displaying them as ‘sold out’ can still attract potential customers. That is, they may browse and buy your in-stock products and return for the raspberries when they're available.
No need to manually delete and re-upload products when your stock runs low. Instead, you simply toggle the ‘out of stock’ option in your back office. Additionally, you can display the quantity of a product left in stock (e.g., 10 or 30 in stock). This lets customers know how much you have in stock for a specific item.
Check out the video below to learn how to display out-of-stock products and remaining inventory on your storefront!
Use categories and product tags to organize your products in your back office efficiently. This is especially important if you have a large inventory. Organizing your products is key to effective and well-organized farm sales operations.
Note that product tags and categories serve different purposes. Product tags describe specific attributes of each product (e.g., berries, root vegetables, beef) and allow you to assign multiple tags to a product while using the same tags for different items.
To add a product tag, head to the Products tab in your back office. Click on New Product or click an existing product to edit. Type the keyword tags into the Product Info section, and Save!
On the other hand, categories help provide a structured way to group your products (e.g., fruit, vegetable, meat).
Enroll in our four-part email course to learn more about Local Line’s farm-focused inventory features! Each lesson is filled with practical tips, insights, and helpful examples to help you master your farm inventory from the comfort of your inbox.
➡️ Register for the FREE course!
Get ready to take your farm inventory management to the next level! Whether you run a farm or food hub, these tips will help you save time, allowing you to focus on other important tasks. Transform your inventory into a powerful asset that works for you, not the other way around.
At Local Line, we offer sales solutions to help farmers succeed, and getting set up couldn't be easier. Learn what Local Line can do for your farm e-commerce.
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