Launch Your Online Store in 5 Steps

In this step-by-step guide, we'll walk you through five simple steps to launch your Local Line store.
Woman on tractor on a field
Written by
Nina Galle
Published on
October 27, 2023

Are you ready to take your farm to the next level by launching your Local Line store? In this step-by-step guide, we'll walk you through five simple steps to get your storefront up and running quickly so your customers can start placing orders and you can start making sales.

Let's dive in!

 

Step 1: add your products

Screenshot of Local Line storefront in grid view showcasing different vegetables for sale on online store.

The first step to set up your online store is adding your products. To upload products, go to the top right corner of your dashboard and click on "Add New Product." If uploading one-by-one will take too much time, you can also do a bulk upload using any of your existing product spreadsheets!

Follow the prompts to add the product name, a compelling description, and, most importantly, include eye-catching pictures of your products to entice customers. Level up your product listings by taking high-quality photos and writing enticing descriptions. High-quality product listings are crucial as they serve as the digital face of your store. Make sure they are detailed and appealing to potential buyers.

Next, select how you want to track inventory and set product pricing. In Local Line, you can track inventory and price by unit or by weight

 

Step 2: Set up payment options

You'll want to provide convenient payment options to your customers. Here's how:

  1. Click on "Payment" in the left-hand navigation bar and select "Payment Gateway Setup".
  2. Select the gateway you'd like to integrate with. You can choose from Square, LocalPay, or Stripe.
  3. After connecting your preferred gateway, return to the Payment tab, click "Add Payment Method," and select credit card as a valid payment option.

If you offer offline payment methods such as cash, check, or e-transfer, you can set them up in the same section by inputting custom payment types and instructions.

Step 3: Create fulfillment options

On Local Line, you can add both delivery and pickup locations. For delivery, click "Add Delivery Plan" in the top right corner. Specify your delivery preferences, such as delivering to a specific city, zip code, or within a certain radius of a central address.

For pickup locations, provide the address where customers can collect their orders from you. You can also set pickup hours. 

For both delivery and pickup plans, you can specify your minimum order, order cut off times, delivery fees, taxes, and more. 

Step 4: Create your unique price list

Create unique price lists for different customer segments. Ensure that all your products, payment methods, and fulfillment options are attached to the correct price list. Price lists can also be made private or public depending on who you're selling to. 

Every price list has a unique URL. It's like it's own unique storefront! Once you've built your price list, you can share the link with relevant buyers. 

Step 5: Open your storefront

The final step is to open your online store to the public. Follow these simple steps:

  1. Go to the "Storefront" tab.
  2. Click on "Open Store."

Congratulations! Your store is now open for customers to start shopping.

Don't forget to promote your new online store on your social media channels. Let your friends, family, and followers know that your storefront is open for business.

That's it! You've successfully launched your Local Line online store. We hope this guide has helped simplify the process!

Got 5 Minutes?

Farms that use Local Line grow sales by 23% per year! Find out how
Nina Galle Local LIne
Nina Galle
Nina Galle is the co-author of Ready Farmer One. She continues to arm farmers with the tools, knowledge, and community they need to sell online at Local Line.
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