The demand for fresh, local produce gave rise to farm-to-door delivery services. Now, we are seeing small farmers moving online with their own shops.
When the pandemic hit, farmers could no longer rely on selling to restaurants or attending farmer’s markets. The use of online selling platforms skyrocketed when farmers realized they had no other way to reach customers.
Farmers needed the ability to offer no-contact pickup and delivery for local customers. These direct-to-consumer farm sales, which included CSA box programs, provided consistent revenue for farmers throughout the pandemic.
Online farmstands just make sense
The restaurant industry has recovered and farmer’s markets have reopened, but we continue to see more and more farmers moving online. Selling directly to customers allows farmers to build community connections and make their fresh produce more accessible to all.
Online orders are also much larger than in-person farmer’s market orders. The average order size for Airmart merchants is $80.
By accepting pre-orders for produce, farmers can ensure that none of their harvests will go to waste.
Platforms like Airmart make it easy for farmers to take orders, process payments, schedule pickups, and make deliveries.
Produce is a fragile, temperature-sensitive item that must be handled with care and delivered efficiently. Airmart offers delivery route planning tools for farmers who want to make deliveries themselves. Bay Area farms can also use Airmart’s local delivery fleet.
Farmers moving online: Case studies
- Oya Organics started out offering a CSA box subscription via email, and later WooCommerce, before opening up an Airmart shop.
- 180 Fruit Stand gets some traffic thanks to its proximity to several national parks. Now, the owner also uses Facebook to drive customers to their online Airmart shop.
- Farm to Your Tables has been using Airmart to ensure all of its produce is sold within a day of harvest.
- Las Lomas Lavender & Honey, a one-woman-run farm, uses Airmart to take pickup and delivery orders.
Airmart’s mobile app makes it easy for busy farmers to manage their online stores on-the-go.
Join Airmart’s family of farms by opening your own virtual farmstand today.