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Selling Local - Vendor Tips expand_more

Local Market Tips!

A Vendor's Guide to Selling Local

  1. Presentation matters. Write an inviting bio and tell your story. Take clear photos and videos. Keep info updated and current.
  2. Your page is your digital market stand—make it inviting!
  3. Label everything clearly. Detailed product descriptions with pricing, weight/quantity, growing methods, ingredients and material sources. If perishable, put a Best By date.
  4. Keep your schedule consistent and visible. Post your market days, pickup windows, and online ordering deadlines everywhere. Customers need to know when and how to buy from you.
  5. Update your availability in real-time. Sold out of zucchini by 10am? Make sure your product's quantity is up to date. Nothing frustrates customers more than ordering something that's already gone.
  6. Be responsive. Check your orders and messages often if possible. Customers asking "Do you have any lavender soap?" need answers before they move on.
  7. Share your story. People love knowing where their food and crafts come from. Mix up your content: farm/craft photos, how to or how it's made videos, growing updates, harvest highlights. Show the work and the passion, but keep posts scannable.
  8. Set communication boundaries. Post your response hours: "I check messages morning and evening, expect replies within 24 hours." Prevents burnout and sets realistic expectations.
  9. Be crystal clear about pickup procedures. Exact location, parking instructions, what to bring, how orders are labeled. "Pick up at the red barn, look for the cooler with orders alphabetized by last name."
  10. Digital payments made easy. Local Market lets you customize how you get paid. Use Plaid, Stripe, Venmo, PayPal, Zelle, Square—offer what your customers actually use. Yes there are fees, but convenience = sales.
  11. Time-stamp perishables. "Harvested Friday morning, pick up Saturday" gives customers confidence about freshness.
  12. Follow regulations. Know your local laws about selling certain products and across county/state lines.
  13. Manage complaints professionally. Bad produce in an online order? Respond quickly, apologize sincerely, offer refund/replacement. Handle privately before it becomes a public review.
  14. You set your own refund procedures. Make sure to be fair, if you need, we can help set you up with services to help handle refunds.
  15. Check out our built in Accounting system. We can help keep you organized by integrating your sales and expenses into our built-in accounting feature.
  16. Watch for scams. Fake payment confirmations, phishing attempts, too-good-to-be-true bulk orders. Trust your gut and verify payments before fulfilling orders.
  17. Upload any certificates, so you can show off your hard work. It's not necessary but will help boost your credibility.
Buying Local - Seller Tips expand_more

Local Market Tips

Your guide to shopping local!

  1. Meet your local farmers and artisans! Check out farmers markets, farm stands, craft fairs, and local health stores that showcase local products!
  2. Ask good questions. Wondering about growing practices? Just ask! Questions like "Do you use pesticides?" "What do you feed your animals?" "What ingredients do you use?" Most craftsmen and farmers love talking about what they do!
  3. Trust your senses. Fresh produce should look vibrant and smell like, well, actual food. Wilted, slimy, or funky-smelling stuff is a no-go, whether it's from a farm or a grocery store.
  4. Look for the details. Good vendors can tell you where and how their food was grown and where materials come from. If someone gets dodgy about basic questions or can't tell you anything about their practices, that's a red flag.
  5. Certifications are cool but not required. Organic certification costs big bucks that many small farmers can't afford. Some use organic methods without the official label—this is where asking questions matters more than looking for stickers.
  6. Bring cash when possible. Card readers cost vendors fees, ask if there's a payment method they prefer. If you have your own products, maybe you can even trade and barter!
  7. Imperfect is perfect. That wonky carrot tastes just as sweet as the supermarket's uniform ones. Small farms don't have industrial sorting machines, and that's a good thing!
  8. Seasonal variety is the spice of life. You'll get strawberries in June, not January. Eating seasonally is healthier, tastier, and better for the planet anyway.
  9. Prices reflect real costs. Small-scale farming is labor-intensive. You're paying for quality, care, and someone's livelihood—not corporate markups and shipping costs.
  10. Build relationships. Regular customers often get first dibs on popular items, helpful cooking tips, and sometimes extra goodies thrown in. Being friendly pays.
  11. Check local regulations. Most regions require food vendors to follow health codes. If you're buying meat, dairy, or eggs, verify they're following local safety rules.

FAQs

How do I reset my password? expand_more

To reset your password, go to the login page and click on "Forgot Password". Follow the instructions sent to your email address.

How do I update my payment information? expand_more

You can update your payment information in your Vendor Settings under "Manage Payment Preference". You can add, remove, or update payment methods there.

How do I add a new product? expand_more

To add a new product, navigate to your Vendor Profile and click "Add Product" from the menu. Fill out all required fields including product name, description, price, and upload photos.

What payment methods are accepted? expand_more

Local Market supports various payment methods including Plaid, Stripe, Venmo, PayPal, Zelle, and Square. Vendors can choose which payment methods they want to accept.

How do I manage my inventory? expand_more

You can manage your inventory from Vendor Settings by clicking "Manage Inventory". Update quantities, mark items as sold out, or add new stock items.

How do I contact a vendor? expand_more

You can contact vendors by visiting their profile page and clicking the "Message" button. You can also send messages through the Conversations section in your profile.

What is Vacation Mode? expand_more

Vacation Mode allows vendors to temporarily pause new orders while keeping their profile visible. This is useful when you're away but want to maintain your presence on the platform.

How do I track my orders? expand_more

You can track your orders by going to "Open Orders" in your profile. Here you'll see all pending and completed orders with their current status.