Click-It & Forget-It: Announcing Ongoing Farm Subscriptions on Barn2Door
Farming is nuanced, with unique needs in a specific industry. That’s why Barn2Door is committed to evolving our capabilities to make Farmers’ lives easier – providing them with an all-in-one solution to grow and manage their business.
Our Product team regularly talks to Farmers to gather feedback and understand what new capabilities we can build to help them increase sales, access more customers, and save time & money. That’s why we’re thrilled to share that Farmers can now offer customers Ongoing Subscriptions on Barn2Door!
As the concept of a Farm Subscription has been around for decades (shout-out to the early CSA pioneers), Farmers from across the country are now offering Food Subscriptions for all kinds of products (Proteins, Produce, Dairy, Flowers, and more!). Giving customers the ability to lock-in weekly or monthly access to Farm fresh products regularly has enabled Farms to enjoy up to 80% monthly recurring revenue and gain peace of mind managing their harvest, inventory, and finances well in advance.
How are Ongoing Subscriptions Different from Seasonal or Rolling Subscriptions?
The Subscription schedules you’re using now are not disappearing. Let’s break down how they’re different and examples for each:
Ongoing Subscriptions
For Farmers that can offer products year-round, Ongoing Subscriptions allow customers to remain subscribed without an end date. This means that Farmers can continue to build their subscriber base more consistently without reminding customers to re-subscribe. Common examples include Dairy, Eggs, Poultry, Pork, and Beef. If you farm in a region with year-round sun, maintain high tunnels, or are a Freight Farm, then Ongoing Subscriptions for Produce is also a great option.
Seasonal Subscriptions
Farmers often offer Subscriptions that align with their primary production period. The most common example is a Produce Subscription with fulfillments from late Spring through early Fall. This is considered a “Seasonal” Subscription because it has a hard “start date” and “end date” that are clearly communicated to the customer at sign-up. Examples include Spring Flower Subscriptions and Fall Harvest Subscriptions.
Rolling Subscriptions
Rather than focusing on a distinct “start date,” many Farmers choose to offer a Subscription with a “rolling start date” and a set duration. This can be used for providing “Trial Subscriptions” or programs with a set length like some herd-shares. So, the customer can subscribe at any time, then continue for whatever the length is set to – whether a few weeks or 12 months.
How do Ongoing Subscriptions Work on Barn2Door?
Ongoing Subscriptions were built to help Farmers drive consistent revenue and increase customer retention. Rather than having to re-market to customers to sign up again and again, Farmers can focus on adding new customers or upselling add-ons to their existing subscribers.
Produce Farmers in warmer climates often have access to a diverse range of products year-round; Dairy Farmers enjoy ongoing demand for milk and other dairy products, and many Protein Farmers and Ranchers can maintain consistent inventories. As such, Ongoing Subscriptions will make it easier for Farmers to secure long-term commitments and build a recurring revenue base for their business.
Buyers benefit too! Buyers do not need to be reminded to recommit to a Subscription after the term is over because there is no end date! This will be critical for many Farms as it will reduce churn and the time (and effort) to get customers signed up for the next Seasonal or Rolling Subscription.
Here’s what’s new:
Farmer Side: When setting up a Subscription item, Farmers can now choose the “Ongoing” Payment type under Pricing & Details. On the Inventory Tab, Farmers can easily see all order details for a Subscription, including the purchase date and the end date for a given customer.
Buyer Side: When customers are considering an Ongoing Subscription, they will encounter a streamlined set of logistics options and updated language as they check out. Buyers will have the opportunity to preview fulfillment dates as far in the future as they would like and will receive charge confirmations and regular email order reminders once they make their purchase!
We strongly encourage Farmers to sell Subscriptions to lock in recurring commitments from their buyers. Our most successful Farmers boast a healthy base of Subscriptions, providing more financial freedom and flexibility for their businesses.
If you’re looking to implement Ongoing Subscriptions for your Farm business, consider Staple Products that buyers use and/or consume regularly. For example, Proteins, Produce, and Dairy are consumed daily. Additionally, many buyers regularly purchase bread, honey, syrups, soap, and fiber, too. These would fit among the “Ongoing Subscriptions” category – giving customers access to products they regularly use without an upcoming end date.
Barn2Door provides an all-in-one solution to grow and manage your Farm business. If you’re curious to learn why successful Farms run on Barn2Door, watch this 5-minute video.