How can I sell gift certificates from my Farmigo Web Store?
Gift Certificates are a great sales tool as they not only bring in extra cash, then can attract potential members! Below we share our best practices for selling gift certificates and gift shares from your Farmigo Web Store. If you have questions about selling gifts through Farmigo, contact us by emailing [email protected]. We would be happy to talk to you about it.
Read below for instructions on:
- Setting up gift certificates
- Finding members who ordered gift certificates
- Generating redeemable gift certificate codes
- Recommendations for delivering gift certificates
Read below for instructions on:
- Setting up gift certificates
- Finding members who ordered gift certificates
- Generating redeemable gift certificate codes
- Recommendations for delivering gift certificates
Selling Gift Certificates in the Web Store
The terms of your gift certificate will be specific to how your CSA operates. We recommend using coupon codes to track the use of a gift certificate.
Setting up Gift Certificates
- Create a Gift Category in your web store: From your dashboard, go to Settings and select Store Settings under the General section. From here, you can create a category for listing your gift certificates. Then you can grab the direct link for that category for promoting sales with your members and on your website (learn how to create direct links for store categories).
- Create new store items for each amount of gift certificates you want to offer: We recommend creating a gift certificate for fixed dollar amounts. To create a new item from your dashboard, go to Logistics and click +New Item (learn more).
- Set up the message above the store comments box: There is an open comment box that can appear at the end of the store checkout process. We recommend setting up this comments box so the gift buyer can give you information like who the gift is for and a message to send them. To set this up, go to Settings, select Store Settings under the General section, and edit the Store Comments label field. Here is some suggested text: “If purchasing a Gift Certificate, please indicate below the name of the recipient and the name of the sender that you would like to appear on the certificate:”
- Do you want to allow non-subscribers to purchase gift certificates? Contact us at [email protected] to discuss setting up Guest Store Access to your web store. This can depend on how different parts of your system are configured.
Below is an example of how one customer has set up Gift Certificates for their members:
Identifying Who Ordered Gift Certificates
The next step is to find which members have placed orders for gift certificates. Go to Reports and select the Distribution report. Generate a Distribution report with the following parameters:
- DELIVERY DATE = Set to the relevant date for the store order
- ROUTE = Set to the relevant Route or leave All selected
- ITEMS TYPE = Store orders only
- CATEGORY = Select the title of the category where your gift certificates are posted in the web store
- BREAKDOWN BY = Member
Generating Redeemable Gift Certificate Codes
We recommend setting up unique coupon codes that will act as gift certificates when the gift receiver signs-up.
To create a unique coupon code for that gift certificate:
The gift certificate recipient can now redeem the gift by entering the coupon code in the Terms step of the signup process.
To create a unique coupon code for that gift certificate:
- Go to Settings and click +New Coupon under the Coupons section
- Enter a coupon code at the top, the amount for the gift certificate, select $ for a fixed amount discount, and set the status to published
- Save changes
The gift certificate recipient can now redeem the gift by entering the coupon code in the Terms step of the signup process.
Deliver the Coupon Code & Gift Certificate
Next, you will need to decide how you want to deliver these gift certificates. You will want to include the details for delivery in the Automated Response email template for Web Order Confirmation and in the description of the item. Here are some options to consider:
- Pick-up: Whether the buyer is a member or guest at the web store, the purchaser of the gift certificate will have to select a pick-up location at which they receive their items. You can simply deliver the gift certificate at the selected location on the next delivery date.
- Email a printable file: Create an electronic certificate that can be emailed to the buyer once they have purchased the gift certificate. This way the buyer can easily print and deliver the coupon code themselves at their convenience. You will want to email this file to the purchaser outside of the Farmigo Dashboard.
- Mail the certificate directly to the recipient: As part of the text for the comments box (see item 3 above) ask the purchaser where they would like you to send the gift certificate.