It should come as no surprise that the food business is adapting to a remote working environment and going digital in order to upgrade and, in some cases, survive. The global food sector is valued at $12.24 trillion, and the growing trend of selling food online will swiftly increase these figures. Food businesses have grown rapidly in recent years, and the popularity of companies like Deliveroo can be compared to that of social networking apps.
Despite the fact that the internet food business has been around for a long time, the 2020 pandemic year saw an increase in online food sales. Do you know that the demand for online meal delivery is expected to increase by 700% by 2020? Yes, the online food business is really appealing right now. Previously, only large retailers or restaurants were willing to sell food online, but now even a little neighbourhood bakery kiosk is eager to do so.
Here’s everything you need to know about selling food online, whether you’re starting a new business or expanding an existing one.
5 methods for selling food on the internet
Food can be sold online using a variety of business concepts. You can set up an online store, use delivery services, sell on marketplaces, or build social media accounts. Let’s take a closer look at each of these channels.
Social media sites
This is a place where you can let your imagination run wild. Today, social media is synonymous with online commerce, and some stores, for example, just have Instagram. However, by definition, social media is not an online store. Your major goal is to keep in touch with your customers.
Here are some social media suggestions for running your online food store:
Take notice of the visuals.
The photos should be of decent quality while yet conveying the mood. If your main purpose at the store is to present your products in all of their glory, your major goal on social media is to sell the magic. In the case of food, the primary goal is to elicit a desire to eat. It’s a wonderful idea to put your bakery on the table with a cup of coffee and your favourite book. Here are some outstanding examples of visually appealing food-related social media posts.
It is critical to create content.
The new tendency is to avoid using too much language; social media is more about pictures than words. However, if you’re writing about food, you’ll need to grab the reader’s attention and let them ‘experience the taste.’ Highlight ingredients in your items or write something inspirational like “A good morning should begin like this” (if you sell products people can eat for breakfast).
Use hashtags sparingly.
They’re still usable. Use hashtags that are searchable, but not too generic. For instance, #onlinebakery is…
Add stories to your accounts to bring them to life.
For example, you might include unboxings or TikToks videos in your Stories to demonstrate your products in real time. You can add announcements, video messages, and more photographs of your things to the Stories section.
Services for food delivery
Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Domino Pizza are some of our favourite meal delivery services that have become a part of our daily lives. Due to the popularity of such services and the high number of users, selling meals through food delivery services is on the rise. Although the platforms normally charge between 10% and 30%, it is still worthwhile. Even if you aren’t making enough money, your store’s advertising will be effective.
How to use marketplaces to sell food online
The first thing you should know is that selling food on marketplaces like eBay or Amazon is sometimes illegal. As a result, you’ll need permission from appropriate government agencies as well as key marketplace departments, such as Amazon’s Health and Beauty department.
Marketplaces can be used to sell food online (Amazon)
You must first create an account and select a plan (you can always start with a free individual plan or try a free trial for other plans). The following step is to select a distribution model (especially on Amazon, different marketplaces offer their own options). You might, for example, sell homemade items or cooperate with vendors. Marketplaces allow you to reach a larger audience and establish a stronger online presence. In a nutshell, marketplaces assist you in promoting your store and increasing sales.
Your own own internet shop
You have complete control over how your products are seen and displayed when you have your own website. You’re in charge of customer service, feedback, and promotional initiatives. It’s a lot easier to advertise and keep track of your clients’ actions.
There are numerous options for setting up an internet store today. You also don’t need to be an expert programmer. The basis of your business is establishing an internet store. You must invest in the creation of your own website if you want to succeed in ecommerce. Besides, you don’t have to rely on third-parties like Amazon or food delivery services if you have your own store. You can still promote and sell your products on social media and marketplaces, but your online store should be your primary sales channel. It will set you apart from your competition by allowing you to have complete control over how your business appears and how customers interact with it.
You must first choose an ecommerce platform before you can begin creating your food store. There are several alternatives available. Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and other platforms are available. Magento is the most popular platform for creating online stores. Magento is used by many of your favourite businesses, like Nike, Fred Perry, Aldo, and others. This ecommerce software has a number of advantages over its competitors. It’s entirely customizable, scalable, and packed with features. Magento is also SEO-friendly, which means it has all of the tools you’ll need to promote your products on search engines.
Source: ecommerce platforms , online selling platform
