Websites for farm shops and direct sellers: opening hours, pre-orders, online sales
Farm shop customers mainly want to know: when is it open, what's in season, and can I pre-order? Many farms answer that only on a note at the gate or in a messenger group. A simple website with a current season overview and pre-ordering brings new local customers and saves phone calls. Examples use German rules.
What customers want to see at once
The home page should answer in seconds:
- Opening hours, including seasonal ones, and whether there's a vending machine or self-service.
- What's in season: asparagus, strawberries, potatoes, eggs, meat by slaughter date.
- Directions, parking, payment options.
- How the farm works: animal husbandry, cultivation, origin, with real photos.
Pre-orders and pickup
For meat boxes, Christmas geese, asparagus or veg boxes, pre-ordering with a pickup slot pays off. You plan better, customers wait less. A simple flow with quantity, pickup day and contact details is enough for many farms; payment on pickup.
Selling online: what to watch
Anyone selling food online must provide the mandatory EU food information before purchase: for packaged goods ingredients and allergens, for loose goods at least allergens. For goods sold by weight, the price per kilogram belongs too.
Shipping to consumers brings the usual shop duties such as legal notice, order button and withdrawal information; in Germany there's no right of withdrawal for food that spoils quickly. For chilled goods the cold chain must be ensured in transit. Many farms therefore limit online sales to pickup or regional delivery.
Being found and cost
Customers search for "farm shop", "farm eggs" or "buy asparagus" plus town. A Google Business Profile with current hours and a season page you update yourself bring the most. A farm shop website with season overview, pre-orders and directions starts at €1,800 with us; an online shop with delivery from €4,000.
Frequently asked questions
- Is an online shop worth it for a small farm shop?
- For pre-orders with pickup almost always. Shipping pays off more for shelf-stable products like pasta, honey or preserved sausage.
- How do we keep the season overview current?
- With a simple list in the editor that you update from your phone. A "fresh this week" note is often enough.
- Can we connect a WhatsApp channel?
- Yes. Many farms update regulars on fresh produce via WhatsApp; the website explains how to join and keeps everything important available.
Sources
Tell us your range, opening hours and whether you want to deliver. You get a page plan and a fixed price.
Request a farm shop website