In planning for our new weekly veg box scheme in Mid Ulster we had a look around at different options for handling orders. We did a detailed comparison of what they would cost us in the long run, looking at wordpress, wix, shopify and OOOOBY (Out of our own back yards).
We got a free demo from the Ooooby guys and it looked really good. They also did us a really good deal which made it a no-brainer.
The front end looks much like any other website. It's not nearly so customisable as using the standard web building platforms, there are pages and headings on there that we would prefer to change.
It's the administrative back end where it really shows the value. It doesn't look so pretty but it's very functional which is much more important. It's all set up for veg box schemes, they already run about 80 schemes through the platform so they know what is needed. Lots of automated emails which will save HOURS of time. A robust and secure payment system with all the compliance checks done. Terms and Conditions, Privacy policies etc all worked out.
The bit I think will be really powerful is the reporting. It's all set up to tell us all the key data, again that will save a lot of time and give us real insights.
So far the biggest benefit for us has been the support through the onboarding process. You don't get this with standard website platforms. We've had two hour long sessions and many, many emails, back and forth, with a real live person, actually numerous people. They have patiently guided us through all the tiny little details, setting up merchant accounts, connected domain names, all the platform settings.
Because they know an awful lot about veg boxes we were also able to pick their brains about our scheme, how many boxes is realistic? how do other schemes operate? price ranges for boxes. Will do a separate blog post on the numbers.