Part 3 : Fulfillment and promotion

You're actually the front end for a large food manufacturer. How do web-based orders fit into the factory fulfilment process? Are there any problems in this area?
Originally, of course, it was a challenge. But we quickly discovered that the best method was to isolate the web site from the rest of the company. There is one lovely lady - Ruth - who does all the order picking, packing and prep for shipping.

Keeping stock within her reach is the job of the warehousemen, keeping her inventory levels up is the job of production/packing crews, but otherwise she works quite independently. And keeping the orders flowing through our large computer system into her hands is one of my main jobs!

You don't ship outside of the USA and Canada - why not?
Well, actually we do! (editor's note: fire the researcher - again) But it's very expensive - also for the customer - it really doesn't pay unless they are totally determined to get my soup! For example, ground mail to Europe/Japan/Australia from Canada for under 2 kg (about the weight of a gourmet sampler) is $8 US - airmail for the same weight is $22. But the value of the sampler of 16 soups is just $39.84!

Would you be willing to pay $22 shipping for under $40 worth of soup? I doubt it! In comparison - shipping into the US from Canada for the same gourmet sampler is just $8 by ground courier - delivery under 10 business days. Now that's worth it for really good soup!

You say the website is more or less separate from the main company. How is your relationship to the rest of E.D.Foods exactly - are you more or less your own boss or is there a lot of involvement from other parts of the business?
I'm my own boss - but if I impact another department, I must follow their rules. So while I decide how to spend my marketing money, I have to give my receipts to the accounting department, correctly labeled. Manufacturing is responsible for making the soup/seasonings/sauces we sell, so if I want to add/change a product, I have to be sure they can do the work. Our large R and D lab is constantly coming up with new products. If I want to sell them on the net, I have to follow the 'new product introduction' guidelines.

Let's look at how you spread the word - what is bringing people to your site?
I have a strong affiliate sales program - I give my affiliates anywhere from 5 to 10% of their sales as commission. Currently, I have over 150 affiliates in name, but of course only a few actually do much in the way of selling. During the winter, my affiliates were bringing in about 20% of my sales. Now that it is summer that number has dropped to under 10%. I think that's related to the perceived seasonality of soup. I do send all my affiliates gifts from time to time - just to keep them interested in promoting the site.

One of the best ways I have of bring return customers to the site is my newsletter. It goes out about once a month to over 50,000 subscribers - and it is very long, and very chatty.

In July, for example, there was a section on wrap cooking for the BBQ, a section on keeping cool when the temperature goes way, way up, plus dozens of recipes and cooking ideas (supplied by my customers in the last 30 days). I also include a small percentage (but huge volume) of the feedback I've received since the last newsletter. There's a scavenger hunt (this month it was silly state mottos), a top 10 count down (14 reasons men have to be proud), and some jokes.

My readers tell me that my newsletter is one of the few that they still open each time it arrives. What really cracks me up is when I skip a month and I get emails asking if they've been dropped from the list! I have the best customers.

Other ways; I submit to the search engines about every 3 months or so and if I see a free stuff site that doesn't mention my free sample, I suggest it to them.

I try to stay clear of things that cost money - remember my motto; fun, cheap and legal!

Continued...