You can start an online pie delivery business as an extension of an already existing pie-making business. Taking an order and delivering a pie via an online transaction could be as simple as an email-requested order at its most rudimentary level. However, starting and growing a sucessful online business requires a good pie and a good plan.
Instructions
Starting an Online Pie Business
1. Make a great pie. There are so many other options for getting a pie---including making one at home or going around the corner to a local bakery or store---and you'll be competing with them all.
2. Reach out to your existing clients as your initial online client base. An online pie business would be most successful if there was an existing brick-and-mortar extension with established clients. Offering online ordering as a service to your existing customers is a good first step.
3. Design and create an ecommerce website that includes plenty of photos of your product and storefront. Your ecommerce site should also accept major credit cards, and you'll need a merchant services account like LinkPoint or PayPal to process those transactions.
4. Offer local customers direct home delivery. As your reputation grows, you will need to offer long-distance customers next-day delivery. Pies are fragile, so you'd have to develop packaging that will protect the pie during shipping.
5. Create a signature packaging design to stand as your promotion with every pie you deliver. You should include a business card with your online and storefront addresses, as well as a colorful brochure full of images of all your delicious pies.
