During the pandemic, have you been guilty of ordering food online for a whole week?
Let's face it... Even during the pre-pandemic times.
Because I sure did! And we're not the only ones.
The food and beverage industry has been booming until now. In 2025, its overall sales will make up 15-20% of global online sales.
Plus, food and beverage eCommerce will continue to rise!
Thanks to advanced digital networks and more online buyers. The number of online shoppers is expected to surge as younger people mature.
You can start the trend as you overhaul your online store as part of the food and beverage industry.
To help you be the best Shopify food and beverage online business, I curated a comprehensive checklist for your eCommerce store.
So check everything on the list and watch your online sales increase, too!
But before we deep dive, here are...
Food And Beverage Industry Trends You Need To Know Before Revamping Your Shopify Store This 2024
Like any other eCommerce industry, the food and beverage sector also goes through changes.
Knowing these changes will aid you in what your online store needs on the checklist we'll go through.
Firstly, the food and beverage industry is...
1. Moving Towards Sustainability
Customers are getting more eco-conscious.
Research shows that out of 1,000 consumers, 77% said they tried to be more sustainable. Almost half of them even said they would pay more for green goods.
And most of them also said they could not find what they wanted in their food and beverage Shopify stores.
What are they looking for, exactly?
They want to be more sustainable by buying groceries online from businesses that offer eco-friendly packaging and work with local suppliers.
As online grocery shopping includes food and beverage products, you should be more active in your sustainability efforts as a business.
The food and beverage industry is also...
2. Investing In Brand Culture
What value are you proposing to your customers?
This is important for businesses such as online retailers and food and beverage brands.
Just consider this...
Your customers want you to align with their values, and 83% of millennials agree.
Yes, food and beverage businesses are also part of this change.
For instance, Absolut partnered with Stonewall, an LGBT charity. Their Kiss with Pride campaign encouraged authenticity which led to success.
Your food and beverage business should also focus on customer experience regarding online grocery shopping.
You'll see that when you create...
3. Smooth Shopping Online Channels And Experience
As a part of the eCommerce industry, you want to give your customers a seamless checkout process. As well as their overall experience with your business.
So ensure your online channels, supply chain, and subscription services are frictionless.
When you do, you'll get more customers to trust your eCommerce business. Which leads you to increase sales!
Isn't that awesome?
Here's more...
Customers also expect alternative options such as Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL).
This service lets your customers pay for a purchase over a certain period interest-free.
Retailers such as Target began adopting this process. Smaller brands may consider it for their other channels, too.
And these are the trends you need to consider in your eCommerce strategy.
I know you're excited to know what your eCommerce website should have so you can join the ranks of successful companies.
Let's go!
Comprehensive Checklist For Your Shopify Food And Beverage eCommerce Store
Shopify's ecosystem is a powerhouse for any eCommerce business within the food and beverage industry.
All the following features are there for you to get your business up and running.
As a food and beverage business, you need to have...
✅ Mouthwatering Images And Videos
Can you think of another niche where you need product images to be appetizing?
You can count on the food and beverage industry for that!
Let me give you an example.
Your customers are craving pizza on a Saturday night. When your website comes up, the first thing that will entice them is your tasty pizza photos.
That's right; the food industry is a highly visual business... especially for eCommerce businesses.
So make sure that your culinary skills are translated well.
Take high-quality multiple images of your product, or hire a professional photographer to do it for you.
And if you want to go beyond your eCommerce space, you can also take photos of your restaurant's interior. It can give your customers an ambiance of your place.
There's a reason why eCommerce businesses lean on content marketing, such as...
✅ Blog
You may think that content marketing does little to increase eCommerce sales. But let me tell you why it's important.
eCommerce blogging is a marketing tactic that works because it attracts customers instead of bulldozing them to visit your business.
It's also suitable for your overall marketing strategy because it affects your SEO, email list, and retaining customers.
Food and beverage companies usually feature new items on their blogs. You can also share recipes that use your own products, which leads to you making sales.
Here's how.
Through guest posts, you can link food and beverage products online with other blogs. This can increase your customer base and lead to more sales.
You can't talk about eCommerce business without talking about...
✅ Relevant Keywords
Revamping your business means you have to continue optimizing!
You can start with your photos and blog content.
Ensure that your alt tags and title tags are strong. Do thorough research to find the relevant keywords for your business.
Beyond online grocery, the food and beverage industry includes companies that need to use...
✅ Menu And Pricing
Of course, your customers need this kind of data to choose what they want to order.
See to it that your menus and pricing are up-to-date. You can also include specific menus, such as alcoholic beverages.
But a word of warning...
Use Debutify's Add-On Age Check to verify your visitors' age before they can access your bar menu.
Another thing to consider is your customers' access to view the items they will purchase. You should also display their total cost.
For food and beverage retailers, the next one is essential...
✅ Product Category
Your store would not make a lot of sense if your products were all over the place!
Just like in a physical grocery store, your products should be categorized in aisles and rows for a productive shopping experience.
Optimizing your product category means featuring your subcategories, including price ranges, and adding a filter feature.
That leads us to...
✅ Product Options
As an eCommerce brand, you must give your customers multiple options for your products. That means you must make it easier for them to make their purchases.
That's where the Debutify Widgets Customizable Products come in. It lets you add several options to customize your products.
Being in the industry of food and beverage eCommerce, it makes sense that you have to worry about food safety.
What I mean is...
✅ Product Information
Consumers are getting more and more conscious of their eating habits.
A lot of us have dietary restrictions or allergies, so it's crucial that you display details on your product pages.
For whole foods, ensure that the product label is visible. You can use product labels in your photos.
For instance, you should put allergens on the photo to warn people with allergies.
Also include nutritional information for every product. Don't your pages look accomplished with nutritional facts on them?
Lastly, like any other food and beverage eCommerce company, you have to deal with perishable items.
Keep track of your products' expiration dates. It will save you from dealing with packaged foods in the future.
The Add-On Product Tabs make it easy to display these details. You can add product details in customizable tabs.
Let's optimize your products more with...
✅ Product Bundles
Upselling is an effective strategy to improve your sales.
When you create product bundles, your products sell quickly. This helps your visitors find more of your products and encourages them to buy more.
Your customers can buy different products with just one click. Use the Add-On Upsell Bundles to create bundle offers!
With your products selling like hotcakes, consider...
✅ Back In-Stock Alerts
As a customer, don't you find it bothersome when your favorite product is unavailable?
With back-in-stock alerts, you can set up a form for your customer to get a notification when your product is available once again.
Not only will you bring back your customers, but you can also generate leads.
The shopping enhancer Back In Stock lets you do just that.
Once your customers fill their carts, it's time to think about...
✅ Delivery And Pickup
People love having their options open. That includes options about their products' delivery.
It's up to you to give them options for delivery services. Think of contactless delivery, same-day delivery, or curbside pickup.
And you guessed it... Debutify has the Add-On for you to include on your eCommerce website!
The Delivery Date Add-On allows your customers to select their preferred delivery date in the cart.
For other companies, delivery includes...
✅ "Reservations" Button
If you have a physical location, booking a table should be as easy as pie.
Make it clear how many tables are available at a given time.
And before your customers commit to a table, properly communicate everything they agreed to.
If they have further questions or concerns, they would need your...
✅ Contact Information
You know how this goes...
Include your phone number, address, and email. Of course, an easy map to find your business is also helpful.
If you have catering services, it's also best to include details on what you can offer.
An open line of communication with your customers can also be done with...
✅ Live Chat
Your visitors will have questions about your brand, especially if it's their first time.
They might ask about your food packaging, delivery, or even industry health standards.
With live chat, you can quickly solve their issues. That way, you won't lose their interest and keep them as repeat customers.
Use Debutify's Facebook Messenger Add-On. It adds a chat widget to your eCommerce site.
You can't overlook...
✅ Customer Data Privacy
You can't deny that customers are getting warier about their data privacy.
Yep, trust and transparency for your customers should be one of your priorities.
Keep your privacy policy and terms of services up to date. Let your visitors agree to your terms and conditions before they check out.
Yup, Debutify also offers the Agree To Terms Add-On.
Another way to boost credibility is with...
✅ Awards, Reviews, And Testimonials
Let your stellar social proof shine!
They can come in the form of awards, customer reviews, and testimonials from industry experts.
Use all your positive reviews to encourage prospects to click that "Buy" button.
Let your customers sell for you! Give Debutify Reviews a try so you can collect reviews on autopilot... and build customer trust!
Let's keep your social proof rolling with...
✅ Social Media
It would be foolish not to make use of social media channels.
Users are always posting photos of their food and sharing them with their followers.
So, constantly update your Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Google My Business accounts. Encourage your customers to tag you or customize a hashtag they can use.
Acknowledge them with a like or a comment. For better interaction, you can also repost it and display it on your website.
Psst... Use the Instagram Feed Add-On. It displays the latest image of your IG page on your site.
Ta-da! These are the must-have features of your food and beverage Shopify store. You can boost your sale with each feature that you add.
Here's a photo you can save as your checklist.
Treat Your Customers To The Best Service Ever!
Integrate these features to create the best experience for your Shopify food and beverage store's visitors.
Doing so can help you get ahead of your competitors, and improve your sales.
I'm sure you have noticed that Debutify is the Shopify theme for your food and beverage business!
This all-in-one Shopify theme can give you the inviting website you need. What's more?
With over 50 Add-Ons, you can boost your conversions, and increase sales.
Revamp Your Food And Beverage eCommerce Store With Debutify For Free!
14-Day Free Trial. 1 Click Installation. No Credit Card Required.
