Credit Card Processing for Farm Markets
Years ago, so many people would stop at farm markets for all of their fresh vegetables and delicious pies that they were one of the country’s primary sources of staple foods. However, in a globalized economy, individuals are not only purchasing more of their food from the supermarket, but they are now starting to get them online as well. Installing a credit card processing system helps to bring farm markets back into consumers’ daily life by giving them greater flexibility in how they choose to pay.
Challenges Faced by Farm Markets
Most people look toward supermarkets rather than farm markets because they are rather busy. Some of these stores will even deliver their groceries to their houses for them, plus many individuals live in urban or suburban areas, and thus simply don’t have farm markets near their houses. However, farm markets can provide fresher produce than grocery stores, and can also stimulate local economies. Furthermore, by cutting out the middle-man and letting farmers sell directly to consumers, many farm markets can also beat supermarkets on price as well. But is that enough to entice busy shoppers away from massive supermarkets?
How Credit Card Processing Solves These Challenges
Payment Depot’s inexpensive credit card processing system helps farm markets to directly address such problems. When individuals are unable to use their credit, or even debit cards, to pay for goods, they are likely to go elsewhere. However, when farm markets start to accept credit cards, they can help attract more customers by offering variable payment options.
Staying Open Later
Some farm markets do not keep their doors open for too long into the night. Operating an all-cash business at these hours can actually be dangerous, especially in areas where crime rates are high. This is not the only reason why farm markets are not open late, but it is one of them. If farm markets start to accept credit cards for payment, then they can deposit the majority of their cash profits during the day. For those who are worried about security, posting a sign to let individuals know about limited cash may help to deter some of the problems, and using credit cards means there’s little – if any – cash on site.
Online Availability
While the lure of farm markets is that produce and other goods can be bought fresh or recently made, you might not be too interested in the online side of the business. However, think about some of the products that you could market online. You might be able to sell packages of ingredients to make some of your famous baked goods, or you could offer other types of non-perishable items. You could also allow customers to place bulk orders online, pay for them with their credit cards and then come to the farm to pick these items up. Credit card processing opens up this vast new world of opportunity.
Even though farm markets might not be as popular as they once were, they still have a role in society. Individuals often love when they have the opportunity to stroll around a farm stand and pick out their foods in a leisurely setting, and adding a credit card processing system helps improve the experience for them.