How To 

Direct-Market Farm Products 

on the Internet

United States Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Marketing Service

Transportation and Marketing Programs

Marketing Services Branch

Jennifer-Claire V. Klotz, Economist

December 2002
Acknowledgments

Special thanks to all the producers who contributed information regarding their Web sites.

Their insight into farm direct marketing on the Internet is greatly appreciated.

Conferences that allowed this material to be tested on attendees include: 2nd National Small

Farms Conference, Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, Alcorn State University

First Annual Organic Production Conference, and the Arkansas/Louisiana/Mississippi Fruit and

Vegetable Growers Conference.

Errol Bragg, Associate Deputy Administrator, and Tim Payne, Economist, Marketing Services

Branch, Transportation and Marketing Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, provided assistance in reviewing the draft.

For more information on the Marketing Services Branch contact:

Errol Bragg 

Associate Deputy Administrator Phone: (202) 720-8317

USDA/AMS/TMP/MSB Fax: (202) 690-0031

Room 2642-S E-mail: errol.bragg@usda.gov

1400 Independence Ave., SW.

Washington, DC 20090-6456

More information on USDA’s Farmer Direct Marketing Initiative can be found at

www.ams.usda.gov/directmarketing

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all

its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex,

religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or

family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with

disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program

information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s

TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil

Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington DC 20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA

is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Contents

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .i

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Why Direct-Market on the Internet? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

The Internet Is Becoming Accessible to a Wider Audience............................................................................2

The Internet Helps Marketers Meet Consumer Demands..............................................................................2

Internet Consumers Are an Audience That Farm Direct Marketers Would Like To Attract ........................2 

An Increase in Business Pays for the Cost of Using the Web.........................................................................3

Developing a Marketing Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Identify Internet Marketing Objectives ...........................................................................................................4

Consider the Uniqueness of Farm Direct Marketing......................................................................................4

Consider the Costs ...........................................................................................................................................5

Decide on the Right Type of Web Site.............................................................................................................5

Consider Listing in Internet Directories.........................................................................................................7

Researching the Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Investigate Consumer Demand .....................................................................................................................10

Where Can a Producer Research Internet Marketing?.................................................................................11

Setting Up and Marketing the Web Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Meet Needs and Learn Habits of Internet Users and Consumers ................................................................14

Select a Domain Name with a Marketing Message.......................................................................................19

Use All Available Means To Increase Web Site Traffic and Attract Customers To Buy................................20

Consider Suggestions on Developing a Good Small Business Web Site .....................................................23

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Appendixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Appendix A: Experience of Farm Direct Marketers on the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Entertainment Farming/Agritourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Farm Market and Pick-Your-Own . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Lookout Farm and Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Farm Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Mixed High-End Outlets: Farmers Markets, Restaurants, and Mail Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Direct Marketing as a Secondary Outlet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Mail Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Farm Vacation Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Floral Sales Direct to Consumer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Appendix B: Suggested Reading and Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Articles and Publications on Internet Marketing for Farmers.....................................................................33

Books ..............................................................................................................................................................33

Software..........................................................................................................................................................34

E-zines and Information Sources..................................................................................................................34

Selected Sources of Technical Information on Web Site Development ......................................................34

Selected Sources of Information on Web Site Marketing ............................................................................35

Selected Sources of Information on Small Business Web Sites .................................................................35 

Reference Web Sites.......................................................................................................................................35

Training ..........................................................................................................................................................35

Footnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

i

Executive Summary

Farm direct marketing on the Internet provides many opportunities for producers to expand

their existing businesses. Internet technology is similar to opening a branch store or having a

billboard. It can be used to improve customer service, educate consumers, and save valuable

resources such as time and money. 

Farm direct marketers should consider the various ways in which they can adopt the Web and

adapt it to the uniqueness of their farm or ranch. Producers can have a Web site to sell or promote their products or can be listed in online directories. E-mail can be used to communicate

with customers and distribute newsletters. Before beginning direct marketing on the Internet,

producers should develop an Internet marketing plan with specific objectives that fit in with

the needs of the business operation as a whole. 

This publication provides basic information and suggestions for direct farm marketers on

selecting and tailoring a Web site to meet their marketing needs and goals, including:

• Reasons for considering using the Web for direct farm marketing 

• How to develop a marketing plan

• How to research the market

• How to set up and market the Web site

References are cited to enable producers to undertake additional research on Internet marketing. Feedback from producers who use the Internet is included to demonstrate the challenges

and the benefits of using this marketing tool.

1

Introduction

The number of Internet users shopping online has skyrocketed in recent years. Of the estimated 168 million Internet users 16 years of age and older in the United States, approximately half

(56 percent) say that they shop online. In contrast, only 31 percent of U.S. Internet users were

shopping online in 1998.1 Projected U.S. consumer spending for online retail purchases during

the 2001 holiday season was $11.9 billion, up from $9.1 billion in 2000.2

With these statistics in mind, farm direct marketers may consider marketing their products on

the Internet. They may ask:

• How can having a Web site improve a farm direct marketing business?

• Where can a producer research market information to make a decision about Internet marketing?

• How are producers marketing on the Internet? What is the cost? How did they get started

using the Web?

• How much money do farm direct marketers make selling on the Internet?

The objective of this publication is to provide basic information to farm direct marketers who

are interested in selling their products via the Internet or simply using a Web site to publicize

their farm or products. References, largely from the Internet itself, are cited to enable producers to undertake additional research.3

This publication provides information on issues that should be considered before farm direct

marketers decide to use the Web to sell or publicize their products. It also contains tips on

how to research the Internet market, set up an Internet site, and market products on the Web.

Feedback from direct farm marketers who use the Web is included to provide real-life experiences in using the Internet as a new method to sell or publicize products. 

The material in this publication reflects and has been generated from common sources of

information on e-commerce. Additional information was developed after speaking with several

producers who have begun using the Internet as a method of marketing. Their experiences

allowed the more generic material to be considered and tailored to the particular needs of

farmers. Drafts of this publication were used in presentations at various conferences so that

the material could be tested and revised accordingly.

Not featured in this publication are instructions on the technical aspects of Web site design

and construction. Many publications offering detailed technical information and instructions

are available from sources such as local libraries, bookstores, and the Internet itself.

Recommendations on additional reading are included at the end of the publication.

While every attempt was made to include up-to-date information in this publication, readers

should keep in mind that the Internet and its use are rapidly changing and that data on

Internet usage and demographics are constantly being updated; e-mail addresses may no

longer be valid, and Web site addresses may have changed. Since data and demographic

research become quickly outdated, this publication makes recommendations on how and

where producers can undertake their own research.

Note: This publication and the U.S. Department of Agriculture do not endorse external Web

sites. A reference to a non-USDA Web site does not imply the endorsement of the Web site’s

content or services. Any Web site referred to in this publication is provided only as an example, the use of which is at the sole discretion of the user.
Adapt to new 

consumer preferences 

and demands

2

home. If what the consumer 

perceives as an “authentic’’ or 

“quality” product isn’t available in

the local supermarket or gourmet

food store, the Internet provides a

method of purchasing directly from

a known or reliable source. 

Internet Consumers Are an

Audience That Farm Direct

Marketers Would Like To

Attract 

Most surveys of farmers markets and

other farm direct marketing outlets

find the customers to be older with

above-average education and a 

higher income.4 Data about current

Internet consumers provide a 

similar profile:

• Of Internet users, 41 percent are

college or post-college

graduates.5

• During 2001, the typical Internet

user had an average annual

household income of $49,800.

This is down from $62,700 in

1996 but still exceeds the U.S. 

average of $40,816.6

• According to CyberAtlas7, the

average age of Internet users 

is increasing over time, and it

currently stands at 35.2 years.

• Young adults (aged 25-34) are

the biggest online shopping

group, with 55 percent buying

online during 2000. Consumers

aged 35-44 represent the second

most active market, with 45 

percent. Those aged 65 and over

are the smallest market, with

only 10 percent buying online

during 2000.8

A

s the number of

Internet users shopping

online continues to

increase, surveys of

Internet users and 

feedback from customers

are providing additional

reasons for using the

Internet for farm direct

marketing.

1

Why Direct-Market on 

the Internet?

The Internet Is Becoming

Accessible to a Wider

Audience

As computers become less expensive,

greater numbers of consumers are

going online. Internet users are

becoming increasingly more representative of the mainstream U.S.

population, which was formerly

dominated by high-end consumers.

This trend indicates that a wide

range of consumers will be shopping

on the Internet.

The Internet Helps Marketers

Meet Consumer Demands

As farm direct marketing in the

United States evolves, producers

must find new ways to adapt to new

consumer preferences and demands.

Consumers are demanding the 

convenience of shopping online.

They are increasingly viewing the

Internet as a tool with which to

gather product information or 

compare prices for a wide range of

products. They are also expanding

their purchases in product areas

such as home and garden, and food. 

Currently, most Internet consumers

purchase nonfood products such as

books, CDs, and airline tickets

online. However, online shopping

potentially increases the diversity of

a shopper’s purchases because it is

an easy method of buying a product

not produced in the consumer’s

region. For example, a consumer

may purchase salsa while on vacation in New Mexico and want to 

purchase more after returning
According to Verizon,

the number of small

businesses that 

created a Web site to

establish and promote

business increased 123

percent from 1999 to

2000. 

An Increase in Business Pays

for the Cost of Using the Web

According to Verizon, the number of

small businesses that created a Web

site to establish and promote business increased 123 percent from

1999 to 2000. The report also notes

that 55 percent of small businesses

online have either broken even or

completely paid for the cost of their

site as a result of an increase in business. Another 57 percent felt the site

was easy to create, giving the

process a score of “7” on a scale of 1

to 10.9 Note that more than half of

these small businesses found site

development easy.

Initial feedback from farm direct

marketers who use the Internet has

been positive. Direct marketers

using the Internet report that getting started was neither expensive

nor time consuming and that marketing on the Internet has increased

their exposure to customers (appendix A).

3
4

F

arm direct marketers 

who already have an 

offline presence can

integrate that presence 

into their existing market

strategy. 

Identify Internet Marketing

Objectives

Before getting started, it is important for marketers to identify

Internet objectives and determine

what can be gained by directmarketing farm products on the

Internet. Effectively using the

Internet can be similar to having 

an additional staff person to assist

customers, a billboard, a full-color

brochure, or even a branch store.

Internet objectives may include one

or all of the following:

• Save time

• Save labor

• Save money

• Save materials

• Advertise

• Sell product

2

Developing a

Marketing Plan

Consider the Uniqueness of

Farm Direct Marketing

Food and agricultural products 

can pose particular challenges for

Internet marketers.

■ Shipping

Since products are generally 

delivered through the mail when

they are ordered online, they must

be able to withstand being shipped.

Shipping is often an issue with

products that require careful handling or controlled temperatures.

Also, agricultural products with

expiration dates cannot simply be

stored until they are ordered.10

If shipping fresh produce is a 

problem, producers may wish to

consider developing processed or

value-added products. The Internet

can provide a market for jams,

honey, dried herbs, and baked

goods. Special occasions and holidays can also present opportunities

for marketing via the Internet.

■ Seasonality

Consumer shopping online is seasonal, just as it is offline. According

to Emarketer, U.S. consumers spent

$12.5 billion online during the 2000

holiday season (fourth quarter), a

71-percent increase from the 1999

holiday total of $7.3 billion.11 Total

2000 online buying was only $37

billion. This means that one-third of

online shopping takes place during

the fourth quarter of the year. Thus,

at a time when there are minimal

local fresh fruits and vegetables

available in the North, consumers

are doing most of their spending.

This presents many marketing

opportunities for producers in the

Southern United States. Value-added

producers in the North can take

advantage of the buying spree as

well by offering gift baskets.
5

■ Convenience, Versus Personal

Connection.

Many people use the Internet to 

save time and find additional 

product information. The reality is

that shopping on the Internet for

small farm products may be more

convenient but does not save a 

significant amount of time. Further,

many people like shopping at farmers markets, farm stands, or pickyour-own operations (PYO) because

they want to be close to the farm or

farmer. Farm direct marketing customers like to have a personal connection that, unfortunately, is minimized if a consumer buys online.

Much can be done to personalize

Web site shopping and marketing,

but many farm direct market customers will be unwilling to give up

their traditional activities.

Consider the Costs

In developing an Internet marketing

plan, it is important to consider

costs. How much additional product

would have to be sold to have an

Internet effort break even or make

money? A marketing plan should be

backed by strong and reasonable

financial planning.

According to The Wall Street

Journal (April 18, 2000), only 38

percent of Internet retailers are 

profitable. Not everyone who visits a

Web site will buy something.

Although conversion rates (the percentage of shoppers who actually

make a purchase) vary from one

retailer to another, the average

online shopper-to-buyer conversion

rate is 2.7 percent.12 This means that

there are only about 3 buyers out of

every 100 people who visit a Web

site.

It is important to set aside time to

do comparison shopping for an

Internet provider, Web site hosting,

hardware, software, and/or services.

Many of the producers who describe

their Web sites in this publication

(appendix A) either created their

own Web site or bartered to have

someone do it for them. With minimal instruction, many people are

capable of designing and maintaining a simple site.13

Farmers are required to do most of

their Web updating and e-mailing

during their busiest periods. Thus, 

it may be necessary to find an 

assistant. Internet marketing can 

be handled by a teenage son or

daughter, a student, or someone

wishing to supplement his or her

income. Bartering with a customer

is another way to acquire inexpensive Internet help.

Professional designers can also 

offer constructive help in setting 

up an effective Internet site. Before

proceeding, however, marketers

should investigate costs and references to ensure that the designer is

capable of creating an approach to

the Internet that fits in with their

overall marketing plan and is appropriate for the business.

Decide on the Right Type of

Web Site

There are several different ways 

to direct-market on the Web. A 

producer or farm can maintain an

individual Web site or be listed in 

an Internet directory. No one solution is right for all. Producers must,

therefore, ensure that the solution

fits in with their overall marketing

plan, with their objectives for using

the Internet, and with their resource

constraints. For example, some producers may want to use the Web site

for information: to list PYO hours,

product availability at a retail farm

store, or dates and times for groups

to participate in on-farm agricultural tourism events.

In developing an

Internet marketing plan,

it is important to 

consider costs. 

There are several 

different ways to

direct-market on the

Web. A producer or

farm can maintain an

individual Web site or

be listed in an Internet

directory. 
There are three 

primary types of Web

sites that an individual

producer can choose to

develop.

How producers use the Internet

depends on the type of products they

are marketing. Some, who have

products that can be easily shipped

such as honey, dried herbs, or jams,

will need Internet ordering capabilities on a Web site. But, producers

who emphasize the freshness of

their products (e.g., vine-ripened

tomatoes) may not find it possible to

sell easily via the Internet or may

find the necessary capital investment

to develop proper shipping materials

cost prohibitive.14 Further, high shipping costs to the consumer for heavy

products (e.g., maple syrup) may

also discourage sales.

There are three primary types of

Web sites that an individual 

producer can choose to develop. 

Web site to transact sales: Iott

Family Farms uses its Web site,

www.tomatoes.com, to market tomatoes and apples. In this case, the

Iotts developed the Web site for the

sole purpose of selling products. An

online order form allows customers

to purchase products that are then

shipped using packaging designed

exclusively for Internet sales.

Web site to distribute information:

Marino Lookout Farm and Market

uses its Web site,

www.lookoutfarm.com, to promote

the farm and give information to

consumers. No selling is done via

the Web site.15 Instead, Paul Witham

says the Web site is used to “support

our efforts, if not generate sales.”

The Lookout Farm Web site has

information on its u-pick operation

and organic farming plus recipes,

events, kid’s club, and more. One 

of the interesting techniques used

on the Web site is printable “online

coupons,” which offer monthly

“exclusive savings for our Web 

visitors.”

Web site to transact sales and distribute information: A combination

of these two objectives is South Face

Farm’s Web site, www.southfacefarm.com. The Web site contains

both a mail or fax order form and

information, such as a menu for its

“sugarhouse restaurant.’’ The Web

site generates sales as well as attracting people to visit the farm. South

Face Farm’s Tom McCrumm notes

that there are many objectives in

operating the site, such as “increased

visibility, direct sales, and information and directions to [the farm’s]

tourism-orientated sugarhouse 

operation.’’

In addition to the three types of Web

sites described above, there are many

other avenues that can be explored.

For example, Steven Fistere started

the Web site www.farmathome.com,

which offers a delivery service in the

Washington, DC, metropolitan area.

Products come from his family’s

operation as well as from surrounding farms that cooperate on the project. Locally produced fruits, vegetables, and processed products can be

ordered online and will be delivered

the same day.

6

An online order form

allows customers to

purchase products that

are then shipped using

packaging designed

exclusively for Internet

sales.
7

Consider Listing in Internet

Directories 

Producers who are not yet ready to

invest in their own Web site may

wish to list their operation with one

or more of the directories available

on the Internet. Some Internet

directories charge for their services,

while others do not. Internet directories offer a range of options and

target different groups. Producers

should consider the benefits as well

as the costs of using these services.

Commercial Internet Directories: An

example of a commercial Web site is

www.smallfarms.com, which provides services for small producers

who wish to direct-market their

products on the Internet but who

may not have their own Web site or

even a computer. For a fee, the

smallfarms.com Web site allows producers to list “what they offer,”

“[where/how] products [are] available,” and contact information.

Glenn Oshiro, manager of smallfarms.com, developed a Web site “for

small farmers and ranchers that was

low cost, that would be effective

whether or not the farmer had a

computer, that would focus on crops

the farmer is currently producing,

that would be a reflection of the

variety of foods American farmers

and ranchers produce, and ...[that

would allow] the farmer and buyer

to discuss the qualities of the 

product(s).”

A similar Web site, www.localharvest.org, was developed by the Ocean

Group in collaboration with the

Community Alliance with Family

Farmers. This Web site is a “not-forprofit venture to sprout and grow a

definitive and reliable ‘living’ public

directory of small farms nationwide,

and in so doing to provide people

with direct contact to farms in their

local area.”16 While this service is

free the first year, membership fees

are collected in subsequent years.

Another option is a “storefront.”

With storefronts, all information is

entered by the store owner (producer) using software developed by the

host. This is simpler than using

Internet software such as FrontPage

to develop a site. An example of a

storefront is Yahoo! Store

(store.yahoo.com), which allows a

producer to have a small store with

50 items for $100 a month. In the

case of a storefront like Yahoo!

Store, the producer must have a

merchant account with a credit card

processor and must pack and ship

the items sold. The storefront is, as

the name implies, a place that hosts

a store, but the producer must

maintain it. For many producers,

there may be more cost-effective

options. Others might argue that the

simplicity of a storefront enables

them to concentrate on other issues

and that being on a mall-type Web

site gives them improved exposure.

Another option is a

“storefront.” With

storefronts, all 

information is entered

by the store owner

(producer) using software developed by 

the host. 
8

State Department of Agriculture

Internet Directories: Some State

departments of agriculture offer

Internet directory listings.

Massachusetts, for example, has

extensive Internet listings. The Web

site www.massgrown.org lists

approximately 18 categories including flowers, strawberries, roadside

stands, PYO, cider mills, and

Christmas trees. The listings are free

and contain links to a producer’s

individual Web site if there is one.

Other examples include the New

York State Department of

Agriculture and Markets’ Web site,

www.agmkt.state.ny.us/AP/FFGSearc

h.asp, which features a free searchable database for producers, and the

Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Web site, www.kyagr.com,

which offers not only a directory, 

but also free Web pages for its 

producers.

Many other States offer similar 

listings; producers may contact their

State departments of agriculture for

more information.

Other Internet Directories: There are

a number of groups that have

Internet directories. A grower association is an example of a group that

offers an Internet directory for its

members. The Vermont Maple

Promotion Board has a Web site

(www.state.vt.us/agric/mindex.htm)

that contains information on maple

syrup production for consumers as

well as information on how to order

by mail or visit a sugarhouse.17

In the case of the Vermont Maple

Promotion Board, technical assistance (such as simple Web site

Other Internet marketing ideas:

Maintaining a Web site may require

excessive time and/or money and

may not increase a producer’s profits. If that is the case, e-mail may

provide an acceptable alternative.

E-mail newsletters – A producer

with a CSA only and with all subscriptions sold may question the

need for a Web site. If a Web site is

not needed to promote the CSA,

Internet marketing can still be a

viable option.18 Assuming that most

(if not all) of the producer’s shareholders have e-mail, instead of 

There are a number 

of groups that have

Internet directories. 

A grower association 

is an example of a

group that offers an

Internet directory for

its members.

design) and Web site hosting were

made available to the State’s grower

associations by the Vermont

Department of Agriculture at no

cost. (The group has since begun

hosting its own Web site

www.vtmaple.org.) Associations may

wish to contact their State departments of agriculture to find out if

they provide similar services.

Some producers may find that working with a grower’s or farmers market association may be an effective

way to get information on the

Internet. Although this potentially

reduces the cost per grower, it takes

from the producer the ability to

design a Web site according to individual desires. However, it can prove

to be an agreeable arrangement. For

example, American Farmland Trust’s

(AFT) FRESHFARM Market Web site

includes links to individual producers’ Web sites. Under a “Who’s there

and why” section, people can learn

more about the farmers and “meet

them” (www.farmland.org/Farmland/

files/states/who.htm). This type of

arrangement is agreeable to all parties; AFT promotes its own market,

and producers can promote their 

on-farm enterprises.

The Rural Coalition

(www.ruralco.org) recently developed

“The SuperMarket Cooperative”

(www.supermarketcoop.com), an

online cooperative for small producers. The SuperMarket database will

“enable producers to share information on products and their availability for purposes of promotion over

the Internet.” It includes the use of

an online catalogue and a virtual

CSA (Community Supported

Agriculture).
9

mailing out a monthly or annual

newsletter, the newsletter could be

e-mailed, thereby drastically reducing time, effort, and cost. Color 

photographs of the farm could be

added as “attachments” at no additional cost.

E-mail address everywhere – A 

producer’s e-mail address should be

displayed on all business cards, 

promotional materials, bags, signs,

etc. This provides customers an easy

and inexpensive means of contacting

the producer. Frequently asked questions (e.g., hours of operation, directions, production methods) might be

addressed in a “ready to be sent”

draft.

E-mail lists and updates –An e-mail

update is similar to a newsletter but

shorter and more focused. For example, a PYO producer might develop a

weekly e-mail update describing its

hours of operation, directions, availability, etc. 

A producer’s e-mail

address should be 

displayed on all 

business cards, 

promotional materials,

bags, signs, etc. This

provides customers an

easy and inexpensive

means of contacting the

producer.

instead of mailing out a

monthly or annual

newsletter, the

newsletter could be 

e-mailed, thereby 

drastically reducing

time, effort, and cost. 
F

arm direct marketers 

can become inundated 

with information when

searching the Internet for

marketing information. 

By setting a few simple

goals, the time required for

research can be greatly

reduced. Answers to the

following questions can

serve as a guide:

Investigate Consumer Demand

• What are the characteristics of

my customers? Consider age,

ethnicity, gender, income, 

hobbies, and where they live.19 

• What do I know about my 

customers’ interests, values, 

and behavior patterns?

• What are the attitudes and 

perceptions of my customers?

• What do my customers want 

or expect from my product or

service?

The next step is investigating the

“typical” Internet user or customer

for comparison:

• How close does the profile of the

“typical” Internet consumer compare to my current customers?

• Are most of my customers

already on the Internet? Do they

use e-mail? Do they shop on the

Internet, or do they use the

Internet as a source of information and entertainment?

• Is this an opportunity to attract a

new type of customer?

Information collection pertaining to

existing customers and Internet use

can be conducted informally. At

farmers markets or a retail farm

stand checkout, customers can be

asked questions such as:

• Do you use the Internet?

• Do you have e-mail? What is your

e-mail address?

• If you use the Internet, what do

you use it for? Information?

Entertainment?

• Is there something that could be

placed on a Web site that you

would find interesting or helpful?

(e.g., Would it be helpful if I listed product availability?) 

10

3

Researching the

Market

Are most of my 

customers already on

the Internet? Do they

use e-mail? Do they

shop on the Internet, or

do they use the Internet

as a source of information and entertainment?
11

Leading and open-ended questions

should be kept to a minimum (e.g.,

What could I put on my Web site

that you would like?).

Care should be taken to distinguish

between a Web site and e-mail. For

instance, if a consumer says, “It

would be helpful if you posted product availability for your PYO on your

Web site,” the producer could follow

up by asking, “Would it be more

helpful if during the season I sent a

weekly e-mail update on product

availability?” While some consumers

may prefer not to receive a large

amount of e-mail, others may find it

more convenient than visiting a Web

site. 

Feedback from this type of questioning should not dictate decisions;

rather, it should be cautiously used

to assist in the decision-making

process, keeping in mind that a producer may unknowingly bias results.

For example, only asking those who

shop during “slow hours” may result

in interviewing a certain type of customer, such as retired persons who

are able to shop weekday mornings

but may be less likely to be online or

Internet shoppers. 

Producers should “surf” the Internet

to find competitors’ Web sites. This

may be one of the best methods of

conducting research and getting

ideas. Producers who have Web 

sites and whose operations are not

located in the same geographic area

may be more willing to share information about their site than local

competitors.

Where Can a Producer

Research Internet Marketing?

One of the greatest advantages of

conducting market research is that

most, if not all, of the information

that a producer needs is available on

the Internet at no cost. There are

many Web sites that contain valuable information about Internet

consumers. Many of the free Web

sites are cited within this publication, and others are listed at the

end.

It is easy to become either overwhelmed or inundated by the

amount of consumer demographic

data and Internet marketing ideas

available online. Most of the Web

sites listed below offer free e-mail

newsletters.20 Generally, they are

sent out daily and are fairly brief so

as to allow the user to stay on top of

trends.

One of the greatest

advantages of 

conducting market

research is that most,

if not all, of the information that a producer

needs is available on

the Internet at no cost. 
Internet Web Site Resources: 

Consumer Demographic Data

Web site GVU Center, Georgia Institute of Technology

address www.gvu.gatech.edu/user_surveys/

Contents GVU’s user surveys listed by year and each has a table of contents. 

Information available on age, gender, and occupation of Internet user.

Web site CyberAtlas

address cyberatlas.internet.com

Contents Compiles information from various sources. Has search engine and short 

articles listed by date of publication. Includes links to original sources.

Web site Emarketer

address www.emarketer.com/estats/

Contents Though Emarketer charges for many reports, the “estats” section is free and 

contains short articles containing demographic information.

Are most of my 

customers already on

the Internet? Do they

use e-mail? Do they

shop on the Internet, or

do they use the Internet

as a source of information and entertainment?

The Web site should

load quickly. “According

to Relevant Knowledge,

the average home

Internet user spends

nine minutes a day

waiting for Web pages

to download which adds

up to nearly 55 hours

of waiting annually.” 

12
Web site Open Market

address www.openmarket.com/intindex/index.cfm

Contents Open Market’s “Internet Index is an occasional collection of facts and 

statistics about the Internet and related activities.” An interesting short read 

that gives a snapshot of Internet trends.

Web site NUA Internet Surveys

address www.nua.ie/surveys/

Contents Contains some articles appropriate for in-depth research.

Web site Wilson Internet

address www.wilsonweb.com/webmarket/demograf.htm

Contents Has some interesting articles on demographics, but articles on Internet 

marketing tips (i.e., site design,content) are more interesting.

13

The convenience of

shopping from home

should be emphasized;

e.g., “No need to go to

Florida, we can bring

sweet oranges to your

doorstep!” 

According to Verizon,

the number of small

businesses that 

created a Web site to

establish and promote

business increased 123

percent from 1999 to

2000. 
14

A

ny Internet initiative

should be viewed as a

never-ending and 

constantly evolving project.

A solution that works today

may not work in 2 years.

Perhaps the business will

expand and need to take on

a new form. Whatever the

case, choices made today

can be modified later. The

producer is in charge of

how his or her business

uses the Internet. In setting

up and marketing a 

Web site, the following 

objectives should be kept

in mind:

Meet Needs and Learn Habits

of Internet Users and

Consumers

Buying habits: Consumers are more

inclined to buy products they know

and for which they can easily 

compare prices. 

Data: In August 1999, an estimated

31 percent of Internet users in the

United States were regularly purchasing online.21 The most common

purchases were:

Books 33%

CDs 26%

Airline tickets 21%

Small gifts 20%

Computer hardware 3%

Implication for setup/marketing: If

consumers are not already familiar

with a product, producers can make

them feel a sense of need by educating them about the product, offering

a money-back guarantee, or providing a free sample of the product.

Buying habits: A growing number of

new online shoppers are looking to

the Internet as a method of buying a

wider range of products.

Data: In May 1999, purchases by new

online consumers broke down as 

follows:22

Category Percentage

Home and garden 15.0%

Gift 12.5%

Entertainmenta 12.2%

Apparel 12.0%

Consumer goodsb 10.3%

Food and wine 9.5%

Computer goods 9.4% 

a

includes books, music, and videos

b

includes department stores, health

and beauty, and pharmaceuticals

Implications for setup/marketing:

Holiday or other specials encourage

consumers to consider a product 

at a time when they are already 

purchasing a number of items and

may be looking for unique ideas. A

“first-time buyers” section with an

explanation of the site contents and

description of shipping rates or 

security policies can be helpful in

attracting people who are new to

Internet purchasing as customers.

Buying habits: “Nearly two-thirds 

of Internet users have used the

Internet to research online 

purchases but have yet to buy over

the Internet.”23

14

4

Setting Up and

Marketing the Web Site
15

The most frequently cited barriers to

Internet purchases are:

Barrier Percent reporting

Pricing 77%

Potential return hassles 67%

Credit card concerns 65%

Privacy issues 58%

Navigation difficulty 35%

Implications for setup/marketing: It

is critical to ease fears and personalize the buying and selling relationship. Like all customers, Internet

customers don’t want to be “taken.”

It may be difficult to gain a customer’s trust because the producer

may be unknown to the customer

and/or may be located some distance

away. Credit card concerns are

always present. One study found

that, “6 million Web users who

reported fraud or misuse of their

credit card represent 7 percent of

online consumers.”24

There are many ways to address

these issues at no cost to the 

producer. For example:

• Trust: Since a consumer may not

be aware of how reputable a producer or operation is, noting on a

Web site the producer’s membership in a chamber of commerce,

certifications, and enrollment in

State department of agriculture

programs can promote trust. 

• Pricing: Price breaks on shipping

could be offered if the consumer

purchases a certain dollar

amount, or shipping could be

included in the cost of the 

product.

• Potential return hassles: A “no

hassle” return policy can boost

sales. 

• Credit card concerns: These 

concerns can be minimized by

having a secure server or by

offering consumers the option of

faxing their order.

• Privacy issues: If the producer

does not intend to sell customers’

e-mail addresses, that policy

should be clearly stated on the

Web site. 

• Navigation difficulty: It is 

important to test and retest a site

before going live. The site should

be tested using different modem

speeds, browsers, and pixel (monitor) settings. Asking a few customers to try the site and provide

feedback can also be helpful.

Holiday or other 

specials encourage

consumers to consider

a product at a time

when they are already

purchasing a number 

of items and may be 

looking for unique

ideas.

A growing number of

new online shoppers

are looking to the

Internet as a method of

buying a wider range of

products.
16

Buying habits: Internet consumers

place a high value on convenience

and information.

Data: NUA Internet Surveys show

there are several reasons why 

consumers shop online:25

30% - Convenience of shopping 

from home

25% - The 24-hour nature of online 

shopping

18% - Internet enables pricing of 

goods most efficiently

Implication for setup/marketing: The

convenience of shopping from home

should be emphasized; e.g., “No need

to go to Florida, we can bring sweet

oranges to your doorstep!” How best

to market the concept of convenience will depend on the nature of

the business. For example, if a producer’s prices are competitive with a

local supermarket, the producer

could list his or her prices and those

of the local supermarket and mention that the “local farm produce” is

not only less expensive but also

fresher and of better quality.

Buying habits: Most Internet 

customers are not spending large

amounts of money while shopping

online.

Data: NUA Internet Surveys report

that 52 percent of Internet customers spent less than $100 online

in July 1999. Forty-seven percent of

female shoppers spent more than

$100 online while only 23 percent of

men did the same.26 Women are

clearly bigger spenders. According to

CyberAtlas, the typical size of online

retail transactions is:27

Price Percent of transactions

Less than $10 2% 

$10-49 24%

$50-99 13%

$100-499 25%

$500-999 7%

$1,000-9,999 13%

$10,000+ 4%

The convenience of

shopping from home

should be emphasized;

e.g., “No need to go to

Florida, we can bring

sweet oranges to your

doorstep!” 

Sales in the “less than $10” category

are yet to take off. The study cited by

CyberAtlas also found that “Fewer

than 2 percent of all retail sites sell

products costing less than $10”28

and that women are more price 

conscious when shopping online 

and tend to buy a wider variety of

products; however, since most 

products sold on the Internet are

items like books, CDs, computers,

and airline tickets, these data may

not reflect sales of food or agricultural products.

Implications for setup/marketing:

Some Web sites are geared mainly

toward women. In the case of farm

direct marketing, having children’s

activities on the Web site and advertising on-farm children’s activities or

recipes such as healthful snack ideas

for children may be useful in targeting this audience. Since individual

orders cannot be expected to result

in huge sales, the producer should

focus on developing customers who

are repeat buyers. Customer loyalty

(repeat purchases and referrals) is

the key driver of profitability for

online businesses.29

Internet habits: The average Internet

user does not spend hours surfing

the Internet. In fact, the amount of

time spent reading a single page on

an Internet site is fairly short, just a

little over a minute.

Data: Average activity for an Internet

user during the month of November

2001 was:30
17

Internet habits: Internet users put

the highest priority on content.

Content does not necessarily mean

“high-tech” graphics; it means reliable and detailed information.

“Slick” Web sites are not necessarily

what consumers want.

Data: The following factors influence

repeat visitors to a Web site:31

High-quality content 75% 

Ease of use 66% 

Quick to download 58%

Updated frequently 54%

Coupons and incentives 14%

Favorite brands 13%

Cutting-edge technology 12% 

Games 12%

Purchasing capabilities 11% 

Customizable content 10%

Chat and bulletin board software 10%

Other 6%

Similar research32 asked which type

of product or service feature would

increase the likelihood of purchasing more products or services over

the Internet in the future.

Respondents answered:

A careful balance must

be found between 

providing information

and enticing the consumer and not overwhelming the reader.

Internet users put the

highest priority on 

content. Content does

not necessarily mean

“high-tech” graphics; it

means reliable and

detailed information. 

Number of sessions 

per week 6

Number of unique

sites visited 18

Time spent

per week 3:18:26 hours/minutes

Time spent during 

surfing session 33:08 minutes

Duration of a 

page viewed 00:54 minutes

Implications for setup/marketing:

A producer has little time in which

to make an impression on the

Internet. A careful balance must be

found between providing information and enticing the consumer and

not overwhelming the reader. A 

Web site that seeks to sell products

should provide brief and concise

information so the consumer is 

persuaded to purchase. However,

providing too little product information may cause customers to

shop elsewhere. Whether selling a

product or educating customers, a

“click here for more information”

button can be helpful.
18

Feature Percent of Internet users

Free product 

delivery 98%

On-time 

delivery guarantees 95%

No sales tax 91%

Coupons/promotions 83%

Toll-free customer assistance 68%

Live, online 

customer assistance 62%

Customer reviews or

recommendations 62%

Helpful hints for

colors, sizes, etc. 58%

Free gift wrapping 58%

Gift suggestions 46%

Implications for setup/marketing:

A direct marketing Web site should

provide sufficient up-to-date information to inform the user. A site

that isn’t maintained can be

extremely frustrating for a consumer. A Web site should be easy to

use and should download quickly,

regardless of connection speed. 

The fact that pricing, delivery, and

other options affect customers’

interest in purchasing products 

from the Web site should be taken

into consideration.

Although registering

with a search engine is

important, ensuring

that the Web site is

“high” in the search

results is even more

important. 

Consumers use a 

variety of sources to

find Web site addresses

but use search engines

most frequently.

Internet habits: Consumers use a

variety of sources to find Web site

addresses but use search engines

most frequently.

Data: The most used sources for Web

site addresses are:33 

Search engine 57%

E-mail messages 38%

Web sites 35% 

Word of mouth 28% 

Magazine ads 25%

TV commercials 14% 

Periodical articles 11%

Vendor catalogs 11%

Newspaper ads 9% 

Banner ads 7%

Radio ads 2%

Mail ads 2%

Implications for set up/marketing:

Although registering with a search

engine is important, ensuring that

the Web site is “high” in the search

results is even more important. Web

site development tools are available

to assist the producer in ensuring

that the Web site is “high” in the

search results. If entering keywords

such as “apple and Pennsylvania”

into a search engine results in the

Web site being listed as the 100th

result, the search engine registration

should be revised.34 

Web site address should be placed on

any correspondence (written or email) and on any promotional materials (flyers, ads, signs at a farmers

market).
19

Select a Domain Name with a

Marketing Message

Choosing a domain name (URL) is

an important step in defining and

promoting your Web site. A domain

name should be:

• Short

• Easy to remember

• Easy to spell

• Meaningful

• Professional

• Sending a marketing message

For example, information on

Washington State apples can be

found at www.bestapples.com.

The domain name is a marketing

message in itself.

As a fictitious example, while 

existing customers may know 

Mrs. Johnson’s maple syrup and

“johnsonsmaplesyrup.com” is easy to

remember, “vermontsweet.com” is a

catchy phrase that might attract new

customers. A business can have more

than one domain name and one site

can automatically redirect customers

to another one.

Free Web site hosting services can

offer cost savings. However, the

tradeoff may not benefit an operation. It can sometimes result in an

undesirable Web site URL (e.g.,

www.anothercompany.com/~yourcompany). Customers’ reactions may

be, “How reliable, trustworthy, and

viable is a company that can’t afford

or won’t use a unique URL?” or

“How much do they care about their

online business?”

An easy way to see what domain

names are available is to visit a

domain name registration company

such as www.register.com or

www.networksolutions.com and

enter an ideal URL to see if it is

available.35 Many domain names have

been bought by brokers, speculating

that someone will eventually want a

particular URL. A first choice may

not be available. It is generally more

expensive to buy a name from a 

broker than to develop a unique

URL. Family, friends, and customers

can provide help in developing

catchy phrases. A contest among

customers may also prove helpful.

Examples of unregistered domain

names are listed below.

Unregistered domain names as of

November 15, 2001:

www.freshfarmmarket.com

www.fromthetree.com

www.vermontsweet.com

www.sweetestcorn.com

A Web site that seeks

to sell products should

provide brief and 

concise information 

so the consumer is 

persuaded to purchase. 
Putting the Web site

address everywhere –

Advertisements, signs,

stationery, and pens

are good places to 

display a URL. 

20

Use All Available Means To

Increase Web Site Traffic and

Attract Customers To Buy

Additional ways to attract people to

a Web site include:

• Using links from other Web sites

– It is helpful to find links from

the Web sites of other farms,

chambers of commerce, associations, State departments of 

agriculture, directories, newspapers, and tourism sites. Links are

an excellent means of bringing

traffic to a Web site from another

Web site. Sites that link to a Web

site can be found at

www.linkpopularity.com.

Competitors’ sites may also 

contain useful links.

• Using links from local individuals

or businesses – There may be

other local individuals or businesses with Web sites. Trading

links or bartering for a link

should be considered. For example, a Web site selling produce

might link with a local dairy.

This increases a “buy local” 

message or theme. Linking with

the Web sites of friends and

neighbors can also be beneficial.

A personal reference from friends

or neighbors (e.g., “the guy with

the best tomatoes in the county”)

can be valuable in attracting customers to a Web site.

• Putting the Web site address

everywhere – Advertisements,

signs, stationery, and pens are

good places to display a URL.

Word-of-mouth communication

with customers is another effective way to promote the site.

• Personalizing the e-mail signature – An e-mail signature that

includes a personal name, business name, phone number, mailing address, e-mail, Web site

URL, and a catch phrase can be

extremely helpful. Not only does

it provide this information to the

recipient of the e-mail, but, if

that person forwards the e-mail

to someone else, the next person

will also receive the information.

• Using an e-mail newsletter –

Newsletters can be registered at

ezine-universe.com. 

• Using electronic postcards –

With the expenditure of little

money or effort, Web site visitors

can send e-greetings (e.g., with a

picture of produce or an animal).

• Sending postcards – A holiday,

special occasion, or “fall harvest”

card, thanking customers for

their business, serves to remind

them about the site for holiday

shopping. Cards can be sent electronically, but paper postcards

and greetings that show a Web

site can also be used (an example

can be found at

www.wbcards.com). 

• Calling the local newspaper or

sending a press release – Local

news agencies are always searching for stories. A “human interest” story or a business-related

item will provide free publicity

for the Web site. An article on

“farmers and technology”

attracts attention, particularly if

the site is new and unique. 

• Registering on search engines –

Any Web site should be well listed.36 “Meta tags” can be used to

improve search engine listings.

• Bidding on keywords on search

engines – This idea is for serious

Internet marketers who are willing to pay money to advertise

their site.37 Correctly targeted,

buying key words can be an

effective marketing method, even

for a small producer.

• Buying banner ads – This is

another useful tool for marketers

who have an advertising budget

for their Web site.38 

• Encouraging word of mouth –

Customers should be encouraged

to forward e-mails received,

bookmark the site, and tell their

friends about the farm.

• Using reliable, informative, useful content that builds trust – It

is important to consider what

information can be offered that

would entice customers to visit

the Web site and then persuade

them to buy something. The

content should be appropriate for

the target niche market. A “how

to” section (e.g., how to store the

fruits and vegetables you produce), questions and answers

(e.g., “how can I tell if a watermelon is ripe?”), or answers to

frequently asked questions (e.g.,

Sustainable agriculture is...”) are

a few ideas to consider.

• Providing helpful information –

Having the ingredients list and

nutrition information as part of

the product description for

processed food is a convenient

feature for all customers, especially those with food allergies.
Adding personalized

service – Allowing 

customers to send

products as gifts by

providing gift cards

with personal messages and gift wrap is

an excellent way to

please the customer

while adding value to

the purchase.

• Providing directions online

and/or posting a map – Free

maps are available at Web sites

such as www.mapquest.com.

Written directions from various

points or major towns and roads

should also be included.

• Making the site Interactive –

Free Java script is available for

use on a Web site (e.g., script

that says “Welcome back to the

farm, John!”).39 

• Keeping the site up-to-date and

fresh – Having specials that

change weekly or monthly and

rotating features on the opening

page can add to the interest of

the site.

• Stressing good prices – Listing

competitors’ prices and comparing prices with those of supermarkets, as well as stressing

quality and freshness or the

importance of retaining money

within the community, can be

extremely effective marketing

tools.

• Having printable coupons –

Examples include: “10 percent off

your next purchase at the farmstand” or “free child’s hayride

with adult’s paid ticket." In this

way, a producer can combine an

online marketing strategy with

an offline marketing strategy. 

• Adding free samples when sending a product – Sending, along

with the regular order, a sample

of a product that the consumer

might also be interested in can

boost sales. For example, when

sending a jar of one flavor of

honey, a sample of another flavor

of honey or a piece of honey

candy could be included. Free

samples are a good way to build

loyalty and differentiate a business from its competitors. 

21

• Announcing a contest – Contest

ideas include holding a raffle for

people who sign up for e-mail

mailing lists or having a bestrecipe contest. (This is also an

excellent way to obtain original

content for a site.)

• Involving children – By asking

parents for the names, dates of

birth, and e-mail addresses of

their children, a producer will be

able to send them birthday

cards.40 A “kid’s e-mail club” is

another way to involve children.

• Adding pictures – Digital cameras

are easy to use, and pictures can

be uploaded to the Web site.

Pictures should be updated regularly. Customers might be asked

to e-mail pictures from farm visits. A good way to personalize the

Web site is to have a section that

describes and contains pictures of

the people behind an operation. A

good example of this is at

www.tomatoes.com. 

Free samples are a

good way to build 

loyalty and differentiate

a business from its

competitors. 

• Highlighting easy return policy

and guarantees – An offer of

“100 percent satisfaction guaranteed or your money-back,’’ coupled with a fair and simple

return policy, builds customer

loyalty.

• Adding personalized service –

Allowing customers to send

products as gifts by providing

gift cards with personal messages and gift wrap is an excellent way to please the customer

while adding value to the purchase.

• Providing special sections on

site – A special section devoted

to gifts can be provided on the

Web site. Along with an item

description, there might be a

statement such as “customers

who have bought this have also

enjoyed...” with a link to another item (e.g., with information

on maple syrup, there could be a

link to pancake mix). This kind

of statement can be backed up

with actual sales information.

Complementary items can also

be recommended.
• At www.goathillfarm.com, Web

site visitors can e-mail a goat at

oldgoat@goathillfarm.com. 

It is important to find something

unique that might motivate customers to forward the URL of the

Web site to their friends and family.

Although PigCam may seem ridiculous to an adult, it could be fascinating to an 8-year-old child living in

an urban area. Many digital cameras

will record a short video (including

sound). There are many simple

options.

22

• Collaborating with groups that

“visit” (e.g., school groups) – A

page on the Web site, such as a

downloadable or online activity

(e.g., quiz or coloring book) that

a teacher can use in the classroom or assign as homework can

be an effective marketing tool,

especially if used in conjunction

with a visit to the farm. 

• Becoming an expert – Becoming

an expert on local produce or

local/regional farming issues,

issuing press releases, and participating in local radio and TV

talk shows will increase the producer’s public visibility. The content on the Web site should

reflect the producer’s status as

an expert.

• Looking at other Web sites –

Taking time to look at other Web

sites can be invaluable. A range

of businesses should be reviewed

in terms of size and what they

sell, with attention to what

works well, what is eye catching,

and how the desired impressions

can be implemented?

• Trying something unique –

• One Web site

(www.pigbrother.co.uk or

www.friendlyfarmfoods.co.uk) by

a British farmer features short

videos of his pigs (“Pig cam”) in

their various stages of growth

and activity. The site recently ran

a voting game based on the popular TV show “Survivor.’’ Web

site visitors voted the pigs out of

the pen and were eligible for

prizes. Some profits were donated to rural and farm charities.

• “Corn cam” and “soybean cam”

allow Web site visitors to see

corn growing

(www.iowafarmer.com/corncam/

corn.html). “Corn cam” sells 

t-shirts advertising its Web site. 

A good way to personalize the Web site is to

have a section that

describes and contains

pictures of the people

behind an operation. 

It is important to 

find something unique

that might motivate

customers to forward

the URL of the Web site

to their friends and

family. 
23

Consider Suggestions on

Developing a Good Small

Business Web Site

There are several important factors

to consider in developing a good

small business Web site.

• Download time: The Web site

should load quickly. “According

to Relevant Knowledge, the average home Internet user spends

nine minutes a day waiting for

Web pages to download which

adds up to nearly 55 hours of

waiting annually.’’41 

• Niche: Most producers are not

seeking to be the next

Amazon.com. Instead, they

should strive to be a good small

business on the Web site. They

should find a niche and focus on

that target market. 

• Customer service: For small businesses, particularly farm direct

marketers, personal relationships

with customers are critical. A

recent study showed that 42 percent of the 125 top e-commerce

Web sites either took longer than

5 days to reply to customer email, never replied, or were not

accessible to customers via email.42 It is important to ensure

that contact information is listed

on every page and that all

inquiries are responded to in a

timely manner. Respecting customers is essential to developing

their loyalty.

• Clear benefits: The benefits to

consumers should be clearly presented. Customers should be told

why they should buy from the

Web site.

• First Impression: It has been said

that “you only get one chance to

make a first impression.’’ The

first page of the Web site should

captivate customers and make

them want to read more.

• Easy navigation: The site should

be tested to ensure that it is easy

to use. A customer should be able

to reach any part of the site in

two clicks.

• Other sites: Other Web sites

should be reviewed to determine

how they organize their products, if they use dropdown menus

or just list categories, and the

level of difficulty in finding a

product.

• Site maintenance: Statements

like “under construction” and

“coming soon’’ are frustrating to

customers and should be avoided.

A Web site is a work in progress,

and not everything needs to be

up at once. It is also important to

ensure against having broken

links on the Web site.

• Contact information on every

page: Contact information should

be included on every Web page.

Every page should also contain a

button or link to “Order now.’’ 

• Easy payment options: It is

important to consider various

“shopping cart’’ options before

choosing a service or software. 

• Innovation: The advantage of

being small is that the marketing

message or methods can be easily

adapted or changed. 

The Web site should

load quickly. “According

to Relevant Knowledge,

the average home

Internet user spends

nine minutes a day

waiting for Web pages

to download which adds

up to nearly 55 hours

of waiting annually.” 
24

Summary 

According to a recent study by America Online and Roper Starch Worldwide, nearly half of

Internet users say the medium is becoming a necessity, and almost three-quarters use it to

make better buying decisions.44 The Internet offers many opportunities for farm direct marketers who are willing to develop an Internet marketing plan with specific objectives and then

select and tailor a Web site to reflect their needs and goals. 

When customers send e-mails, it is important not only to answer their questions, but also to

ask questions in return. By creating an e-mail “dialogue’’ with customers, it is possible to get

more of their attention and, hopefully, dollars. Approximately half of the time spent on marketing should focus on developing and retaining existing customers. If they have bought once and

were satisfied, it will be easier to get them to buy again.

Using the suggestions presented in this publication, producers will be more informed about

setting up a Web site that successfully meets their marketing objectives and will avoid many of

the common startup mistakes and problems. Because Internet marketing is changing rapidly,

however, no marketing plan should be “set in stone.’’ Modifications should be based on customer feedback and new ideas from other Web sites.
25

Appendix A: 

Experiences of Farm Direct Marketers on the Internet

There are a growing number of farm direct marketers on the Internet.

The objective of this section is to show the diversity of their opinions

and experiences. Just as every farm is unique, so also is the experience of every producer on the Internet. The following information

demonstrates that there is no one generic experience because 

producers have different objectives and resources.

This section contains e-mail interviews with farm direct marketers

with Web sites who were contacted as a result of media attention they

received or through informal meetings at conferences. Thus, not every

producer was asked every question. The accounts are presented in

random order. Since Web sites are constantly evolving, the descriptions below may not reflect the current Web site.
26

Farm Market and Pick-Your-own

www.birdhavenbluberry.com 

John Pipiras

Bird Haven Blueberry Farm,

Southhampton, MA

Entertainment Farming

/Agritourism

www.arrowheadacres.com 

Dave Morin, 

Arrowhead Acres, 

Uxbridge, MA

A

rrowhead Acres decided to build a Web site “to let the world know we

exist.’’ The site provides information about the farm’s agritourism

activities such as hayrides, petting zoo, pumpkins, Christmas trees,

and outings and functions. The Web site uses numerous pictures to entice 

customers, and prices are clearly posted. There is no selling on the Web site;

the objective is to lure customers to the farm.

Dave Morin notes that “We have several products and we have entered them

in many search engine keyword lists. That is what you do for the promotion of

a Web site.’’ When asked how he determines whether it is a good decision to

maintain the Web site, Morin responded, “We ask customers how they heard of Q&A us and by far the Web site and Yellow Pages are in the lead.’’ 

Online ordering available? No. Prices

for products and services listed.

How much money and time initially invested? “My first one page site was free

and set up by a coworker for me. My

2nd more elaborate site cost me a

gas grill for my son who was learning how to set them up.’’

How much money and time does it

require to maintain the Web site? ’’

Now between annual fees and maintenance/upgrades it probably costs

$500 per year for a moonlighter who

maintains it.’’

What are the challenges of having a Web

site? “Keeping the site current with

all the changes that we make in our

business.’’

What advice do you have for producers

considering getting into Internet 

marketing? “Hire a professional

Webmaster from the start. Get in or

be passed by – it is definitely the

trend.’’ Also, “...there are outfits out

there that will charge thousands of

dollars for the same thing that

someone else will put together for

hundreds. Unfortunately, much of

the agricultural community is inexperienced in the Cyber world and

could be taken for a financial ride.

My Webmaster moonlights (from a

full-time Web design company) with

his own Web business and provides

tremendous value for the dollar, but

I have had companies try to sell me

inferior services costing many thousands.’’

Q&A

J

ohn Pipiras decided Bird Haven Blueberry Farm needed a Web site 

because “There is much interest in small farms. I wanted to be in the

forefront. Shake the tree and see what falls out.’’ He markets the site by

sending information to any organization that can help with advertising such

as CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture), which promotes

western Massachusetts’ local products.

Pipiras notes that “‘personal,’ ‘community,’ and ‘neighbor’ are key words in

the small farm business. My customers certainly get that when they visit our

farm and they love it. I believe a farm and its character and values can and

must extend into the Internet Web site.’’

Online ordering available? No.

How much money and time initially 

invested? “3 months. I did it myself.’’

How much money and time does it

require to maintain the Web site? “Just

the cost to be on the Internet anyway. About $24/mo.’’

How do you determine whether it is a

good business decision to maintain the

Web site? “My Web site looks like it

was made by a farmer. It shows how

much we love our farm. When I send

it to any organization that can help

either financially or by promoting

local produce, I get a favorable

response.’’
27

Lookout Farm and Market

www.lookoutfarm.com

Paul Witham, 

Marino Lookout Farm and Market,

Natick, MA

Witham notes that there were many reasons for wanting to build a 

Web site, “mainly though to reach a broader market and be able 

to disseminate information about our operation more easily.”

The site can be used to publish the farm’s apple picking schedule and gather

names for mailing lists. Since the farm’s marketing strategy is geared primarily toward families, there are kids club events, exotic animals, and train and

stagecoach rides to help entice people to visit. In turn, families are the target

audience for the Web site.

Online ordering available? No.

How much money and time initially invested? “We produce the site in-house.

Our only fees, which are minimal,

are for hosting and domain registration.’’

How much money and time does it

require to maintain the Web site? “A few

hours a week, about $50 per

month.’’

How do you “market’’ the Web site?

“It’s included in all our advertising

(newspaper, radio and other venues...anywhere and everywhere). 

We aggressively submit to all search

engines and pay for listings in some

local, high-traffic Web sites. This fall

we’re doing our first banner ad campaign on one of these sites.’’

How do you determine whether it is a

good business decision to maintain the

Web site? “We’ve been getting about

200 unique visitors a week, many of

whom have been signing up for email alerts and kids club mailings.

We see this as great, targeted marketing and definitely worth the

investment.’’

What are the challenges of having a Web

site? “It’s still such new territory

that there were some initial reservations by some. Each week, however,

it’s becoming more and more of an

important part of our overall marketing. The main ongoing challenge,

of course, is just maintaining and

updating the site so content is fresh

and timely each week.’’

If I could do it all over again I would...?

“have done it earlier.’’

What advice do you have for producers

considering getting into Internet marketing? “Best advice is to begin immediately and allocate time and resources toward Internet marketing. It’s

only going to become more important.’’

A

dams Farm Market’s objective in having a Web site: “We are constantly

trying to develop new ways to reach more customers. Although our

area is growing very quickly with ‘urban sprawl,’ we are also experiencing some new competition from large chain stores that undersell our prices

on a daily basis. We are trying to offer our loyal and new customers a service

that they will not find at the grocery stores.’’ Therefore, their current target

audience is out-of-State family and friends as well as customers in the store. 

In the future, they hope that word of mouth, as well as registering on search

engines, will assist in publicizing the site. Before developing the site, they were

not in the catalog business.

Farm Market

www.upickvermont.com

Kim Antonioli, 

Adams Farm Market, 

Williston, VT

Q&A

Q&A

Online ordering available? Yes, with

secure server. Information on paying

by check or calling toll-free number

also provided.

How much money and time initially 

invested? “We actually tried to hire a

‘contractor’ but found that for our

needs we could do it without expenses through my brother who has just

graduated from UNH [University of

New Hampshire] with a business

degree. He has written all of our

HTML [Hypertext Markup Language]

code and we all had a hand in the

design and layout.’’ They also developed a flyer to hand out to customers and send to family and

friends that cost $350 to print.

How much money and time does it

require to maintain the Web site? “Once

the site is running it will not need to

be maintained unless we decide to

change anything (no cost), but to
28

Approximately what percent of sales

come from the Internet? “Less than

what we wanted and most likely

because we don’t take credit cards at

this point. However, since many of

the orders are for existing customers

who then place e-mail orders and

pick up at the market or have the

products shipped, I would guess

about 20 percent.’’ This is up from

the year before during which about

10-15 percent of sales came from the

Internet. However, Internet sales

increased after they were contacted

by many upscale restaurants, gourmet food shops, and large chains

seeking to buy their product.

Mixed High-End Outlets: 

Farmers Markets, Restaurants,

and Mail Order

sylvaninfo.net/drinkingswamp

Bob Stolman and Jeff Brooks, 

Drinking Swamp Farm, 

Haynesville, VA

use a shopping cart service (for

security purposes) it costs approximately $300 per year.’’

What are the challenges of having a Web

site? “Keeping the site current with

all the changes that we make in our

business.’’

Q&A

What advice do you have for producers

considering getting into Internet 

marketing? “Look around first at

what companies have to offer (shopping cart services, Web site services,

setup costs). Also check out existing

sites and get a general feel of how

you would like your site to look.

The objective of the Web site was a tool for our existing customers and 

‘net surfers’ to scroll through our products and place orders.

It enhances our visibility besides the farmers market we presently

attend. With the emergence of fresh, chemical-free goat cheese as a major 

‘new exotic high-end food’ we wanted to offer our expertise of exquisite handcrafted artisan products to a wider audience.’’ They are also continually developing new products and in the last year have added a full line of gourmet food

items including goat cheese ravioli, goat cheese quiche, spanakopita, and 

other products.

Stolman and Brooks were aware of the type of consumers who buy their

product and whether they were on the Internet. “Our audience is the enlightened food officionado who is current with the emerging food industry and

products. Our audience is also the group of citizens with an above-average

amount of disposable income for luxury items as well as those searching for

healthier alternatives to factory-produced...cheese... We knew through experience who our customers were and were not. We had attended many farmers

markets and flea markets to sell our products and found that the markets in

the upscale communities supported our efforts but those at flea markets and

fairs didn’t have the discretionary income to pay the prices we charge for

hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind cheeses.’’ They advertise the site mainly through

flyers that they hand out to customers as well as listing with many search

engines. They also promote the site through their newsletter and by word of

mouth.

Having a rough layout before bringing the idea to a contractor (or

doing it yourself) will make things

go a lot smoother.’’

Online ordering available? Ordering is

available via e-mail. A toll-free number is also provided.

How much money and time initially 

invested? “If the question is to be

interpreted as how much did we

spend on sight development, the

answer is zero. Our Internet server is

also a friend who loves our cheese,

so they helped get it set up and

taught me how to run it. For cheese,

of course!’’

How much money and time does it require

to maintain the Web site? “No money,

but time I couldn’t say, most likely

about 4 hours a month average to

maintain it when I have the time,

but being a 2-man operation with

one hired hand there isn’t enough

time to spend on the site as I would

like.’’

What are the challenges of having a Web

site? “I guess the biggest challenge is

finding time to update as often.’’ 

“
29

How do you determine whether it is a

good business decision to maintain the

Web site? “Since it costs us nothing

monetarily it is a good decision to

have our name wherever we can. We

can evaluate sales by asking people

calling or e-mailing the farm where

they heard of us and we track it that

way.’’

How do you get repeat business/build

customer loyalty/make it a “personal’’

connection? “By making sure that

every customer or potential customer is treated as though they are

the most important customer on the

planet. It is our belief that we are

here on this planet to be of service

to others, thus this is a mere extension of that philosophy. We also see

to it that each customer is given

courtesy phone calls as well as ‘freebies’ in each order with our compliments to please try something new

and give us their opinions. They

then feel part of the total operation

and not just a customer whose

money we want.’’

What advice do you have for producers

considering getting into Internet 

marketing? “The advice I would give

to anyone starting out is to make

sure you get it right the first time,

for you need to get the site up and

going and then make minor changes

as time permits but not a total overhaul, for then customers have no

clue as to what you really stand for.’’

Direct Marketing as a 

Secondary Outlet

www.austinfarm.org/homegrown

Willie McKemie,

McKemie Homegrown Farm, 

Dale, TX

McKemie’s primary customers are Austin area grocery stores, 

although they also sell on the farm and at several area farmers 

markets. They decided to build a Web site because of the availability of a low-cost host. Their target audience is existing farm site customers,

and they use the site to “solicit farm visits and inform customers of availability.’’ One of the goals of the site was to cut down on phone calls, newspaper

ads, and mailings.

McKemie’s site has several unusual characteristics. There is a “What’s new’’

section, which is a diary of recent events on the farm. There is also an “About

us’’ section which gives a short description of the farm, describing soil quality

and crops raised.

Acutely aware of Texas demographics, McKemie offers most of the site in

both English and Spanish.

Q&A

Online ordering available? No.

How much money and time does it

require to maintain the Web site?

“$100/year plus one hour of my time

per week.’’

What advice do you have for producers

considering getting into Internet 

marketing? “Do not have high hopes.

Do not make large expenditures.’’
30

Summerour decided to build a Web site to have a direct referral. “It also 

affords an inexpensive way to introduce new products. We sell a 

product (emu oil) that is provided through vertical farm integration.

We feel it is the surest way to make a profit.

The primary target is people interested in natural products. Summerour

notes, “This decision was based on the increasing consumption by this 

audience.’’

Mail Order

www.emuoilbymail.com

Jeanne Summerour, NGF, Inc., 

Dawsonville, GA

Online ordering available? Yes, with

secure online server.

How much money and time initially

invested? “Not a lot. I did hire a 

contractor to design and maintain

the site. I believe the first two

years...total expense...is around

$300.’’

How much money and time does it

require to maintain the Web site? “I paid

for it upfront. I simply check it

everyday and fill orders.’’

How do you “market’’ the Web site? 

“We are also Corporate Sponsors of

the American Emu Association so 

we get some hits that way. We purchase advertising in an online magazine and that generates most of our

traffic.’’

Approximately what percent of your

sales come from the Internet? “Three

percent.’’

How do you determine whether it is a

good business decision to maintain the

Web site? “Until we have more experience with this form of marketing, I

cannot answer honestly. I paid upfront so I do not have a monthly

reminder of what this is costing. I

also have myself to blame for not

generating more traffic because I

haven’t taken the time to become

computer/Internet savvy.’’

What are the challenges of having a Web

site? “Not all orders are legitimate.

We take credit cards and some people go though the process of ordering just for fun. They make up information. I also would like more personal contact with the follow up but

feel like I am intruding by sending a

follow-up e-mail.’’

How do you get repeat business/build

customer loyalty/make it a ‘personal’ 

connection? “We sponsored an

Internet survey that defined several

target areas. We now have a mailing

list (U.S. Postal Service type) that

will allow for direct mail. This is a

lot more than e-mailing but it also

allows the person to simply discard

it if they are not interested without

feeling “put upon.’’

What advice do you have for producers

considering getting into Internet marketing? “Learn more about the Internet,

search engines, generating traffic.

Everyone has a scam or a plan to 

sell you and you need to know 

what is legitimately good for YOUR

business.’’

Q&A

Marcy Tudor, President of the Pennsylvania Farm Vacation 

Association (PFVA) said that she decided to start a Web site because

she thought it would be a “great marketing tool.’’ Its goals are to

increase bookings at its member farm vacations and to make other farmers in

the State of Pennsylvania aware of the benefits of membership. The site was

initially funded by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Farm Vacation Association

www.pafarmstay.com

Marcy Tudor, 

Weatherbury Farm, 

Avella, PA

Q&A

How much money and time initially 

invested? “The site went online in

May 1997. Beginning in December

1996 (when I personally first went

online) I began surfing the net,

looking at (mainly) bed and breakfast sites. I found a site I liked and emailed the developer. At our April

1997 [meeting], the membership

approved the idea. Each member

had to send in 2-3 pictures and a

write-up. As president of the association I had to keep things moving

and check out the pages as the

developer finished them—either emailing the farm and letting them

know or sending a print copy to the

farms that were not online. I would

estimate that I spent at least several

hundred hours, perhaps as much as

500 hours. The site cost $1,650 +

$35 for domain registration.’’
31

How much money and time does it

require to maintain the Web site?

“Farms that want to have anything

other than minor text changes pay

for them. (The association pays for

the initial web page for each farm).

Farms either e-mail or write me

with the changes which I mail to the

developer. He makes small changes

at no additional charge. Changes

take me no more than 5-10 hours

per month.’’

Our monthly fee is $25, which

includes hosting (and the small

changes mentioned above).

Within the past several months, we

added a page on membership to the

web site. We have not yet received

the bill—but I expect it to be in the

$75-$100 range. (The developer's

charges have increased somewhat.)’’

Cost to members? During 1999, “A

listing on our Web site and the

monthly ISP [Internet service

provider] charges are part of our

$200 membership fee.’’ When asked

again in January 2001, PFVA was

charging new farms without a standalone Web site $100 to develop one

on the PFVA Web site. The $100 fee

is approximately equal to PFVA’s

development cost. However, all of

the farms that joined during 2000

had their own Web sites.

How do you market the site? “The site

address is on all our brochures and

press releases (we mail 400 press

releases quarterly). As Farm

Vacation is a rather unique idea, we

get our press releases picked up

quite well and often a newspaper will

spotlight a local farm vacation in a

feature story (and usually includes

the Web site address).

We also have several displays in visitors centers throughout the State of

Pennsylvania. (The visitors centers

also have our brochures available

through a central warehouse.) The

Pennsylvania Travel Council (of

which I personally am a board member) has also been very helpful in

getting us coverage. They recently

set up a marketing opportunity with

a central Pennsylvania food chain

with a farm theme ($45,000 in paid

advertising) that Farm Vacation (and

our brochures with Web address)

was part of. They also fax all our legislators information about the availability of the PFVA brochure.

I personally went to the annual visitors bureau legislative dinner last

year and spread the word. Our secretary has sent brochures to all the

county extension offices (hoping to

attract new members) and to all the

visitors bureaus throughout the

State. The mailings include a postcard to ask for more brochures and

several have already responded.

We also give our members brochures

to pass out not only at their farm

vacation but in the community (e.g.,

bookstores, antique malls, etc.)

The officers of the association (and

members at times too) speak at different functions—mainly those

aimed at making farms aware of the

farm vacation opportunity.

I have signed the PFVA site up at

every search engine I could find,

many lodging directories, agricultural and tourism Web sites.

Interestingly, the majority of these

were free. According to Alta Vista,

there are 115 links pointing to PFVA;

Infoseek lists 65 and HotBot more

than 200.’’

How do you evaluate success? ‘‘Besides

the customary site statistics, I think

our members' enthusiasm says it all.

When I first mentioned the Web site,

there were a lot of farms who were

very dubious. Within two months,

the most dubious farm was calling

and asking if they could link to this

site or that site.

In fact about 75 percent of our farms

are now online. And the most dubious farm told me recently that they

were going to break down and not

count computers as their enemy

(and that is a direct result of the

guests they are getting through the

Web site).

An indication of sales figures?

‘‘Personally, I know that 80 percent

of our new business at Weatherbury

Farm comes from the Internet.

Although we are listed in a number

of sites, folks most often remember

(if they can) that they found

Weatherbury Farm through the

PFVA site.”

What are the challenges of having a Web

site? ‘‘I think the Internet opens up

farm vacations to a whole group of

what I call fringe farm vacation

types (those who probably would not

have found farm vacation without

the Internet)—in general, these

folks seem to have more false expectations than others (petting zoo,

Holiday Inn-type rooms, activities

available on the farm). I personally

try to address these issues on my

own Web site, www.weatherburyfarm.com, and urge all of our member farms to do the same on their

PFVA Web page.

The second challenge applies only to

those farms that have listings other

than on pafarmstay.com—and that

is to find out exactly where folks

heard about you (i.e., which Web

site directory). I am personally

going to put Extreme Tracker on my

Web site so I can find how people

are arriving at my site.”

How do you get repeat business/build

customer loyalty/make it a ‘personal’

connection? “pafarmstay.com has

what I think is a very welcoming

home page. We urge each of our

member farms to give visitors copies

of our farm vacation brochure and

urge guests to visit other farm vacations.”

If I could do it all over again I would...?

“have done it sooner!”
32

Why did your operation decide to build a

Web site? What is your objective? ‘‘We

thought that we had a unique, quality product which would be of value

to people on the mainland, and we

wanted the magic of Hawaii to stay

with our product all the way to the

ultimate consumer. Also, we

thought that the consumer might

be willing to choose our products

over a competitor’s products in

order to support our earthfriendly/sustainable agriculture

farming practices. So, we felt that

our products were appropriate for

marketing on the Internet. Our

objective is to consistently receive

100 Internet orders per week.”

Who is your target audience? How did

you decide this? ‘‘We think that anyone looking for a unique gift,

whether for business or personal

reasons, or for something beautiful

for their own home or business is

our potential customer. But, what

separates us from our competitors is

the fact that we take great effort to

use the same farming techniques

used by farmers producing certified

organic food products. We don't

grow food and we have not applied

to become certified as an organic

grower, and so we call our practice

‘Earth Friendly.’ We think we get a

product with better color and shelf

life, and something our customers

might prefer to handle and display

in their home or business. And we

think that there are a lot of people

out there who care and would prefer

to support earth-friendly farming

practices.’’

Were you already in the mail order/catalog business? ‘‘Yes, we were doing

some advertising and promotion.”

How much money and time did you 

initially invest? ‘‘We paid about $800

to get the original site up and going,

and a significant amount of our own

time as well. We continued to spend

probably about $300-$500 per year

improving the site for about 3 years.

We just put up a new site which cost

us a lot more, but which I think is

in a different league and has a lot of

features which we think will be very

helpful, like administrative tools,

database, and programs which we

can use ourselves, on a daily basis.

And the new site is more convenient

for our customers, it recognizes

them and makes it very easy for

them to place new orders and to

track delivery of orders themselves.”

How much money and time does it

require to maintain the Web site? ‘‘Right

now, with the new site just going

up, it is taking a lot of time. We are

working out a lot of bugs and developing a lot of new features, both on

the front side and back side of the

site. It cost about $5,000 to get the

new site up, and I expect it will cost

at least $1,000 per year to continue

developing the site. We also paid

about $150 for our encryption/key

security system, about another $150

for the Cyber Cash set up, and a

monthly fee of about $25 for the

Cyber Cash. Additionally we are paying $150 per month for services to

keep the site coming up well with

the search engines. The hosting of

the site and related services is an

additional $45 per month, but this

is for premium services and could

be done with less if you are willing

to have your server going down. I

would add to this that with the kind

of site we have now, we felt we needed to have a high-speed access to

make the best use of the site. To do

that we needed a router ($220), a

$350 installation, and a higher

monthly ISP fee, by about $25/mo.”

How do you ‘‘market” your site? How do

you ”get the word out“?: ‘‘As I said, we

have a service which does things to

keep us up with the search engines;

additionally we do some linking, 

particularly with sites with an

organic or earth-friendly bent, like

redjellyfish.com. We also do some

key word bidding. Perhaps our most

effective thing is the time-honored:

customers telling other customers

and our customers’ friends seeing

the product.’’

Percent of sales from Internet? ‘‘This 

is very seasonal. Right now, our

Internet sales are about 20 percent,

but during Valentine’s Day they were

about 90 percent.”

What are the challenges of having a Web

site/doing Internet marketing? ‘‘It is and

probably will continue to be in a

rapid state of development and you

have to keep working with it.”

How do you get repeat business/build

customer loyalty/make it a ‘‘personal

connection”? ‘‘We are a very small

operation and Esti does most of our

customer relations and she does a

great job of taking care of our customers. We guarantee all of our

products and we will replace a box

or refund the purchase price in

order to keep our customer happy

and coming back to us. We track

every order with our FedEx computer and Esti is on the phone to make

sure that our boxes are delivered on

time and to the right destination. Of

course, we make sure that what gets

put in the box is the highest quality

product.”

Floral Sales Direct to Customer

www.bobstropicals.com

Bob and Esti Grinpas, 

Bob’s Tropicals, 

Kapaa, HI

Q&A
33

Appendix B: Suggested Reading and Training

Articles and Publications on Internet Marketing for Farmers

• Internet Marketing of Food Products. Articles written by Dr. Greg White, University of

Maine (such as ‘‘Commercial WWW Site Appeal: How Does It Affect Online Food and 

Drink Consumers’ Purchasing Behavior?”), can be found at

www.ume.maine.edu/~specfood/papers.html .

• National E-Team. A national land-grant university design team organized by the four

regional rural development centers to promote research and outreach education associated

with electronic business issues. The National E-Team Web site offers curriculums, research

activities, and links. www.ext.msstate.edu/srdc/e-team.

• ‘‘Internet Marketing for Farmers.’’ Washington State University Cooperative Extension.

www.metrokc.gov/dchs/csd/wsu-e/agriculture/PDFs/internetMrkt.pdf.

• ‘‘Mail Order the Modern Way.’’ Small Farm Digest, Volume 2, No. 2, Winter 1999.

www.reeusda.gov/agsys/smallfarm/sfd/. 

• ‘‘Using a Web Site To Keep the Attention of Your Customers.” William Lester, Professor,

Department of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University, Smart Marketing,

January 2001. aem.cornell.edu/special_programs/hortmgt/pubs/smartmkt/index.htm.

• “A Great Idea: San Rafael Farmers’ Market Weekly E-mail Newsletter.” From the USDA

Farmer Direct Marketing Web site Newsletter, June/July 1999. 

www.ams.usda.gov/directmarketing/news_06_99.htm.

• “Direct Marketing of Farm Products Via the Internet: A Survey of SmallFarms.com

Members.’’ T. Ball and Y.L. Duval, Department of Agricultural Economics, Washington

State University. Research in progress. For more information e-mail ylduval@yahoo.com. 

• Food Marketing Institute E-Business Center. www.fmi.org/e_business.

Books

There are probably far too many books written on Internet marketing. Internet marketing

‘‘gurus’’ come and go quickly. Thus, the recommendation of the day may be outdated within a

year or two.

In general, the best books are no more than a year or two (at most) old. While ordering books

online is easy, offers the greatest number of choices, and may contain written reviews, there is

something to be said for going to a book store or library and being able to skim through a

book before purchasing it.

Recommended books: Relationship Marketing on the Internet: Creating One on One Bonds

with Prospects and Customers and Keeping Them Forever, Roger C. Parker, Adams Streetwise,

Adams Media Corporation, 2000.

World Wide Web Marketing: Integrating the Web into Your Marketing Strategy, Jim Sterne,

Wiley Computer Publishing, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999.

Digital Darwinism: 7 Breakthrough Business Strategies for Surviving in the Cutthroat Web

Economy, Evan I. Schwartz, Broadway Books, Random House, 1999.

An IBM Guide to Doing Business on the Internet, Kendra R. Bonnett, McGraw-Hill, 2000.
34

Software

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers a free CD-ROM, “Build Your Own

Business Website for Free.” The CD-ROM, cosponsored by ALLBusiness.com, bigstep.com, and

the SBA, provides the information and tools to create and manage a Web site market online,

sell products with secure e-commerce, promote events, display a portfolio, send e-mail

newsletters, and more. The CD-ROM is available at all SBA Business Information Centers and

other selected offices.

Additional information on the CD-ROM, system requirements, and how to order a copy can be

found at www.sba.gov/viewers/freecdrom.html.

E-zines and Information Sources

E-zines are like magazines and newsletters that are posted for free on the Internet or mailed to

an e-mail account. E-zines, like books, run the gamut from being useless to entertaining to

enlightening to useful. 

Many companies are using e-zines to attract business. However, e-zines are often littered with

advertisements. It may require patience to weed through the commercial aspects of e-zines

and ignore the sales pitch. However, the free content is often worth the effort.

Selected sources of e-zines or free online e-commerce guides, publications, 

and/or information:

www.bestezines.com - Listings of e-zines.

www.clickz.com - Internet marketing articles on a variety of topics.

www.ecommercetimes.com - E-commerce articles on a variety of topics.

www.ecomresourcecenter.com - Articles that explain the basics of Internet marketing. 

A good site for additional technical and marketing information.

www.emarketer.com - Information on Internet consumer demographics.

ezine-universe.com - E-zine directory.

www.knowthis.com - A marketing “virtual library.”

www.promotionworld.com - Information on promoting a Web site.

www.sellitontheweb.com - Information on developing an online business.

wilsoninternet.com - Information on doing business on the Internet.

Selected Sources of Technical Information on Web Site Development 

www.linkpopularity.com - A free online search service that will instantly provide number of

links in a Web site.

www.bignosebird.com - Free Web site developer resources (e.g., help with HTML).

www.freegraphics.com - Links to sites with free graphics to enhance Web sites. 

www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~farmnet - Ohio State University’s “Farming the Net.” 

Contains articles such as “Understanding the Basics of Web Page Construction,” “Personal

Computer Recommendations,” and “Selecting Your Internet Service” by Ohio State

University Extension.
35

Selected Sources of Information on Web Site Marketing

“Tips for Increasing Web Site Traffic,” Dr. Ken Wolfe, Agricultural Development Center,

University of Tennessee Cooperative Extension. www.utextension.utk.edu/adc/pdf/adc35.pdf.

“The Internet as a Marketing Tool,” Dr. Glen Muske et al, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension

Service. agweb.okstate.edu/pearl/agecon/marketing/wf566.htm.

“Business to Consumer E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet,” Mississippi State University

Extension Service. msucares.com/business_assistance/homebusiness/ecommerce.html .

Selected Sources of Information on Small Business Web Sites

www.onlinewbc.org/docs/market/sell_online.html - “How To Sell Your Business Online,” 

Small Business Administration, Online Women’s Business Center.

“The Real Cost of Business Web Development,” Earl Claus, The Oklahoma Electronic

Commerce Connection. www.okec.org/Resources/Howto/webdevcost.htm.

Reference Web Sites

Plant Tech, www.techweb.com/encyclopedia - Provides information on e-commerce 

terminology.

The Internet Public Library - www.ipl.org.

The WWW Virtual Library - vlib.org.

Training

There are many potential sources of local free or low-cost Internet training. E-commerce

and/or Web site programming (e.g., FrontPage or HTML) courses can be quite helpful in 

developing an Internet marketing plan.

Information sources include:

• Friends, neighbors, other producers

• State departments of agriculture

• County or State economic development boards/offices

• Extension educators

• Community colleges 

• Small Business Administration - Almost all State SBA offices offer free or low-cost training.

SBA office locations can be found at www.sba.gov/calendar. SBA also offers online courses

(www.sba.gov/classroom).

Selected regional programs:

• Access Minnesota Main Street www.extension.umn.edu/mainstreet

Access Minnesota Main Street connects small to medium-size businesses to the Internet, 

e-commerce, and global trade. The project teaches business people from six Minnesota 

communities about the potential of e-commerce to dramatically increase access to resources

and to expand their available markets. 

• Internet Masters (Colorado) www.internetmasters.org
From the Web site: “The Colorado Internet Masters Program is an educational and civic 

volunteer program of the Colorado Rural Development Council, Colorado State University

Cooperative Extension, Small Business Development Centers, Colorado Rural Technology

Program, and partners. The program is modeled after the Master Gardener program and is

expanding throughout the United States.

The Colorado Internet Masters course is a unique opportunity to expand a community’s 

knowledge of and skills for employing the world's newest frontier–the Internet. It provides

civic-minded individuals with a masters course on how to use the Internet. Those who complete the course become ‘Certified Internet Masters’ when they apply and share some of what

they learn with others in their community through fulfillment of their 30-hour volunteer

requirement.”

• Internet Masters (Missouri) outreach.missouri.edu/imaster 

Similar to the Colorado Internet Masters Program.

• Oklahoma Electronic Commerce Connection www.okec.org

“The Oklahoma Ecommerce Connection (OKEC) seeks to encourage the use of e-business

tools and empower Oklahoma companies with the information necessary to move into the

world of networked commerce.” OKEC offers in-service training, online resources, advisors,

symposiums, and forums.

Internet Marketing Training

• “Internet Marketing: Food and Fiber Products”

For those interested in a more academic approach to Internet marketing for food products, Dr.

Greg White teaches an online class, “Internet Marketing: Food and Fiber Products” (REP 466).

“This course examines both the growth and evolution of electronic commerce and issues and

techniques for integrating the Web into business marketing strategies. It will emphasize the

marketing of consumer goods, particularly, food and drink products.”

Course objectives include monitoring the evolving technology of the World Wide Web as it

applies to marketing, integrating Web marketing into the overall marketing strategy of a firm,

assessing the content and structure of Web sites relative to business goals, applying the capabilities of Internet technology to commercial Web sites, and evaluating the performance or

success of an Internet marketing program. 

More information on the course can be found at webct.umaine.edu/public/REP466/index.html. 

• “University of California Berkeley Extension - Certificate in E-Commerce Business and

Technology” www.unex.berkeley.edu/cert/ecomon.html 

The Certificate in E-Commerce Business and Technology is now also available online. The

University of California Extension's online course format incorporates an online “lecture,”

combining an instructional narrative with audio, illustrations, and interactive exercises. In

addition, 60 minutes of video case studies, developed for this program and available over the

Web, give students a real sense of the physical and operational sides of virtual businesses. 

Entrepreneurship Training

• “Tilling the Soil of Opportunity: NxLeveL Guide for Agricultural Entrepreneurs”

This is an intense multisession program that covers all aspects of an agricultural enterprise.

Additional information can be found at the NxLeveL Web site (www.nxlevel.org).

• “My Own Business, Inc.”

This nonprofit organization offers free online entrepreneurship training.

Information about the course and the curriculum can be viewed at www.myownbusiness.org.

The curriculum includes a section on e-commerce, which can be viewed at 

www.myownbusiness.org/s8/index.html. 

36
37

Footnotes

1 cyberatlas.internet.com, citing AOL/Roper Starch Cyberstudy.

2 cyberatlas.internet.com, citing Gartner G2. 

3 In cases in which this publication quotes information from a Web site that cites research

from a second source, both sources are mentioned so that the producer can look for additional information either on the cited Web site or from the primary source.

4 Information on farm direct marketing consumer case studies can be found in USDA’s Farmer

Direct Marketing Bibliography 2001, www.ams.usda.gov/directmarketing/bibliography.htm. 

5 cyberatlas.internet.com, citing data from the Graphic, Visualization, and Usability (GVU)

Center at Georgia Institute of Technology (www.gvu.gatech.edu/user_surveys/).

6 cyberatlas.internet.com, citing InsightExpress and U.S. Census.

7 cyberatlas.internet.com, citing data from GVU.

8 www.emarketer.com, citing data from The Conference Board and NFO Worldwide.

9 www.emarketer.com, citing Verizon (www.verizon.com).

10 www.ecomworld.com (search articles for “Wild Oats”) discusses the challenges of 

“Wild Oats” online experience.

11www.emarketer.com

12www.drebiz.com newsletter, citing www.nua.ie research.

13 “Suggested Reading and Training” in appendix B offers some recommendations.

14 In the case of Iott Family Farms (www.tomatoes.com), significant capital was spent on developing the correct packaging to facilitate the shipment of their products since, if a customer

receives a box of damaged tomatoes, he or she will not buy from the producer again. Not

every producer has surplus capital to risk developing packaging.

15 During 2000, they did begin to offer holiday cards and Asian pears for online purchase.

However, their primary objective is information distribution, and online sales are handled

through www.modern-marketplace.com. 

16 Vermont engages in several activities with its grower associations. In this particular case,

17Vermont also has a “maple by mail” brochure that is made available in print form. This

brochure was made available on the Internet through the Vermont State Department of

Agriculture Web site. While producers pay to be listed in the directory, they benefit from the

print version as well as the Internet link.

18 Many CSA consumers are overwhelmed by the amount and variety of produce they receive. A

Web site could host recipes (from the producer and shareholders) for specialty items or

“what do I do with these?” products. Information on storage or preserving could also be

offered. An “online” community of the shareholders could strengthen the CSA since subscribers frequently never meet each other.

19 For example, “According to Scarborough Research, 47 percent of American adults with

Internet access make online purchases. However, in Washington, DC, 60 percent are 

shopping online; only 37 percent are doing the same in San Antonio, TX, Orlando, FL, and

Lexington, KY.” Source: www.emarketer.com. 

20 Additional recommendations of free e-mail newsletters, frequently called e-zines, are listed

in appendix B under “Suggested Reading and Training.”

21 cyberatlas.internet.com, citing CDB Research, August 1999.
38

22 cyberatlas.internet.com, citing BizRate (www.bizrate.com), May 1999.

23 cyberatlas.internet.com, citing Intermarket Group.

24 CyberAtlas, cyberatlas.internet.com, citing a study conducted by Louis Harris & Associates

(www.louisharris.com) for the National Consumer League (www.nclnet.org). 

25 www.nua.ie/surveys, citing CDB Research.

26 www.nua.ie/surveys, citing CDB Research.

27 cyberatlas.internet.com, citing Active Media (www.activemedia.com).

28 This is fairly logical, considering the nature of online retailing. It would not be very cost

effective for a consumer to buy something for less than $10 and then have to pay shipping.

This does not mean that producers should exclude items that cost less than $10 as consumers may purchase several of them to make a more sizable purchase. However, creating

products like “gift baskets” may be an effective means of marketing less expensive products.

29 cyberatlas.internet.com, citing Bain & Company and Mainspring.

30 cyberatlas.internet.com, citing Nielsen/NetRatings.

31 cyberatlas.internet.com, citing Forrester Research (www.forrester.com).

32 cyberatlas.internet.com, citing Anderson Consulting Research.

33 cyberatlas.internet.com, citing Forrester Research (www.forrester.com).

34 Read “Suggested Reading and Training” (in appendix B) for resources on search engines.

35 A full list of domain name accredited registrars can be found at www.internic.net/regist.html.

36 Read more about this from the sources listed in appendix B under 

“Suggested Reading and Training.”

37 Read more about this from the sources listed in appendix B under

“Suggested Reading and Training.”

38 Read more about this from the sources listed in appendix B under 

“Suggested Reading and Training.”

39 Read more about this from the sources listed in appendix B under 

“Suggested Reading and Training.”

40 While children might not always be supervised while on the Internet, it is important to

ensure that they have their parents’ permission before they provide any personal information, including an e-mail address.

41 www.techtv.com. 

42 www.techtv.com, citing Jupiter Communications.

43 See “Suggested Reading and Training” (appendix B) for more information.

44 cyberatlas.internet.com
39

NOTES
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