The Best Ecommerce Platform for Butchers in 2023

Running a butcher shop can be an incredibly rewarding business. Besides the potential for profit, you’re making a difference in the lives of people by providing them with fresh, high-quality meats. That said, being a butcher in 2023 can be a challenge. There are numerous challenges butchers face in the current market, especially with regard to ecommerce and their digital presence. 

In this article, we’ll take a look at the top 5 challenges facing butchers in 2023, the importance of having an online presence, and how Local Express can help you overcome those challenges while improving your brand’s online presence. 

Top 5 Challenges in the Meat Business

First, let’s focus on the top 5 challenges in the meat business today. 

1. Perishable products. 

As we all know, meat products have a limited shelf life and are perishable. Unlike many other industries, butchers need to handle their orders quickly and properly if they want to ensure the product doesn’t spoil. This is even more challenging when it comes to online orders, where the products may be shipped hours or even days away. 

2. Inventory. 

Tying into the perishability of meat products, butchers need to carefully manage their inventory to ensure that all of their products are fresh and high quality. On top of that, they also need to manage inventory so they can meet demand while minimizing waste. 

3. Weight and measure. 

For most butchers, the prices of products fluctuate depending on weight, cut, thickness, etc. They cannot price all products the same as is done with packaged goods. This can create an issue with ecommerce systems that are meant to handle products with more consistent pricing. 

4. Shipping and delivery.

Again, the perishable nature of meat products creates an issue for butchers. Fresh or frozen meat products require specialized handling and packaging to ensure that they are safe and fresh for the duration of the delivery.

5. Labor costs. 

Butcher shops require skilled labor to process and prepare meat, and the labor costs of skilled employees can be high. On top of that, butcher shops often struggle with even finding workers with the right skills and qualifications. This can all limit a butcher’s ability to run their business and grow or expand. 

Why You Need an Online Presence as a Butcher

While many think of butcher shops as small businesses that only sell locally, that is no longer the case. Thanks to the internet and the digital revolution, small businesses all across the country are expanding their market and using technology to their advantage. Having an online presence as a butcher is necessary in 2023. 

One of the biggest reasons why is brand awareness. If customers don’t know who you are, they can’t purchase your products. Investing in advertising and marketing to bring customers to your ecommerce platform is essential if you want to be successful in the digital space. Investing in search engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing can also help you increase brand awareness and attract new customers. 

Another reason why you need an online presence is so you can take control of your brand. Just having a regular presence online can be hugely beneficial. According to Forbes, consistent brand presentation across all platforms increases revenue by 23%. With an online presence, you can control your image and keep developing your brand, helping attract more customers and increase revenue. 

However, all of this is easier said than done. Expanding into the digital space can be difficult for small businesses, especially ones that don’t have experience in tech or the endless resources of big-box competitors. So how can local butchers overcome the challenges they face and excel in the online marketplace?

How Local Express Can Help You Overcome the Challenges Facing Butchers

Local Express is an ecommerce platform that is perfectly suited to help you overcome the challenges facing modern butchers, as well as help you have a strong and consistent online presence. We have countless success stories and have numerous local butchers who are extremely satisfied with our services. 

Our platform lets you easily and conveniently manage sales and inventory for both online and physical shops. This can address the issues posed by the perishable nature of meat products, as well as the complex inventory management butchers deal with. 

Local Express is also well suited to handle the pricing demands of meat products. With our platform, you won’t have issues setting prices for meats based on weight, cut, thickness, substitutions, or other factors. 

We also have tons of experience with specialized shipping needs (such as dry ice or refrigeration) and partner directly with hundreds of delivery partners. Our platform can make your shipping and delivery process easier, more efficient, and more consistent. 

And if labor costs are your main concern, we can help there too. Our self-ordering kiosks and mobile app can help alleviate the stresses of a big rush or being short-staffed. They have also been shown to increase sales via upsells and upgrades, offering yet another benefit. 

On top of all that, we charge lower fees than other popular platforms. With Local Express, you’ll save money while also getting all the benefits mentioned above. The choice is clear—Local Express is one of the best ecommerce options for butcher shops. Get in touch with us today and see why Local Express is quickly becoming the go-to ecommerce platform for independent businesses.