Quick Start Guide

Before You Begin

Make sure you have:

• ✅ A LocallyGrown account with market administrator privileges
• ✅ Your market domain configured (e.g., yourmarket.locallygrown.net)
• ✅ Basic information about your market ready (name, location, contact details)
• ✅ At least 2-3 growers ready to join your market
• ✅ Your Stripe account credentials for payment processing

Step 1: Configure Your Market Settings

Start by setting up your market's basic information:

1. Navigate to your market admin panel
2. Fill in your market details:
   • Market name and description
   • Contact information and website
   • Market location and timezone
3. Set up payment processing with Stripe integration (contact support for setup)

Step 2: Set Up Pickup Locations

Define where customers will collect their orders:

1. Go to your admin panel's pickup locations section
2. Add your primary pickup location with details like address, days, and hours
3. Add any additional pickup locations as needed
4. Include clear instructions for customers (parking, where to find you, etc.)

Step 3: Add Your First Growers

Get local farmers and producers on board:

1. Have growers create an account on your market (just like any customer would)
2. They then fill out a grower profile application with their farm information
3. You'll receive the application in your admin panel to approve or deny
4. Once approved, help them:
   • Add their first products to the marketplace
   • Upload quality photos and descriptions
   • Set up their inventory and pricing
   • Understand the order and fulfillment process

Step 4: Set Up Product Categories

Create a category structure to help customers find products:

1. Go to your market page
2. Toggle on "Edit Mode" (you'll see this option as a market manager)
3. Use the category tree selector to add, edit, or delete categories
4. Create main categories and subcategories as needed
5. Growers can also create categories when adding products

Common categories to start with:

• 🥬 Vegetables (lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, etc.)
• 🍓 Fruits (berries, apples, melons, etc.)
• 🌿 Herbs (basil, cilantro, parsley, etc.)
• 🥛 Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs)
• 🥩 Meat & Poultry (beef, pork, chicken, etc.)
• 🍞 Baked Goods (bread, pastries, cookies)
• 🥫 Preserved Foods (jams, pickles, sauces)

Step 5: Test Your First Order

Make sure everything works smoothly:

1. Ask a grower to add a few test products
2. Create a test customer account
3. Place a small test order to verify:
   • Product browsing and basket functionality
   • Checkout and payment processing
   • Order confirmation emails
   • Harvest notification system
4. Process the order through pickup to test the full workflow

Step 6: Customize Your Market's Appearance

Make your market unique with customization options:

1. Go to your market settings page (/markets/edit)
2. Navigate to the appearance settings section
3. Choose from available themes (seasonal, classic, modern)
4. Upload your market's logo and banner images
5. Customize your welcome message and market description
6. Set your market's colors and fonts if desired
7. Configure header layout and element order

Step 7: Launch and Promote

Spread the word about your new market:

• Send welcome emails to your grower and customer lists
• Post about your market on social media
• Add your market to local business directories
• Consider offering launch promotions
• Share your market's RSS feed for automatic updates