Store Owners FAQ:
Q: What is Shop The Area?
A: Shop The Area is the first retail and boutique delivery platform designed to give the customer an easy shopping experience from all the stores within a 15 mile radius with delivery within hours of purchase. Shop The Area's pledge is to help storefronts close in the gap between online sales and in-store sales. This web application is designed for storefront owners to increase their foot traffic by allowing customers to shop online and pay for delivery of goods.
Q: What are the requirements to be listed on Shop The Area?
A: We require all stores affiliated with Shop The Area to have and maintain storefronts 5 or more days per week. This web app was designed to help storefronts increase their foot traffic while keeping up with the growing trend of online shopping. Online only stores are not currently eligible at this time.
Q: What are Onboarding Fees and what do they cover?
A: We charge an On-Boarding Fee at sign-up. This one-time fee covers administrative costs associated with signing stores up as well as to provide funding for additional future software updates. Depending on what package is selected, store owners will have sponsored social media posts encouraging customers in their area to click on the link to their profile for the entirety of their 18 month contract. Upon renewal of the contract, store owners can choose a media package based on their needs. On-boarding fees also cover packaging costs.
**COVID-19 Update** Due to the current events keeping stores at a limited working capacity, we are signing stores up for $0 to assist with generating more sales with no financial risk. We believe that local retail delivery will be utilized now more than ever as customers and stores protect themselves from the virus. We understand that stores have limited financial resources and we are here to help. For more information on how your store can sign up for free, email us at sales@shopthearea.net
Q: Who uploads my products?
A: In the future, product uploads and management will be the store's responsibility. We will offer additional monthly packages if stores need assistance in uploading and monitoring their inventory. We also offer support for new stores as well as support after each software update. All of our stores that come on board during this period of building our foundation will enjoy perks at no charge such as boosted social media posts and assistance with product uploading at no charge. While we cannot promise these services, we are using our stores and their products that is uploaded to create awareness for our brand which, in turn, is free advertisement!
Q: What if someone orders an item on the app but a customer in my store has it in their hand?
A: We encourage all stores to follow their own guidelines when conducting business. A refund for the price of the item can be issued to the customer. We recommend contacting the customer prior to contacting us to ask them if their item can be exchanged for another item.
Q: What if I don't have an item in stock?
A: Shop The Area encourages stores to check their inventory frequently to prevent such events from occurring. However, in the event that a customer has ordered an item that is no longer in stock, the store has the option to cancel the order. That feature is located on the "Order Detail" screen.
Q: Does Shop The Area integrate with any POS systems?
A: We have future plans to integrate with all POS platforms. At this time, we do not integrate with any systems. We look to integrate with Lightspeed, Square and Shopify by Summer 2021. Integrations with other systems will be introduced as we see the need. We do have protocol for helping stores keep their inventory correct in their systems. We encourage all stores to make a "Shop The Area" payment button on their POS systems next to "Credit Cards, Checks, Cash, etc". When an order is filled from our site, it is recommended store owners ring up the item(s) in their POS system and use "Shop The Area" as the tender to keep your POS inventory in top shape.
Additional help with this topic available upon store consultation.
Q: What if I want to deliver the orders to my clients?
A: Liability restricts store owners from making their own deliveries. In order to streamline our process, we will be responsible for the delivery of all purchases made through the app.
Q: How will I receive my funds from products sold?
A: We direct deposit funds daily after 24-48 hours much like other third party payment providers. For more information, please schedule a store consultation.
Q: How will I know that I've received an order?
A: One of our associates calls the store front to notify them of an order. In an update in the near future, an email notification will be sent to the store's email on file. Our team will continue to make calls to the storefronts to insure the quality and timing of our service. As a new software company, we are constantly working to build onto our system to make it user friendly for both the store and the customer.
For further questions, contact us at sales@shopthearea.net