Client Overview
Sableview Farm needed a Shopify store built and launched from scratch, then continually evolved as the business grew from a simple waitlist page into a full e-commerce operation selling custom meat boxes with local delivery logistics.
The Challenge
The client had a Squarespace site with brand assets but no functioning store. She needed:
- A live, branded Shopify site launched quickly, starting with a waitlist page
- A working store with products, pricing, and policies before the first sales run
- Local (non-courier) delivery logistics built into checkout, including postcode restrictions, delivery windows, and order minimums
- Increasingly complex product customisation as the business scaled
What We Have Done
1. Initial build and launch
- Set up Shopify admin, permissions, and structure
- Built and launched a waitlist landing page, then the full store on the client’s domain
- Imported custom fonts, matched heading and body styles to the client’s brand references
- Added a hidden feedback form accessible only via a QR code, separate from the standard site navigation
- Connected Instagram feed, PayPal, and password protection ahead of public launch
2. Store setup for first sales run
- Built out meat box products (Basics, Starter, Farmhouse, Stockmans, Grill) with pricing, inventory, and descriptions from client-supplied content
- Added Terms of Service, Shipping & Refund Policy, and delivery requirement notices at checkout
- Set up SMS delivery notifications (Mobile Message integration) and text notification triggers
3. Local delivery logistics
- Replaced generic Shopify shipping with a local delivery system restricted to specific postcodes (Sunshine Coast and Gympie)
- Built fortnightly delivery date/time selection at the product stage, with order cutoffs and separate delivery windows per region
- Configured order minimums and tiered delivery fees ($20 under threshold, free above it), including troubleshooting a discount code conflict that was overriding the fee
- Migrated delivery/route planning from EasyRoutes to a single consolidated app (Scrollengine)
4. Customisable box builder
- Iterated through several approaches (fixed bundles, dropdown selectors) based on client feedback and competitor examples
- Delivered a working prototype for a customisable box (choice of mince/sausage items within a fixed quantity), tied to shared inventory
- Rolled this out across all five box types once approved, plus a “fixed items included” list per box
5. Marketing support
- Delivered a 6-month marketing plan covering strategy, task ownership, monthly milestones, and tracking
- Set up Google Business Profile and SEO groundwork
- Built and scheduled launch emails via Shopify’s built-in messaging tool
Approach
Work was scoped and delivered iteratively based on the client’s evolving needs each sales cycle, with regular async check-ins over chat and video calls to clarify requirements before building. Product and logistics changes were staged carefully to avoid disrupting a live store already taking orders.
Results
- Store launched and taking orders within the client’s first sales run
- Successfully ran a sold-out box drop (17 boxes) with local delivery
- Delivery system scaled from manual, ad hoc delivery to a structured fortnightly model with automated postcode and fee rules
- Product range expanded from 3 fixed box types to 5 fully customisable boxes plus individual cuts
- Ongoing retainer established for website maintenance and marketing (SEO/paid ads)
