by When it comes to selling farm-fresh products, one size certainly does not fit all.
No two cuts of meat are exactly alike — which means that you need to track, price, and sell them according to their weight.
This approach is called catch weight management, and it’s a crucial ingredient for farm success.
In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at what catch weight management is, share three of the most common catch weight management mistakes, and give you our best tips and tricks to avoid them.
What Is Catch Weight Management?
Without a system of catch weight management, you and your customers will have to deal with the inconveniences of variable weight products.
You won’t be able to get an accurate overview of your farm store’s inventory, and your customers will be frustrated when the steaks they receive are smaller than the ones from their last order.
Catch weight management smooths out these problems by letting you track and sell your products by weight rather than by unit. Instead of selling one steak or sausage link, you’ll offer them by the pound.
This strategy not only streamlines your operations and makes inventory management a breeze, but it also lets your customers order exactly what fits into their budgets and meal plans.
While a catch weight management approach is a vital aspect of a successful farm store or e-commerce operation, it’s not without its challenges. Let’s take a look at some of the pitfalls you might fall into when implementing this approach — and how to avoid them.
1. Inconsistent Weighing Habits
Let’s start with the basics. A successful catch weight management strategy requires accurate weighing practices.
That means using calibrated scales that integrate with your farm’s point of sale (POS) solution.
Using inaccurate scales can cause inventory chaos, leaving you with inconsistent, confusing stock records. If your scales don’t sync with your POS system, you’ll have to manually log each product’s weight, which can lead to even more errors.
A high-quality scale that integrates seamlessly with your POS system can prevent these headaches. You can get spot-on weights for each of your products, label them with their weights and prices, and ensure they’re reflected in your inventory records.
2. Not Labeling Products
Another essential part of a solid catch weight management strategy is thorough labeling.
Without adequate labels, you might experience spoilage, charge customers the wrong amount for their products, or have to sort through a confusing mess of unlabeled packages of meat.
Using labels is also critical for complying with food safety regulations and boosting your customers’ trust in your farm. You’ll know exactly when each cut of meat was packaged and when it expires, and your customers will know they’re getting the freshest product possible.
To make labeling easy, we recommend investing in a scale with an integrated printer. This tool should allow you to print labels that include the product name, exact weight, calculated price, package date, and even a barcode to streamline your farm store’s checkout process.
3. Not Syncing Your Online and In-Person Sales
While farm e-commerce can be a huge boost for your business, it can throw a wrench in your catch weight management process.
Let’s say you have 15 pounds of ground beef on hand, and a customer walks into your farm store to purchase 10 pounds. If your online store’s inventory records still say you have 15 pounds in stock and someone places an order for 10 pounds, you’ll lose the sale and have an unhappy shopper on your hands.
That’s why your online and in-store records should be perfectly synced. Whether a customer shops with you online or in person, the amount they purchase should be immediately subtracted from your catch weight inventory records.
The best way to avoid this mistake is to invest in an all-in-one POS system to handle your farm store and e-commerce transactions. This tool gives your customers an excellent shopping experience regardless of how they shop with you, and it makes catch weight management simple and easy.
Steer Clear of Catch Weight Management Missteps With GrazeCart
Overhauling your catch weight management system can sound like a tall order — but fortunately, there’s only one tool you need to eliminate each of these costly mistakes: the right farm e-commerce and POS solution.
GrazeCart offers a powerful suite of tools to help you track and sell your farm-fresh products by weight, including robust inventory management, seamless online and in-store sales, and the ability to update actual weights before shipping to ensure thorough communication with your customers.
See GrazeCart’s catch weight management features in action by launching your free, two-week trial today.