How to Sell Coffee Online: 5 Steps to Success

You might say that our country has a little obsession with coffee. Every day, Americans drink about 400 million cups of coffee, equating to about 146 billion cups per year. In fact, more than half of all coffee consumers said they would rather skip a shower in the morning than skip their coffee. It’s just that good.   

Yet despite our nation’s infatuation with the beloved brew, not even the coffee industry could escape the effects of COVID-19 and the subsequent business closures. Local coffee shops and roasters, in particular, have been hit hard — but instead of floundering, they’re pivoting strategies and learning how to sell coffee online.  

 These coffee retailers are finding success by allowing customers to get their caffeine fix from the comfort of their own homes through eCommerce websites that sell signature roasts, bulk bean orders, and even monthly coffee subscriptions. In return, roasters can reach a broader range of customers, reward loyal customers, and secure an alternate revenue stream not just now, but far into the future.  

Best of all, learning how to sell coffee online is something that’s easily within reach — even for small-scale businesses. Armed with the perfect blend of products, branding, and our helpful steps to success, you’ll be ready to serve up online sales in no time.   

Here’s how to sell coffee online in five simple steps.  

1. First, consider your target market.

 Who you want to sell to: B2B, B2C, or both? It’s essential to think about who is buying your product before you can sell it to them. That way, you know how to communicate with and advertise to them. If you’re selling wholesale bulk beans with a B2B business model, for example, you’ll speak to that customer differently than if you were selling single bags direct-to-consumer.   

But wait, you’re not done yet! Demographics also play a vital role in your selling strategy, so consider cohorts like age, income, location, and coffee habits. You can learn more about the importance of identifying your target demo here. 

2. Decide how you want to sell your coffee. 

Now that you know who your customer is, it’s time to decide how you want to sell your product. For example, do you want to sell your coffee in 3- 5lb bags or in single bags? Will you be taking on the cost of grinding the beans or selling them whole? Are you large enough to sell coffee pods for machines like Keurig or Nespresso?  

Another option: Many coffee roasters are hopping on the subscription-style business model, which happens to be a smart choice for recurring revenue that’s also easy for customers since they don’t have to remember to order coffee once they run out.   

Stock up on quality coffee when you create an account

3. Build an eCommerce website.

You’ve got your target market and your products: Now it’s time to put them both together with an eCommerce website that features a user-friendly interface, smart branding, and relevant content. Even if you’ve never built a website before or have zero knowledge about coding, the good news is that many easy-to-use platforms make website-building a breeze. Squarespace, Shopify, BigCommerce, and X-Cart are a few of the popular options, but there are many more platforms out there to choose from based on your business’s specific needs.  

Source coffee for your online shop from around the world 

4. Create online content to build your brand.

If you want to sell coffee online (or anything, for that matter), content is king. From product descriptions to the homepage; from blog posts to checkout: Good content should provide relevant information to the customer, tell your brand story, and convey a sense of trustworthiness and credibility. Content also means having quality images from a professional photographer that showcase your coffee products in the best way possible.  

5. Connect with your community. 

The beautiful thing about having a brick-and-mortar shop or existing business is that you’ve already got a community of customers behind you. Now, with your ability to sell coffee online, you have one more opportunity to connect with them — even during a global pandemic. Conversely, it’s an excellent way for those customers to come together and support your business during these uncertain times. It’s truly a win-win for everyone involved.   

Ready to sell coffee online?  

It goes without saying that selling coffee online has its benefits: You can reach more people, communicate with and reward loyal customers, tap into a new revenue stream, and create more selling opportunities in the future. If you’re ready to take full advantage of those benefits, it’s time to start working with a supplier you can trust.   

Covoya Specialty Coffee is that supplier. Why? We’re passionate about quality coffee — the kind of coffee that your customers will love. That’s because, at Covoya, our philosophy revolves around these values:  

• Source quality 
• Creating shared growth 
• Driving change   

If you want to sell coffee online — and not just any coffee, but some of the best coffee in the world — contact us to start selling our green coffee from over 30 origins worldwide.