Why are we doing this?
I've found that high-end coffees have become impossible or very hard to get if you want to purchase within the 5lb-10lb range. A lot of exporters simply don't sell in that quantity as that's not their target audience.
How I circumvented this was I'd perform group-buys, and then sell the excess through reddit, discord, and a self-managed e-mail list. I did for a while, but then the issue of marketability and exposure consistently became an issue. That's when the idea for this project came to me.
This project aims to increase access to higher-end coffees by building a central marketplace where people can sell their group-bought coffee.
This project is a win-win for all as it gives group-buy buyers more confidence in buying now that they have a marketplace to sell their extra coffee, and it provides exporters more sales as smaller buyers are purchasing their offerings. Then it gives small-time consumers access to coffee they previously couldn't get.
How are you pricing the beans?
How I set the price is I'll take the total cost we paid (including shipping), divide that per pound, and then add a few dollars on top of the per pound price and a shipping materials fee. The added amount is because of the time and effort it takes me to pack and ship the orders. It does take some work to measure out the beans, properly pack everything together, and then drop it off at UPS/USPS. It's not a flat rate as the work scales with increased poundage. I've been frustrated enough times going through the process that the additional charge is something I'm comfortable charging on.
There will be a materials fee added for boxes and packing paper depending on size of the order. Obviously bigger boxes will require more packaging material. Also, I don't ship hundreds of orders, so I don't get any massive discounts on shipping materials.
This project isn't something I am looking to make a ton of money off of. To make tons of money, I'd need lots of volume and to get that, I'd need tons of supply. I don't foresee having more than a few beans at a time here (unless a bean simply doesn't sell at all or something).
How does the process work?
- You've found a coffee green you'd like to purchase!
- You fill out the typeform form noting you want that coffee green
- I will reach out over e-mail and move the remainder of the communications through e-mail
- Payment will be handled through Venmo
- The order will be packed and shipped to you
If you have any questions, you can e-mail me at: coffeegreenmarket@gmail.com