E-commerce for Perth Food Producers: Selling WA Products Online [2025 Guide]

Western Australia’s food scene is flourishing. From Margaret River olive oils to Swan Valley preserves, Fremantle coffee roasters to Perth CBD artisan bakeries—local producers are creating world-class products. But many still rely solely on farmers’ markets, wholesale, or physical retail.

E-commerce opens a new channel: selling directly to WA households (and beyond) who want quality local food delivered to their door. This guide covers everything Perth food producers need to know about building a successful online store.

The Case for Food Producer E-commerce

Why Sell Online Now?

Consumer behaviour has shifted permanently:

Online sales complement rather than replace existing channels. Your farmers’ market customers become subscription buyers. Restaurant customers discover your retail products.

What Can You Sell Online?

WA food producers selling successfully online include:

Shelf-stable (easiest to ship):

• Olive oils and vinegars
• Jams, preserves, and chutneys
• Honey
• Coffee and tea
• Sauces and condiments
• Dried goods (pasta, grains, snacks)
• Chocolates and confectionery

Cold-chain required (more complex):

• Cheese
• Charcuterie
• Fresh produce (limited range)
• Prepared meals
• Specialty meats

Local delivery only:

• Fresh baked goods
• Highly perishable items
• Bulk fresh produce

Start with products that ship easily, then expand as you develop logistics capabilities.

Compliance and Legal Requirements

Food Business Registration

Before selling online, ensure your business complies with WA requirements:

Essential compliance:

1. Food business registration with your local council
2. Food safety program appropriate to your risk level
3. Commercial kitchen (if required for your product type)
4. Product liability insurance (highly recommended)

Labelling requirements (FSANZ):

• Product name and description
• Ingredient list (descending order by weight)
• Allergen declarations
• Net weight or volume
• Best before or use by date
• Producer name and address
• Country of origin
• Nutritional information (if making claims)

Get labelling wrong and you risk recalls, fines, or worse. Consult with a food business advisor before launching online sales.

Shipping Compliance

Food shipping adds additional considerations:

• Temperature control requirements
• Packaging that protects product integrity
• Clear handling instructions for couriers
• Interstate quarantine restrictions (some fresh produce)

For complex products, work with a food logistics specialist.

Choosing Your E-commerce Platform

Platform Comparison for Food Producers

Shopify: The Go-To Choice

Most Perth food producers choose Shopify because:

Pros:

• Intuitive, easy to use without technical skills
• Food-specific apps for subscriptions, local delivery
• Excellent mobile experience
• Built-in payment processing
• Scales as you grow

Cons:

• Monthly fees add up
• Transaction fees unless using Shopify Payments
• Some advanced features require premium plans

Food-specific Shopify apps:

• Recharge: Subscription management
• Zapiet: Local delivery and pickup
• Product Reviews: Social proof
• Klaviyo: Email marketing

Square Online: POS Integration

If you’re already using Square at markets or retail:

Pros:

• Unified inventory across online and in-person
• Simple setup, familiar interface
• Free tier available
• Integrated with Square ecosystem

Cons:

• Less customisation than Shopify
• Fewer food-specific apps
• Basic design options

WooCommerce: Maximum Control

For technically inclined producers:

Pros:

• Open source, highly customisable
• Lower ongoing costs (hosting + payment only)
• Full control over design and functionality
• No transaction fees beyond payment processor

Cons:

• Requires WordPress knowledge
• You manage hosting, security, updates
• More time investment to set up

Building Your Online Store

Essential Pages for Food E-commerce

Home Page:

• Hero image showcasing your products
• Clear value proposition (“Farm-fresh olive oil from Margaret River”)
• Featured products or collections
• Trust signals (certifications, awards, media features)

Product Pages:

• Multiple high-quality images
• Detailed descriptions including taste, origin, uses
• Clear pricing and sizing options
• Ingredient and allergen information
• Shipping information for this product

About/Our Story:

• Your producer story
• The people behind the products
• Farm or production images
• Philosophy and values

How We Ship:

• Shipping methods and costs
• Delivery timeframes
• Temperature control measures
• Returns and damages policy

Contact:

• Multiple contact options
• Expected response times
• Physical location (if applicable)

Design Considerations

Your website should reflect your product quality:

Photography:

• Invest in professional food photography
• Show products in use (olive oil drizzled on salad)
• Include packaging and unboxing imagery
• Lifestyle shots that communicate your brand

Typography:

• Clean, readable fonts
• Avoid overly decorative scripts for body text
• Consistent hierarchy across pages

Colour palette:

• Draw from your packaging/brand
• Earthy, natural tones often suit food brands
• Ensure sufficient contrast for accessibility

Mobile optimisation:

• 70%+ of traffic will be mobile
• Touch-friendly navigation
• Fast loading images
• Easy checkout process

Product Photography That Sells

Photography Investment

Photography directly impacts sales. Budget accordingly:

Professional product photography typically costs $50-150 per product (multiple angles). The investment pays back through increased conversions.

DIY Photography Guidelines

If budgets are tight, basic in-house photography can work:

Setup essentials:

• Natural light near a large window
• White or neutral background
• Tripod for consistency
• Clean products and props

Avoid:

• Cluttered backgrounds
• Mixed lighting (natural + artificial)
• Blurry or dark images
• Inconsistent styles across products

When to upgrade:

• Product range grows beyond 20 items
• Launching wholesale or retail partnerships
• Running paid advertising
• Seeking media coverage

Shipping and Fulfilment

Shipping Strategy Options

Australia Post (most common):

• Widest reach, reliable for shelf-stable
• Express Post for faster delivery
• eParcel for business accounts
• Challenge: no guaranteed temperature control

Cold-chain specialists:

• Freight Network Australia: WA food logistics
• Pack Fresh: Thermal packaging solutions
• Local couriers: Same-day cold delivery

Local delivery:

• Manage directly for Perth Metro
• Use Uber Connect or similar for same-day
• Offer pickup from markets or premises

Packaging Considerations

Your packaging must:

1. Protect products from damage and temperature
2. Reflect brand quality (unboxing experience)
3. Meet sustainability expectations (WA buyers prefer eco options)
4. Stay cost-effective (impacts margin significantly)

Packaging elements:

• Outer box (branded or plain)
• Inner protection (recycled paper, straw, bubble)
• Cold packs or insulation (if needed)
• Thank you card or insert
• Return/care instructions

Shipping Pricing Models

Free shipping over threshold:

• Most common model
• Set threshold at profitable order size ($80-150)
• Encourages larger orders

Flat rate shipping:

• Simple for customers to understand
• Works when product weights are similar
• May over/under-charge on some orders

Calculated shipping:

• Accurate to actual cost
• Can deter buyers with high shipping areas
• Requires accurate product weights

Local pickup:

• Zero shipping cost
• Builds customer relationship
• Works from market stalls or production facility

Marketing Your Food E-commerce

Driving Traffic to Your Store

Email marketing (highest ROI):

• Collect emails at markets and events
• Regular newsletter with recipes, new products
• Automated flows: welcome, post-purchase, abandoned cart
• Segment by purchase history

Social media:

• Instagram for food photography and story
• Facebook for local community and events
• TikTok for behind-the-scenes and personality
• Pinterest for recipe and gift content

Google and SEO:

• Optimise for local and product terms
• Create content (recipes using your products)
• Claim Google Business Profile
• Encourage and respond to reviews

Farmers’ market integration:

• Business cards with website
• QR codes on signage
• Loyalty program that works online
• In-person relationship drives online trust

Building Repeat Customers

Subscription model:

• Regular delivery of consumables (coffee, honey, olive oil)
• Discount for subscription commitment
• Flexible pause/skip options
• Lower customer acquisition cost over time

Gift hampers:

• Strong for Christmas, corporate gifts
• Higher order values
• Consider gift hamper photography investment
• Pre-built and custom options

Bundle and save:

• Create collections (pasta + sauce + oil)
• Introduce customers to new products
• Higher average order value

Loyalty program:

• Points per dollar spent
• Rewards redeemable online and in person
• Tiered benefits for best customers

Technology and Tools

Essential Integrations

Payment processing:

• Stripe (most common, 1.75% + 30c)
• Square (if using Square POS)
• PayPal (adds trust for new customers)
• Afterpay/Zip Pay (for larger orders)

Email marketing:

• Klaviyo (best for e-commerce)
• Mailchimp (simpler, good free tier)
• Omnisend (e-commerce focused)

Accounting:

• Xero (Australian, integrates well)
• MYOB (traditional Australian choice)
• Connect to e-commerce for automatic invoicing

Shipping:

• Shippit (Australian shipping aggregator)
• Sendle (eco-focused courier)
• StarShipIT (multi-carrier management)

Analytics and Tracking

Measure what matters:

Set up Google Analytics and your platform’s analytics from day one.

Case Study: Swan Valley Olive Producer

A Swan Valley olive oil producer approached us to establish online sales:

Starting position:

• Selling at markets and through local retailers
• No website or online presence
• Strong product and local reputation
• Limited technical knowledge

What we built:

• Shopify store with regional shipping
• Professional product and lifestyle photography
• Subscription option for repeat customers
• Integration with existing market operations

Results after 12 months:

• Online sales: 35% of total revenue
• 180 active subscribers
• 40% of market customers now also buy online
• Average order value: $85

The key was connecting their existing customer base to the new online channel, then expanding reach through SEO and targeted social advertising.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Underestimating Shipping Complexity

Problem: Assuming Australia Post handles everything, then facing damaged products and customer complaints.

Solution: Test your shipping thoroughly before launch. Send products to friends in different locations. Invest in proper packaging.

Mistake 2: Poor Product Photography

Problem: Using phone photos that don’t convey product quality, leading to low conversion rates.

Solution: Budget for professional photography. Your products are premium—imagery should match.

Mistake 3: Ignoring Mobile Experience

Problem: Building on desktop, never testing on mobile where most customers shop.

Solution: Design mobile-first. Test the entire purchase flow on a phone before launching.

Mistake 4: Setting and Forgetting

Problem: Launching the store and expecting sales without ongoing marketing or optimisation.

Solution: Treat e-commerce as a channel requiring consistent attention—content, email, social, and improvement.

Mistake 5: Not Telling Your Story

Problem: Just listing products without the producer story that WA buyers want.

Solution: Your story is your differentiator. Share the why, the who, and the where behind your products.

Getting Started: Your 12-Week Launch Plan

Weeks 1-2: Foundation

• Confirm food business compliance
• Finalise product range for online
• Choose e-commerce platform
• Brief photographer for product shots

Weeks 3-4: Build

• Set up platform and payment processing
• Write product descriptions
• Create key pages (About, Shipping)
• Configure shipping rates and zones

Weeks 5-6: Content

• Receive and upload photography
• Build product listings
• Write and set up email flows
• Create social media templates

Weeks 7-8: Testing

• Test complete purchase flow
• Test shipping with sample orders
• Mobile experience review
• Get feedback from trusted customers

Weeks 9-10: Soft Launch

• Launch to email list
• Promote at markets
• Monitor for issues
• Collect customer feedback

Weeks 11-12: Full Launch

• Broader social media promotion
• Consider soft advertising
• Monitor analytics
• Optimise based on data

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to launch e-commerce for your Perth food business? Our team helps WA producers build websites and create food photography that drives online sales. Get in touch to discuss your e-commerce project.