Help/Advice Needed - Vendor Event Coming Up!

[YMTE]

Hey guys,

I’m really looking to just pick your brains if you don’t mind! I have a vendor event coming up where I will have some physical products. I have all of the Shopify POS hardware before anyone asks 😂. I’ve used it before and it works great when there’s physical product, but I’m wanting something streamlined to also allow them to purchase items that will be shipped. Now, I can do POS Pro for that, but is that my only option? How do I offer something like a “menu” in a way so that multiple customers can place orders for shipped items? Essentially, I don’t want to be stuck and tied to one customer at a time. Any help will be appreciated

[heddykhalifa]

Hey there,

You could try setting up QR codes or a digital catalog/menu that customers can browse on their phones. They can scan the code, browse your products, and place orders for shipped items right there. This way, multiple customers can shop at the same time without you being tied to one person.

Another option is using Shopify's Buy Buttons or Shopify Lite, which let customers order directly from a simple link or embedded button.

Hope that helps, and good luck at your event!

[YMTE]

Ahh so I’m on the right track! Explain to me more about the buy buttons.

[PaulNewton]

The shopify-lite plans is no longer available to new plans/merchants.

Buy buttons are still a thing but are intended to be embedded into other websites or online content (that can execute javascript).

[PaulNewton]

UX warning: keep in mind that QR codes that lead to "online menus", or lead to yet more menus instead of providing a physical menu can be a massive annoyance to customers.

Hey @YMTE 

How do I offer something like a “menu” in a way so that multiple customers can place orders for shipped items?

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That's a self-serve kiosk if it mean customers shouldn't need they're own device or online connectivity.

Which can be a heavy investment and no good info on DIY'ing such hardware.

Otherwise QR codes, or shortlinks, that then point to product pages, or  permalinks, etc  can fit this need.

https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/products/details/cart-permalink 

Remember not everyone has a QR reader so be prepared to offer support or recommendations,  do the diligence and exercises here.

If you want to be fancy search and find a service for  artistic+qr+codes https://www.google.com/images?q=artistic+qr+codes 

For shortlinks see https://apps.shopify.com/linkpop made by shopify.

If you use an external shortlink service to manage your content do the diligence and research about the benefit/drawbacks,  or roll your own.

For all of this before the event do dry runs testing the process behaving like a know-nothing customer starting from scratch, clean phone clean browser.

Especially if you have an older demographic.

Good Luck.

[YMTE]

Thank you so much!

[PaulNewton]

Additional note if this is serious revenue driving event, or it's indoors,  you may want to offer a local wifi hotspot for internet connectivity.

There are advanced solutions out there on the internet to have a sign-on/TOS page,  and or redirects for the hotspot to lead to the website when used.

If the indoors is a big space also talk to the venue operators to make sure users can get online either by internet provided by the venue,  or that cell signals aren't blocked by interference etc.