--- title: Amazon, E-Commerce & Inventory Strategy — 2025-10-17 type: article created: '2025-10-17' updated: '2026-04-05' source_docs: - raw/2025-10-17-doudlah-farms-marketing-amazon-ecommerce-inventory-call-95010238.md tags: - doudlah-farms - ecommerce - woocommerce - amazon - walmart-marketplace - b2b - gift-notes - shipstation - newsletter - meeting layer: 2 client_source: Doudlah Farms industry_context: food-beverage transferable: false --- # Amazon, E-Commerce & Inventory Strategy — 2025-10-17 ## Overview Marketing and operations call with Lucy (Sherry), Mark, and Jason Doudlah. Covered four primary areas: a critical WooCommerce gift-note bug causing wrong messages to ship, a new premium gift box concept built around a stainless steel popcorn bowl, progress on the Walmart Marketplace application, and an interim manual process for a new high-volume B2B crepe client pending the B2B portal launch. **Attendees:** Gilbert Barrongo, Avokerie Onorimuo, Karly Oykhman (Asymmetric); Lucy Doudlah, Mark Doudlah, Jason Doudlah (Doudlah Farms) **Recording:** [Fathom](https://fathom.video/share/U2NdRHTcSSG3o4YEJ7m1Fb4yafjYrgyr) --- ## Key Decisions - **Gift note system requires full redesign.** The current WooCommerce implementation is broken at the data layer (defaults to the first-ever message entered) and at the UX layer (option buried late in checkout, Loom integration defunct). A complete overhaul is needed before more orders are affected. - **Stainless steel bowl selected for premium gift box.** Row Pottery bowls ($20–$40, fragile) were ruled out. A stainless steel bowl inspired by Wabash Valley Farms / Whirly Pop is the preferred direction. Box contents: one stainless steel bowl, two bags of organic popcorn, one organic seasoning. - **New B2B crepe client will use manual Net 15 process** until the B2B portal is ready. Sherry will contact the client directly to explain terms and correct their retail-price order. - **Walmart Marketplace verification completed.** Entity confirmed as S-Corp; verification code received via phone call to business number ending in 8095. Application continues off-call. --- ## Topics ### 1. WooCommerce Gift Note Bug **Problem:** A critical bug causes ShipStation to display the very first gift message ever entered in the system, overwriting all subsequent customer inputs. Confirmed example: Order #54105 (Tom Baker) received a handwritten anniversary card when the order called for a birthday card. **Root cause:** The system defaults to the initial gift message stored in WooCommerce rather than pulling the per-order input. **UX issues identified:** - "Add a personal gift note" option appears late in checkout (order summary sidebar), after most customers have mentally committed to completing the transaction. - "Ship to a different address" link is visually weak — not prominent enough to catch attention. - The Loom card-selection integration shown on the website is no longer active. Customers see a card-picker UI but Sherry is actually handwriting cards from her own stock. This creates a mismatch in expectations. **Proposed fixes discussed:** - Surface gift/shipping options earlier — ideally on the product page before add-to-cart. - Make "Ship to a different address" visually prominent (matching the green button style used elsewhere on the site). - Remove the defunct Loom embed entirely. - Explore embedding an alternative card-selection tool (developer to assess options). - Add instructional copy near gift products explaining the gift note and ship-to-different-address flow. **Owner:** Karly to email developer with full brief; report back with options. --- ### 2. Premium Gift Box Development **Goal:** Launch a premium holiday gift box before Christmas. **Bowl options evaluated:** | Option | Notes | Decision | |---|---|---| | Row Pottery (local Wisconsin) | $20–$40/unit, heavy, fragile for shipping, collector quality | Ruled out | | Stainless steel (Wabash Valley Farms / Whirly Pop style) | Durable, rubber base, food-safe, brandable | **Preferred** | **Planned box contents:** - 1× stainless steel popcorn bowl (Doudlah Farms logo TBD) - 2× bags organic popcorn - 1× organic seasoning **Sizing:** Bowl expected to fit in existing large gift box without requiring new packaging. **Next step:** Karly to research stainless steel bowl suppliers and share options with Lucy and Mark. --- ### 3. B2B Strategy — New Crepe Client **Client profile:** A crepe business with two locations placing recurring large-volume orders. - Volume: 100 lbs every other week, split across two locations (100 lbs each) - Constraint: One location is closed Tuesdays → shipments must go out Tuesday to arrive Wednesday; Monday shipping is not viable - Issue: Client placed initial order at retail price on the public site, not at wholesale rate **Interim process (until B2B portal launches):** - Net 15 payment terms to manage credit risk on high-volume orders - Manual invoicing and shipping coordination - Sherry to call client, explain B2B pricing, set up Tuesday ship schedule, and include invoice/BOL with each shipment **B2B portal requirements captured:** - Subscription / recurring order functionality - Card-on-file payment option - "Favorites" list for easy reordering - Automated payment reminders **Next steps:** Karly to ask developer about subscription + card-on-file feasibility; Sherry to contact crepe client directly. --- ### 4. Walmart Marketplace Setup - Karly completing the application on behalf of Doudlah Farms. - **GMV field:** Placeholder range used; Walmart uses this primarily for business legitimacy validation, not precision. - **Entity type:** Confirmed S-Corp (LLC taxed as S-Corp per CPA). - **Verification:** Completed via automated phone call to business number ending in 8095. Code entered and submitted during the call. - Remaining business information fields to be completed off-call. **Next step:** Karly to finalize application; notify Lucy and Mark if additional information is needed. --- ### 5. Halloween Newsletter - Draft reviewed and approved during the call. - Content: Halloween-themed recipes, popcorn usage ideas, link to Popcorn Snack Box product. - One outstanding fix before send: remove "Your photo here" placeholder image. **Next step:** Karly to remove placeholder and send. --- ### 6. Internal — Karly & Avoke Check-ins Brief pre-call discussion between Karly and Avoke: - Weekly Friday morning check-ins agreed upon. - 1-hour Salesforce training session scheduled for the following Monday (after stand-up). - Karly to send Salesforce training course links to Avoke. --- ## Action Items | Item | Owner | Status | |---|---|---| | Email developer re: gift-note UX overhaul — fix bug, remove Loom, propose embed alternative, surface gift option earlier, make ship-to-different-address prominent | Karly | ☐ Open | | Research stainless steel popcorn bowl suppliers; share options with Lucy & Mark | Karly | ☐ Open | | Complete Walmart Marketplace application; notify Lucy & Mark if more info needed | Karly | ☐ Open | | Resend B2B addresses/pricing sheet link to Lucy | Karly | ☐ Open | | Ask developer re: B2B portal — subscriptions + card-on-file; report back | Karly | ☐ Open | | Remove "Your photo here" placeholder from Halloween newsletter; send | Karly | ☐ Open | | Email Lucy & Mark re: call attendance | Karly | ☐ Open | | Schedule 1:1 with Karly re: Salesforce/HubSpot | Avoke | ☐ Open | | Send Salesforce training course links to Avoke | Karly | ☐ Open | | Schedule weekly Friday AM check-in with Avoke | Karly | ☐ Open | | Call crepe client: explain manual Net 15 process, correct pricing, set Tuesday ship schedule, confirm invoice/BOL process | Sherry (Lucy) | ☐ Open | --- ## Related - [[clients/current/doudlah-farms/_index]] - [[clients/current/doudlah-farms/b2b-portal-requirements]]