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Permalink Reply by Jesse -D-> on May 5, 2009 at 5:33am

Hi Pablo,
I intend this comment to be helpful, not negative. Your website seems like it could use an update. Its appearance does not instill me with a lot of confidence about the quality of your product. I am sure that you sell great coffee, but the tricky part of web based sales is that I have no way of tasting the product to find out if it is good or not. You must instill confidence in the customer based on website appearance alone and with the technology that is out there today I feel like your site lacks some pazazz. Sorry if this is harsh, I mean for it to be helpful.

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Permalink Reply by Pablo Castaneda on May 5, 2009 at 6:42am

Hola Jesse, thank you mate for your comments, I appreciated it indeed.- That's what I need, no feelings involved comments, any recommendations where I can integrate a better website service??

Jesse -D-> said:

Hi Pablo,
I intend this comment to be helpful, not negative. Your website seems like it could use an update. Its appearance does not instill me with a lot of confidence about the quality of your product. I am sure that you sell great coffee, but the tricky part of web based sales is that I have no way of tasting the product to find out if it is good or not. You must instill confidence in the customer based on website appearance alone and with the technology that is out there today I feel like your site lacks some pazazz. Sorry if this is harsh, I mean for it to be helpful.

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Permalink Reply by Jesse -D-> on May 5, 2009 at 6:50am

no specific names, just find someone who will work closely with you to create the site that you need to succeed. As I haven't actually used your website, I can't name any weaknesses besides the fact that it seems slightly outdated.

Are you shipping from Guatemala? If so what is your take on freshness?
It seems like you have an awesome business model, you just need better marketing.

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Permalink Reply by Pablo Castaneda on May 5, 2009 at 6:59am

We roast the coffee in Guate and we send it to our office in OHio, but timewise after been handpicked, processed and roasted in the plantation and for you to have it in your hands we are talking about a month or so.- But lets say you place an order it does not take no more than a week depending on the shipping to decide to get.-

Jesse -D-> said:

no specific names, just find someone who will work closely with you to create the site that you need to succeed. As I haven't actually used your website, I can't name any weaknesses besides the fact that it seems slightly outdated.

Are you shipping from Guatemala? If so what is your take on freshness?
It seems like you have an awesome business model, you just need better marketing.

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Permalink Reply by Jesse -D-> on May 5, 2009 at 7:20am

This presents an issue for me. Although it is awesome that I can get coffee that was so recently picked, I would want to have it sooner after roasting. I realize that this would be difficult, but have you considered shipping greens to Ohio and roasting there?

Many people in the third wave (myself included) believe that coffee should be consumed no more than 10 or 11 days after roasting. If the fastest I can get your coffee is 7 days then I only have 3 or 4 days to drink it.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Marrocco on May 5, 2009 at 7:28am

I would also add that when you sell on-line the number of competitors is unreal. You are essentially competing with every other on-line roaster. Selling on-line may be convenient for your business, but it has to be so well branded for the consumer to take notice. Intelligentsia is so well branded. Everyone who wants top quality coffee knows them. So, if i'm going to look for coffee on line I will go to a name that is recognisable, trustworthy, sleek, easily ordered, guarantees freshness, etc... It may be better for you to establish a local brand at your Ohio location and sell from there. To establish a brand is difficult. Other companies with established web sales are Counter Culture, Alterra, and Stumptown. Check out their pages.

I work for Kaldi's Coffee Roasting Company in St. Louis, MO. We have a fairly vibrant on-line sales program. Yet, most of our on-line sales are from either people who live in this area and know our brand really well, or have lived here, moved and really miss our coffee. We could certainly not depend on our on-line sales for sustainability. You should really consider selling from a location, maybe even getting a small roaster at your Ohio office.

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Permalink Reply by Pablo Castaneda on May 5, 2009 at 7:49am

Hey Guys, thanks for the comments, we are actually planning to have a roasting facility in the USA.- Thanks Jesse and Joe for the input, I'm planning to fresh up the website a bit, a while ago I got to see a new cafe in Guatemala and I liked their two colors based strategy, I do want to fresh up the image and like you said Joe we can`t depend on the Online Store sales.- We do have the best Antigua Guatemala coffee, we won the competition as a finca this year.- It has been hard to enter the USA with a final product as we use to only export but believe me people is realizing the quality of the coffee indeed.- One more time thaks a lot.-

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Permalink Reply by Joe Marrocco on May 5, 2009 at 7:59am

Way to go on the coffee!! Now that is what you need to brand. Seriously, Guatemalan coffees are amazing. I have so much respect for the farmers in your region, and apreciation. i would LOVE to try some of your coffee. Guatemala brings some of the best coffees in the world to the table. MMMMMmmmmm......

Pablo Castaneda said:

Hey Guys, thanks for the comments, we are actually planning to have a roasting facility in the USA.- Thanks Jesse and Joe for the input, I'm planning to fresh up the website a bit, a while ago I got to see a new cafe in Guatemala and I liked their two colors based strategy, I do want to fresh up the image and like you said Joe we can`t depend on the Online Store sales.- We do have the best Antigua Guatemala coffee, we won the competition as a finca this year.- It has been hard to enter the USA with a final product as we use to only export but believe me people is realizing the quality of the coffee indeed.- One more time thaks a lot.-

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Permalink Reply by Pablo Castaneda on May 5, 2009 at 8:03am

hey Joe, send me an address and Ill send you some coffee.-

Joe Marrocco said:

Way to go on the coffee!! Now that is what you need to brand. Seriously, Guatemalan coffees are amazing. I have so much respect for the farmers in your region, and apreciation. i would LOVE to try some of your coffee. Guatemala brings some of the best coffees in the world to the table. MMMMMmmmmm......

Pablo Castaneda said:

Hey Guys, thanks for the comments, we are actually planning to have a roasting facility in the USA.- Thanks Jesse and Joe for the input, I'm planning to fresh up the website a bit, a while ago I got to see a new cafe in Guatemala and I liked their two colors based strategy, I do want to fresh up the image and like you said Joe we can`t depend on the Online Store sales.- We do have the best Antigua Guatemala coffee, we won the competition as a finca this year.- It has been hard to enter the USA with a final product as we use to only export but believe me people is realizing the quality of the coffee indeed.- One more time thaks a lot.-

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Permalink Reply by Joe Marrocco on May 5, 2009 at 8:14am

Amazing!! I'll send you some coffee as well!!

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