Getting flats/packs/crates back from customers

[Urban Homestead]

Do you guys ask customers to return your flower and veggie flats, packs, and crates? I'm selling things straight from my own homestead, so I have to buy those supplies. I know it's just a cost of doing business, but they're becoming costly to replace. Should I ask the customers to return them on their next visit to my stall? Should I start charging for them? Should I stop letting the customers use them and instead ask that they bring their own supplies to pack up their purchase?

 

[Katie]

Maybe you could turn it into a selling opportunity by branding some flats and packs of your own. I'm not sure if your customers would get upset though since they're used to getting those things for free.

 

[OhSusanna]

You could offer an incentive like a discount on their next purchase if they bring them back. Better yet, why not gather up some boxes and use those instead. We always have boxes lying around from shopping online.

 

[Petal to the Metal]

I go through a lot of them too, but I always have more supplies coming in from other nurseries and labs. If you buy them in bulk, the costs should be fairly negligible in the grand scheme of things. If I were you, I would just factor in the cost of supplies when you're setting your prices next year. The farmer's market season is already well underway, so I wouldn't start adjusting prices on what you're already selling. However, if you put something new out, then go ahead and factor the cost of supplies in and bump up the price to reflect that.