Most producers who hesitate to launch into online sales imagine a heavy project: website to develop, payment to integrate, management software, technical training. In reality, opening a functional online store today takes no more time than filling out an administrative form — and infinitely less paperwork.
This guide explains how to do it, step by step, with what you really need to know before publishing your first product.
Before Starting: What You Need to Have on Hand
You don't need much. Before opening your account, simply prepare:
Your personal and professional information. First name, last name, farm address, SIRET number (or VAT number if you have one). If you are in the process of registration, you can start configuring your store and activate payments once the SIRET is obtained.
Your bank details. To receive your payments directly into your account. Prepare your IBAN — it will be requested during Stripe configuration.
Photos of your products. No need for a professional photographer. A photo taken in natural light, with your phone, on a plain background (a wooden table, a cloth, the grass on your farm) is more than enough. The simple rule: the product must be in focus, well-lit, and fill at least half the frame.
Basic content for your products. For each product, note: name, short description (2-3 lines), price, unit of sale (per kg, per piece, per punnet), available stock.
Step 1 — Create Your Account (2 minutes)
Go to racinesapp.com and click on "I am a producer — View Pro offer."
Account creation only requires an email and a password. No long forms, no supporting documents required at this stage.
Once your account is created, you access your dashboard. It is from this space that you will manage your products, your orders, your pickup methods, and your sales statistics.
Choose your Pro plan. Racines Pro is available at €6.90/month or €64.90/year (which means two months free compared to the monthly plan). There is no duration commitment. You can stop at any time. No commission is taken on your sales — the only cost is this fixed subscription.
Step 2 — Configure Your Producer Profile (3 minutes)
Your profile is the storefront of your farm. Buyers who visit your store will read it before ordering.
The name of your farm. This is what will appear on the interactive map and in search results. Be precise: "Bruyères Farm — Organic Market Gardening" is more effective than "John Doe."
Your farm's description. In 5 to 10 lines, explain who you are, what you produce, your farming practices, and your territory. This is where you can mention your certifications (organic, Label Rouge, HVE), the varieties you grow, and your history. This description matters a lot to consumers who choose to order from you rather than elsewhere.
Your address. It allows your farm to be displayed on the Racines interactive map, visible to all users. Consumers search for "producers near me" — your geolocation is key.
A cover photo. A photo of your farm, your fields, or you at work. It humanizes your store and creates trust.
Step 3 — Configure Your Pickup Methods (2 minutes)
Before publishing products, define how your customers will collect their orders. Racines offers three options that you can activate separately or in combination.
Farm Pickup. You define the days and time slots when customers can come and pick up their order. Example: "Wednesday 5 PM - 7 PM and Saturday 9 AM - 12 PM." You can also indicate parking or access instructions.
Market Pickup. If you have a stand at a weekly market, indicate the market, day, and time of your presence. Customers order online and pay in advance — they simply come to collect their parcel without queuing.
Pickup Point. If you deliver to a partner business (grocery store, restaurant, bakery), configure the address and pickup hours at that location.
For each method, you define a minimum order lead time. For example: "Order 48 hours in advance for Wednesday pickup." This parameter protects you from last-minute orders that you couldn't prepare.
Step 4 — Publish Your First Products (3 minutes per product)
This is the part that takes the most time — but it's also the most rewarding. For each product, you fill in:
Product Name. Be precise and appetizing. "Sungold Cherry Tomatoes" is better than "Tomatoes." "Whole Free-Range Chicken, approx. 1.8 kg" is better than "Chicken."
Description. 3 to 5 lines. Talk about the taste, the variety, the production method, and how to cook this product. This description is read by customers who are hesitating — it makes the sale.
Price. Enter your selling price. On Racines, there is zero commission — the price you display is the price you receive in full (excluding Stripe transaction fees, which are around 1.5% + €0.25, automatically debited by Stripe and not by Racines).
Unit of Sale. This is where Racines stands out for agricultural producers: you can sell by kg, by piece, by punnet, by liter, by bunch, or in variable weight. The variable weight system is particularly useful for meat, cheese by the piece, and vegetables sold in bulk.
Stock. Enter the available quantity. Stock is automatically decremented with each order. When stock falls to zero, the product appears as "unavailable" rather than generating orders you couldn't fulfill.
Photos. Import one to three photos from your phone or computer. The first photo is the one that will appear in the product list.
Managing Variable Weights: An Essential Point for Meat and Cheese
If you sell products whose exact weight is only known at the time of cutting or preparation (a roast, a cheese by the piece, a whole rabbit), you have two options.
Option 1: Sell by unit with an indicative weight. You display "Veal Roast, approx. 800 g" and you set the price for this unit. The customer knows what to expect, even if the real weight varies slightly.
Option 2: Sell by kg with a minimum order weight. The customer chooses the quantity by kg, you prepare as close as possible to this quantity, and the final payment is adjusted according to the real weight. This model requires an additional order confirmation process but is the most precise for products with high weight variability.
For meat producers, this management of variable weights is a classic friction point in online sales. Racines' configuration allows both approaches to be managed.
Activate Stripe Payments (Only Once)
To receive payments, you must connect your Stripe account. Racines uses Stripe Connect — it is the most secure standard on the market (PCI-DSS level 1, fraud protection, 3D Secure).
The Stripe verification procedure usually takes 5 to 10 minutes. You will need:
- Your SIRET or intra-community VAT number
- Your Bank Details (IBAN)
- An ID (scan or photo)
- In some cases, proof of address
Once the Stripe verification is completed, your customers' payments arrive directly in your bank account. Racines does not play the role of financial intermediary — the money goes from the customer's bank card to your account, without passing through a balance internal to the platform.
What Your Customers See on Their Side
Once your store is published, your farm appears on the interactive Racines map. Consumers in your geographical area can find you by searching for producers near them.
They access your profile, see your available products, choose their items, and pay online. An order confirmation is sent to them automatically, with a pickup QR code that they present when collecting their order.
On the producer side, you receive a notification for each new order, with the details of what was ordered, the customer's name, and the chosen pickup method. You have nothing else to do but prepare the order.
What "Operational in 10 Minutes" Really Means
In 10 minutes, you can have an account created, a profile filled out, a pickup method configured, and a first product online. The store is immediately visible and accessible.
What will take more time (and that's normal): photographing all your products, writing careful descriptions for each, configuring several pickup methods, and connecting your Stripe account if you don't have one yet.
But you don't need everything to be perfect to start. A complete profile, two or three well-presented products, and a clear pickup method are enough to receive your first orders.
Open your online store on racinesapp.com/solutions/pro — 0% commission, €6.90/month, operational today.