# Farmers-Market Marketplace — Product Planning Meeting

**Date:** July 28, 2026  
**Time:** 10:00–11:00 a.m. ET  
**Location:** Zoom  
**Facilitator:** Maya Chen  
**Note-taker:** Jordan Patel

## Attendees

- Maya Chen — Product Manager
- Jordan Patel — Operations Lead
- Elena García — Vendor Success Manager
- Marcus Reed — Engineering Lead
- Priya Shah — UX Designer
- Noah Williams — Marketing Manager
- Ruth Bennett — Market Organizer, Greenfield Saturday Market
- Samir Haddad — Farmer and vendor representative

## Agenda

1. Review marketplace goals and target launch markets
2. Confirm the first-release customer and vendor experience
3. Discuss ordering, inventory, pickup, and payment policies
4. Identify launch risks and operational requirements
5. Assign next steps

## Discussion Notes

- The initial marketplace will serve customers who want to browse local vendors, place orders before market day, and collect purchases from vendor stalls.
- Vendors need a simple setup process because many currently manage inventory through paper lists, spreadsheets, or social media.
- Ruth recommended launching with two markets rather than five so the team can support organizers and vendors closely.
- Samir noted that produce quantities change quickly due to weather, harvest conditions, and in-person sales. Inventory updates must be fast and mobile-friendly.
- Customers should be able to place items from multiple vendors into one cart. Each vendor will receive a separate order summary, while customers will make one payment.
- The team discussed delivery but agreed it would add too much logistical complexity for the first release.
- Pickup instructions should include the market address, date and hours, vendor stall name or number, and a reminder to bring reusable bags.
- Vendors will set their own prices and inventory. Market organizers will approve vendors before their storefronts become visible.
- Refunds may be required when crops are unavailable or products fail quality checks. Operations will define a consistent policy while allowing same-day substitutions with customer consent.
- Noah proposed a launch campaign featuring vendor stories and seasonal product collections rather than relying primarily on discounts.
- Key launch risks include low vendor adoption, inaccurate inventory, poor cellular service at markets, and customers missing the pickup window.

## Decisions

- Launch a pilot at Greenfield Saturday Market and Riverside Sunday Market.
- Target the pilot for October 2026, subject to vendor onboarding and payment testing.
- Include vendor profiles, product listings, multi-vendor carts, online payments, order notifications, and market-day pickup in the first release.
- Exclude delivery, shipping, loyalty points, and recurring subscriptions from the pilot.
- Allow vendors to mark products as sold out or adjust quantities from a mobile dashboard.
- Close advance ordering at 6:00 p.m. on the day before each market unless an organizer sets an earlier deadline.
- Use one customer checkout while tracking vendor-level order totals and payouts separately.
- Require organizer approval before a vendor storefront can go live.
- Provide customers with automatic order confirmation and a pickup reminder on market morning.
- Review pilot performance after six market weekends using vendor participation, fulfilled-order rate, repeat purchases, support volume, and customer satisfaction.

## Action Items

- **Maya:** Finalize the pilot scope and success metrics by August 4.
- **Jordan:** Draft pickup, cancellation, substitution, refund, and missed-pickup policies by August 7.
- **Elena:** Recruit 12–15 vendors across the two pilot markets and schedule onboarding sessions by August 14.
- **Marcus:** Confirm the payment-provider approach, vendor payout flow, and technical delivery estimate by August 11.
- **Priya:** Test mobile inventory-update and multi-vendor checkout prototypes with at least five vendors by August 12.
- **Noah:** Prepare the pilot launch plan, including vendor stories, customer email, signage, and social content, by August 18.
- **Ruth:** Provide market maps, stall assignments, operating hours, and organizer approval requirements by August 5.
- **Samir:** Share a sample seasonal product catalog and review the proposed inventory workflow by August 6.
- **Jordan and Marcus:** Develop a contingency process for weak cellular service and failed market-day status updates by August 15.
- **Maya:** Schedule the next project review for the week of August 17.

## Open Questions

- Should customers be charged immediately or only after vendors confirm availability?
- How long should vendors have to accept or flag an order?
- Should substitutions be handled through messaging or predefined customer preferences?
- What happens to unclaimed perishable orders after the market closes?
- Are tax rules consistent across all product categories and both pilot locations?

## Next Meeting

**Proposed date:** August 19, 2026  
**Focus:** Prototype feedback, vendor recruitment progress, operational policies, and payment architecture.