Goddard’s Pies in Borough Green set up a local home delivery service with YourLocal.Delivery at the end of March and customers are embracing the new platform. Romney Marsh Wools is also using the service to supply soaps, hand lotions and toiletries as well as gifts to local residents – essential at a time of heightened hand-washing. 

YourLocal.Delivery was launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by Canterbury-based digital agency, digitalbeans  to ensure that businesses of all sizes can continue to serve their customers. The bespoke free-of-charge package includes a branded web page, individual to each company, enabling them to take orders, online payments and display an unlimited amount of product or menu items.

digitalbeans has also joined forces with Kent agencies and associations to provide further support. To promote their new online proposition, businesses using YourLocal.Delivery can also access free marketing support from Spark Film Production, a video production company in Canterbury, and Westgate Communications, PR and Marketing specialists based in Sevenoaks. 

HelpKentBuyLocal, established by Produced in Kent during the crisis, is also linking independent businesses with YourLocal.Delivery, so food and drink producers can mitigate the effect of pub and restaurant closures on the supply chain by selling direct to consumers.  

Sean Horton, Owner and Director at Goddard’s Pies, commented: “We found the set up quite easy and linking to our website meant our pies and prices were already pre-populated, saving loads of time. The ordering system is linked to our PayPal account so customers can securely pay online, helping us to avoid any contact on delivery. As everything is pre-paid we can simply leave on the doorstep and wait at a safe distance for the customer to answer their door and retrieve their order.

“So far, customer feedback has so far been very positive. We already sell online but the addition of a specific platform for local home deliveries just made the whole idea simpler to set up. We can share the link through our social media channels and customers can order at their own leisure.

Piperis Filippaios, Managing Director of digitalbeans, said: “We’re thrilled to hear that businesses such as Goddard’s Pies are already benefitting from the service and hope many more business owners will succeed as we make the switch to online easier.

“We set up YourLocal.Delivery to ensure we were doing our bit to keep Kent’s High Street businesses trading in these difficult times and supply local communities with essentials. Working together with other agencies, local authorities and Produced in Kent, we are hoping this will support businesses during the current uncertainty and protect the county’s economy in the long-term.”