• April 10, 2024

    New Feature! Product Pricing Display in Dashboard

    A small change here. Product prices will now display on their cards when you add then to the store under a category. We're hoping this gives a lot of clarity into your products!

    The price that is displayed is always the base price. If for any reason, you use alternate membership prices or similar, an asterisk will be used to indicate that the base price is not the only one being utilized.

  • April 3, 2024

    The March 2024 Product Release

    We worked really hard in March to launch a bunch of improvements in Bottle. Matt, Alicja, and I are all really proud of everything here.

    You may read between the lines here, but the new "food product" product type in particular opens up a lot of functionality that's coming in April. I'll tease two big releases at the bottom.

    But first, here are 8 features we launched in March:

    1. Brand new product management screen

    We've completely redesigned the product management screen to make updating product descriptions, pricing, images, and more as easy as possible.

    This brings the product screen inline with our updated design language and smashes a bunch of little annoyances. We think you're going to love it.

    2. New "Food Product" product type

    We've added the concept of a "Food Product" - which does two things. First, it lets you specify ingredients that go into the item. And second, it lets you add nutritional information about each dish.

    This is a really big deal for two reasons... reasons I'll let you know in a teaser at the end of this post :)

    Add ingredients to products.
    Add nutritional information to products.

    3. Packing cards in the dashboard to mark orders as "Packed" or "Unpacked"

    This is so cool. Now you can just see all your orders for each production day, and go through one by one and mark them as packed. This is already saving Bottle merchants hours every week in the kitchen.

    4. Price Lists for giving specific customers specific pricing

    Merchants use Bottle to sell in the dozens of different ways they sell their food. Oftentimes this means giving some customers a special discount on specific products - even beyond what they'd typically offer a wholesale customer.

    Now, you can create Price Lists and set specific prices for specific products, and then assign customers to a Price List. This is a game-changer for wholesale and specialty discount use cases. We can't wait to see how you use it. See the full feature announcement here.

    5. Fulfillment method reminders

    This is one of our longest-requested features... MUCH simpler fulfillment reminders. And now they're here.

    For each fulfillment method and pickup location, you can set a customer reminder schedule - and we handle the rest! Just choose a time, how long before the fulfillment, and a message. Then customers will never forget to grab their meals or leave out their cooler.

    6. Updated "Add Customer" flow in the dashboard

    We've increased the accessibility of the "add customer" modal, and redesigned it to work better on both desktop and mobile.

    7. Tip description message

    8. Send a new "paid order" message automation

    Now, you can send custom language every time a customer places an order. Merchants are using this to send welcome language, give specific instructions, or even just ask for feedback.

    Alright, here's the April preview...

    You knew this was coming. But there's THREE things we're launching with the new ingredients and nutritional information being tied to products.

    1. An ingredients shopping list so you know exactly what to buy for production day.
    2. BEAUTIFUL LABELS to put on each of our meal boxes. We cannot stress BEAUTIFUL enough.
    3. A macros breakdown on the product card during the checkout flow, so customers know exactly what they need.

    Stay tuned for an equally busy April. And let us know how you love all the new toys.

  • March 20, 2024

    New Feature! Tipping Box Description

    Exciting news for our platform users: by popular demand, we've rolled out the ability to add a custom description to your tipping box. This long-awaited feature allows you to communicate directly with your customers about the purpose of their tips, enhancing transparency and engagement.

    Accessing this feature is simple. Navigate to the 'sell' tab on your dashboard, select 'store settings', and then choose the 'tipping' option. Within the tipping settings, you'll find a new field labeled 'Tip and Payment Description.' Here, you can craft a message that resonates with your brand and informs customers about how their tips are utilized. Whether you're supporting a local charity, funding community projects, or enhancing your service, this customizable description box enables you to share your story and encourage more meaningful contributions.

    Displayed prominently on the checkout page, your custom message offers a clear explanation of the tipping process, adding value to each transaction. This not only fosters a deeper connection with your customers but also amplifies the impact of their generosity. Dive into this new feature and discover the difference it can make for your business and the causes you care about.

  • March 18, 2024

    Fulfillment Reminders Made Easy!

    We're excited to introduce an upgrade to our fulfillment process with the newly simplified Fulfillment Reminder Settings available in your dashboard. Recognizing the importance of timely and effective communication with customers, especially concerning the delivery of their orders, we've revamped this feature to make setting up reminders a breeze.

    Located under the 'sell' tab and within the 'fulfillment methods' section, these settings allow you to add reminders for each fulfillment method you offer easily. With a straightforward interface, you can navigate to the 'reminders' section to configure message reminders tailored to the specific timing of your choice - whether it's on the day of the food's arrival, days before, or days after.

    The default setting triggers reminders to be sent on the arrival day, but flexibility is key; you can customize this to any timeframe that suits your operational needs and enhances customer satisfaction. Simply choose when the reminder will be sent out and type your message. Our system will ensure your customers are informed about the status of their orders in a timely manner, adding an extra layer of engagement and reassurance.

  • March 17, 2024

    Introducing Price Lists: Set custom pricing on a per-customer basis

    We're thrilled to announce a game-changing feature on Bottle: Custom Price Lists. Now, you can set special prices for individual customers or groups, perfect for wholesale deals or personalized offers.

    Imagine you're selling an item for $10. With our new feature, you can assign unique pricing for selected customers using Price Lists. Simply assign a custom price to a product via a price list, such as "Wholesale Pricing," and set a new custom price. In the example video, we assign a special $8 price for the Banh Mi.

    Then, assign customers to the "Wholesale Pricing" (or whatever other price list you create) and those customers will receive their customer-specific pricing on the menu.

    For example, if "Will" is assigned to the "Wholesale Pricing" list, he will see the Banh Mi at the special rate of $8, realizing a $2 savings from the regular price.

    The beauty of this system is its flexibility and control; prices revert to normal for everyone else, maintaining the standard pricing structure for regular customers.

    Unlock new sales potentials and customer relationships with Bottle's personalized pricing—your key to a more tailored and effective sales strategy.

  • March 14, 2024

    Variant option updates and new Add Contact modal

    We've made two quality-of-life updates to Bottle:

    1. Variant Editing Made Safer: Now, instead of changing names of existing variants (like “shrimp” to “mussels”), you delete the old one and add the new. This keeps your reports accurate and orders clear.
    2. Easier Customer Adds: Add customers directly from the customers page—quick and simple.

    Enjoy these updates designed to make your Bottle experience better and your work smoother.

  • March 9, 2024

    New Feature! Packing Cards on Production Days

    We are so excited to introduce the Packing Cards feature, a transformative tool designed to streamline your order management and packing process. Found within the orders tab of your dashboard, this innovative feature is centered around two new tabs: 'Unpacked Orders' and 'Packed Orders', each designed to optimize your production day workflow.

    The heart of this update is the 'Unpacked Orders' tab, where you will find detailed Packing Cards for each order. These cards display essential information, such as the customer's name, order number, the scheduled date for fulfillment, and a breakdown of products and variants included in the order. This visual organization is crafted to aid in efficiently sorting and packing orders.

    Once an order is packed, simply clicking 'Mark as Packed' shifts it to the 'Packed Orders' tab, giving you a clear view of your progress. Should you need to undo this action, the 'Mark as Not Packed' option allows for easy correction of any errors by moving orders back to the 'Unpacked Orders' tab.

    The Packing Cards feature is set to revolutionize how you manage and execute your packing process, providing a more organized, efficient way to handle orders. We're eager to hear your feedback on this new addition and look forward to enhancing your production experience.

  • March 3, 2024

    New Feature! - Paid Order Message Automation

    We're delighted to introduce a new feature designed to bring a more personalized touch to your online store - the order receipt message automation.

    This innovative tool enables you to set up automated messages that thank your customers as soon as they complete a purchase. Found within the store settings, this feature allows for various customized messages, from heartfelt thank-you notes to referral code distribution, enhancing the customer experience by making each interaction feel uniquely personal.

    Implementing this feature streamlines your communication process and significantly boosts customer engagement and satisfaction. Discover the power of personalized automation and make every purchase special for your customers.

  • March 2, 2024

    Introducing the "Food Product" Type

    We're excited to unveil a new addition to our product library - the food product type.

    This feature is designed to enhance the management of food items within your inventory, closely mirroring the functionality of existing product types while introducing specialized options for food businesses.

    Key enhancements include the ability to add detailed ingredient lists, specifying names, quantities, and measurements for each component. The goal here being to provide you with a basic shopping list for your weekly production.

    Moreover, we're rolling out a nutritional information module, offering a simplified way to generate and customize nutritional labels tailored to your business needs. These labels can be directly applied to product packaging, providing your customers with essential nutritional details at a glance. Embrace the future of food product management and elevate your customer experience with these new capabilities.

  • March 2, 2024

    A Refreshed Product Management Screen

    We're thrilled to announce a significant update to our product management interface, making navigating and updating your product library easier than ever. With a design overhaul to align with the aesthetics of other pages, the new product management screen is both intuitive and user-friendly.

    Key features here include an improved layout that prioritizes frequently updated information, such as pricing lists and quantity settings. Setting minimum purchase quantities and order increments is straightforward, ensuring a seamless experience for you and your customers.

    Dive into our updated product management screen and discover how managing your products has become more organized and efficient.

  • February 7, 2024

    Autofill a cart from the dashboard! Roll back to previous cart versions!

    Two really awesome quality-of-life updates here.

    1. Ability to autofill a cart from the dashboard. Now, when texting or emailing a client, you can automatically autofill an invoice or cart on their behalf straight from the dashboard. You can choose to autofill according to package rules or even from the customer's previous order. This makes managing one-off orders or people who need extra help even easier.
    2. Ability to rollback to a prior cart version. In Bottle, we always store every version of every cart. So you can see what customers added/changed in their cart and what the autofill system added/changed in their cart. And now, you can rollback to a previous version of the cart. Just scroll down to the Order's version history, choose the cart version you want to rollback to, and click "Rollback." That easy.

    Hopefully these changes make it even easier to handle customer changes and requests straight from your dashboard. Both of these changes also work whether or not an order is paid for. If it's an unpaid cart, it will update all the order totals so the customer will pay you the right amount. If it's an already-paid-for-paid, it will show you the new total but not automatically bill the customer the difference.

    This is so you can be sure your report for production is perfect, and handle money collection or refunds however you best see fit.

    Let us know what you think!

  • February 1, 2024

    Now dietary labels are always visible

    We've always shown dietary labels for products when descriptions were revealed, but now we've updated the selection screen to always show dietary labels, even if the product is collapsed.

    This makes navigating the menu much easier for people always on the lookout for certain dietary preferences like "Vegan", "Keto", "Gluten Free", etc., in their meals.

  • January 26, 2024

    New package superpowers: automatic variant selection

    Packages got a huge new superpower: the ability to automatically select variants on a product based on the package. This allows you to construct menus around specific diets, specific meal sizes, and other variants where you always want a certain variant selected based on the customer's package.

    Additionally, there's now an option to hide a variant selection from a customer when they're editing their cart. This is so you can attach variants for your production and pricing needs based on the customer's package - such as automatically setting all meals to "Large" if the customer is on a Large package - but not give the customer the ability to mix and match their meals.

    This is a big deal for merchants who want to offer all-or-nothing variants, such as all meals have to be Large vs. Small, or all meals have to be Vegetarian. And it's also helpful if the customer just wants to make sure they're always defaulted into Gluten Free, Keto, or whatever other options they set as a default.

    Let us know what you think!

  • January 24, 2024

    New pickup location and map upgrades

    Four awesome improvements to the fulfillment method selector, specifically around pickup locations:

    1. A map view of all pickup locations, with pins that can be selected.
    2. Visual dates to see when pickup is available at specific locations.
    3. The ability to hide and show future dates based on availability.
    4. The ability to re-order pickup locations alphabetically, by next available date, or manually in the dashboard.

    Let us know what you think!

  • January 13, 2024

    Welcome to the changelog

    Expect product updates to start posting here in addition to our Feature Friday weekly newsletter. Follow along!