← Partner docs

FAQ

Questions? Feature requests? Need more help? Send an email to roastery@beanbox.com.

General

About Roastery

Roastery is the roaster-facing platform for Bean Box; it allows our Specialty Coffee roasting partners to sell their coffee directly to Bean Box customers, through our Web site, iOS and Android apps, email audience, text messages, app notifications, and more. Under this model, customers buy through Bean Box, and roasters receive orders directly to fulfill (ship) themselves.

Requirements
  • Roasters must apply to participate, and meet Bean Box's standards for coffee sourcing, handling, and quality.
  • Roasters must be able to package and fulfill coffee, and hand packages off to USPS.
  • Roasters must be willing and able to ship according to the schedule they set (see cutoff, below).
  • Roasters must own a working label printer (we can recommend one if necessary), and keep 4x6 label stock on hand.
Do I need to send samples of every coffee?

We love tasting coffee, but there's only so much we can drink in a day without getting too wired to function. If you're interested in Bean Box featuring one or more specific coffees, we welcome samples! Send ~100 grams to:

Maryna Gray
36 Summit Street
Salem, MA, 01970
How long does it take to approve a coffee?

Our SLA for approving coffees is 2 business days.

Why does the name of my coffee appear differently?

Bean Box will occasionally tweak the names of coffees either to differentiate from similarly-named coffees, or to enhance the marketability of the coffee both on beanbox.com and elsewhere.

Can I sell other sized bags?

Yes. You can offer your coffees in any of these sizes: 4oz, 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, 12oz, 2lb, 5lb, 100g, 150g, 200g, 250g, 310g, 500g, 1kg, and 2kg. Only 12-ounce bags are eligible for curation into Bean Box subscriber deliveries.

Can I integrate with Shopify, Quickbooks, or Roaster Tools?

For now, you can export orders and reports, and then import that data into the other systems you use. If there are specific fields you need, please let us know!

Inventory and pricing

Inventory

Before a coffee can be sold by Bean Box, roasters need to tell us how many bags of a given coffee they have available OR specify which coffees are always available, in which case customers can purchase ongoing orders of that coffee (these will automatically populate as orders, on the customer's preferred schedule). Inventory counts will be automatically decremented as orders are fulfilled.

Pricing

Bean Box asks roasters for a "wholesale" price, which is earned when an order is shipped to a customer. This price should include the wholesale price of the coffee, including any packaging and fulfillment costs incurred by the roaster (note that we will provide shippers). We ask for a recommended MSRP. Bean Box sets the price customers pay, and it's never lower than the MSRP you set, except when the coffee is on sale (for example, a weekly discount you run) or part of a special offer. Note that we are always eager to exchange order volume for better pricing.

Where do I get your reseller certificate?

Bean Box buys your coffee for resale, so your sales to us aren't subject to sales tax. Download our Washington reseller permit (PDF) and keep it on file.

Why does the retail price of my coffee differ from the MSRP I set?

When we set a price, we consider prices for the same (or similar) coffees across the Web, and it's never lower than the MSRP you set, except when the coffee is on sale (for example, a weekly discount you run) or part of a special offer. We ask for your MSRP to make sure we're not undercutting you!

Getting paid

We issue a self-billed invoice on your behalf every Monday, covering the previous Monday through Sunday, plus one on the first day of each month when a month ends mid-week. Each invoice is the wholesale price of every bag you shipped, less refunds, disputed charges, missing deliveries or other customer issues, and is paid 45 days from the invoice date unless you've negotiated different terms.

Packaging

Packaging

Roasters are responsible for packaging each coffee they list for sale in a clearly-labeled bag, with a valve and a legible roast date. Roasters are also responsible for printing a 4x6 (or similar) shipping label (which Bean Box will generate). Bean Box will provide shippers (outer packaging), in the form of single- and multiple-bag shippers, which are curbside recyclable by customers. These will be replenished automatically at regular intervals. It is critical that all coffees are shipped in Bean Box shippers. You're welcome to include branding materials such as stickers, up to 0.25 ounces, but no customer solicitation materials.

Shippers

We will do our best to make sure you have adequate coverage for your supply of shippers (small = single bag; large = multiple bags). If you run out of small shippers and are awaiting resupply, you can use the large shippers instead. Please contact us if you're out!

How do I get more shippers?

We keep track of what we've sent, and how many are used by the orders you fulfill. But if you're getting low and want to make sure, just drop us a note!

Can I ship coffees in my own box?

Please use the shipper Bean Box provides. These are weight-optimized, and curbside recyclable.

Can we ship in a different box or shipper?

Postage is purchased using the weight and dimensions of the shippers we supply, as well as the bags to be shipped. Please do NOT use a custom shipper, as the order may be returned for insufficient postage.

Can we put anything else in the shipper?

Please limit any included material to branding-only (not customer solicitation), and make sure it weighs less than 0.25 ounces. Stickers are welcomed!

Shipping and fulfillment

How does "cutoff" time work?

When you set a cutoff time, it basically means you will pack up and ship any order made prior to that time on a day your facility is open. Any order made after that time can be fulfilled on the next day you're open for fulfillment.

The Bean Box standard is 3PM. All times are expressed in your local timezone. You can set up the days you're open (days of the week, holidays, etc.), cutoff time, and time zone under Shipping Settings.

What kind of printer and/or labels do I need?

Any printer capable of printing 4x6 shipping labels will work. At Bean Box, we have standardized on Zebra ZT410-style printers, and purchase 4x6 thermal labels from Uline. Here are a few resources:

How do I reprint a shipping label?

On the Orders page, select "Recently Fulfilled", select one or more orders, and then click "Print Shipping Labels".

Is there a packing slip?

Bean Box does not include a packing slip. You can see what's included in the order on the shipping label.

To what level should I grind coffee?

We ask that non-espresso coffees which are ordered as ground be ground to around 600-800 microns, suitable for a pour-over or drip.

If you are able to grind espresso-specific coffees appropriately fine, please do!

If you don't offer ground coffees for sale, you can specify that limitation for each of your coffees.

What if I'm out of a coffee I'm supposed to ship?

In general, we ask that you manage your inventory such that this does NOT happen. Occasionally, stray orders can wander through, in which case select the order(s) and hit the "Can't Fulfill" button. The order will be routed to our customer service for handling, and disappear from your order queue.

Customers

How do I handle customer issues, questions, or complaints?

Please refer customers directly to Bean Box if they have questions, problems, comments, etc. See our Contact Us page.