Time a chocolate maker’s launch so the site is live a few weeks before Valentine’s Day, Easter or the winter holidays, because gift buyers order early and want proof the box will arrive in one piece. The two things that usually hold a launch up are product photos and a written shipping policy, so start there. Your origin story and wholesale terms can be drafted while the photos are being edited.
How the launch unfolds
Day 1-2: You send photos, product notes and shipping rules, and we build a home page that leads with the current gift box and a clear route into the shop.
Week 1: We set up the shop, story, wholesale and shipping pages, connect your ordering tool and place cutoff dates where a hurried buyer will notice them.
Week 2: You place a real test order to your own address, check that the confirmation reads well, and we adjust descriptions and the allergen wording you supply.
Launch: We publish once the test order clears; a 48-hour launch is possible for eligible projects with content ready.
What to gather before you start
- ✓Product photography — tight shots of snapped bars, glossy bonbons and open gift boxes, plus a wider view of the kitchen, give buyers the texture they cannot taste through a screen
- ✓Product names and flavor notes — cacao origin, percentage, inclusions and the ingredient information you want shown, written in your own voice
- ✓Ordering setup — the shop tool or order form you already use, or one we help connect, ready for a real test purchase before launch
- ✓Shipping and heat rules — holiday cutoff dates, cold packs, the weekdays you ship and when you pause warm-weather delivery
- ✓Wholesale details — minimum orders, lead times and how a cafe or gift shop asks for your line sheet
The first month after launch
In the first month after launch, swap in photos of the next seasonal collection and move its cutoff date to the top of the home page. After your first busy weekend, read through order notes and customer questions, then tighten the shipping page wherever people were confused. Invite happy customers to leave a review through the platform they already use, and list new wholesale stockists once they agree to be named.
Mistakes to avoid at launch
- ✓Leaving holiday cutoff dates off the shop page — orders arrive after the occasion and the complaints land in your inbox
- ✓Shipping into a heat wave without a stated policy — melted truffles come back as refund requests and one-star comments
- ✓Using dim or yellow-tinted photos — a beautiful bonbon looks dull and buyers drift to a brighter shop
One example of what your site could look like
This is one sample we designed. Yours is built around your business, your photos and your words, and we have more examples if you want to compare directions.
What it costs
Websites are priced one-time by size, plus Website Care at $30/month for hosting, HTTPS, backups, weekly checks and A/B testing. Every package includes a consultation, mobile-friendly design, copy we write for you, a contact form, essential search setup and 10 revision rounds. Monthly SEO is an optional add-on when you are ready for it.
Optional add-ons, billed separately
The prices above are for your website. These two are separate monthly products you can add now or later. Neither is part of the website price.
Monthly SEO, from $50/month: new pages published on your site every month. See Monthly SEO →
Business Spotlight, from $30/month: articles about your business, labeled as paid, published on The Company Chronicle. See Business Spotlight →
How it works
1. Consultation
We learn your services, customers and goals, in English or Spanish.
2. We write and design
We draft the words and build the site around your business.
3. 10 revision rounds
You review and request changes until it is right.
4. Launch and care
We launch, then Website Care keeps it hosted, backed up, checked weekly and A/B tested.
Keep reading
Websites for chocolate makers · What a chocolate maker website costs · What to send your designer · Plan your website
