---
title: "For startups and entrepreneurs"
description: "Start a branded ordering operation, then add locations, channels or marketplace workflows only when the business model calls for them."
canonical: https://www.ordering.co/solutions/startups/
---

# Start the ordering operation you want to run.

Start with a branded storefront and delivery workflow. Add locations, channels or marketplace operations only when the business model calls for them.

[Explore the platform](https://www.ordering.co/platform/)[Talk to Ordering.co](https://www.ordering.co/contact/)

- Branded customer ordering
- No commission on your orders
- Review scope before launch

Illustrative workspace

Build vs Ordering.co

## Choose configuration over rebuilding the basics.

An ordering operation depends on the customer experience, merchant workflow and delivery model working together. Start by choosing the scope you need now.

| Criterion         | Building it yourself                              | On Ordering.co                                                         |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Customer ordering | Define and build each buying surface              | Plan the storefront and customer flow around your model                |
| Merchant workflow | Design catalog and order operations from scratch  | Configure the merchant workflow your launch requires                   |
| Delivery model    | Build the rules and integrations for delivery     | Choose fleet, third-party delivery or a mix based on your coverage     |
| Operating changes | Rework the product each time the model changes    | Review which operational settings and integrations fit the next stage  |
| Commercial scope  | Carry the full scope in the first build           | Start with the scope you can operate and review expansion deliberately |
| Launch decisions  | Decide architecture before you can test the model | Discuss product, delivery and commercial requirements together         |

[Build vs buy: the full comparison](https://www.ordering.co/developers/build-vs-buy/)

What you can launch

## One infrastructure, many businesses.

[Explore the platform](https://www.ordering.co/platform/)

- 01
  ### Food delivery brand
  A branded customer ordering experience with the delivery model that fits your service area.
- 02
  ### Ghost kitchen
  A focused ordering operation where catalog, preparation and delivery decisions need to work together.
- 03
  ### Local marketplace
  A multi-merchant model that brings customer ordering, merchant operations and delivery planning into one scope.
- 04
  ### Niche delivery app
  A category-specific operation with a customer journey and fulfillment model designed around the service you provide.

Self-Service plan

## Choose the pieces that support the experience you want customers to have.

A self-service path works best when the storefront, delivery needs, promotions and team resources are clear from the start. These areas turn an initial idea into a workable scope for online ordering and delivery.

- ### Your online presence
  Plan how customers find and recognize the ordering experience, including the domain and storefront details that matter to your brand.
- ### Ordering and delivery
  Define the ordering journey and delivery workflows your operation needs customers and teams to use.
- ### Offers and retention
  Decide where coupons and discounts support the customer journey you want to run.
- ### Learning resources
  Get the guidance your team needs as it learns the platform.

Your starting scope

- Storefront

  Brand and domain

- Order flow

  Customer to operation

- Team readiness

  Guidance and ownership

Scope your setup

## Work from the customer journey back to the operating work.

Before you begin, name the customer touchpoints, the order and delivery steps your team manages, and the offers you want to make available. That turns a feature list into a setup your team can operate.

1. 01Define the storefront and ordering path.
2. 02Map delivery and customer-support responsibilities.
3. 03Confirm the promotion and learning resources your team needs.

![Two restaurant team members planning their online ordering setup on a laptop](https://www.ordering.co/media/shared/ec54765f8fb94a7fdbc8532ad2c8f3989c2776fda7db98861b5b2918c70a0e63.webp)

Start small, scale later

## Start with the next operating stage, not every future one.

Choose a launch scope your team can run, then review new locations, channels or merchant workflows when the business is ready for them.

1. 01Launch one brandDefine the customer ordering experience, merchant workflow and delivery coverage for one launchable operation.
2. 02Review the next channel or locationAdd only the customer touchpoints and operating complexity that the next stage requires.
3. 03Plan a marketplace modelWhen third-party merchants become part of the model, define onboarding, commissions, delivery and payout requirements before expansion.

Control

## Keep your brand and customer relationships central.

Run customer-facing ordering on your domain and coordinate its operations in Ordering.co. Customer control does not transfer platform or source-code ownership.

- No commission on your orders

  Ordering.co does not charge any commission on your orders. You pay your plan price. Optional AI ordering has its own AI technology fee. Payment processing, delivery, taxes and other third-party costs are separate. See the pricing page for current plans.

- Customer-facing brand

  Plan the domain and the customer experience customers will associate with your business.

- Customer relationships

  Review the customer data, access and integration requirements your operating model depends on.

- Integration requirements

  Bring API or custom workflow requirements into the scope conversation before you rely on them.

Path to launch

## Four decisions before your first order.

1. 01FoundationDefine the customer experienceSet the brand, service area and ordering journey you want customers to recognize.
2. 02ConfigurationPrepare operational basicsOrganize the catalog, hours, delivery conditions and payment requirements around the model you will run.
3. 03Release preparationConfirm launch responsibilitiesIdentify what your team owns, what partners own and which product requirements need to be confirmed before launch.
4. 04LaunchOpen the operationInvite customers when merchant readiness, delivery coverage and the support process are in place.

One brand, one or a few locations

## Discuss your setup

Review the current platform, usage and add-on scope for one brand or a small rollout. Taxes, payment processing and third-party charges may apply.

[Talk to Ordering.co](https://www.ordering.co/contact/)[Explore the platform](https://www.ordering.co/platform/)

A marketplace with many merchants

## Talk to us

Tell us about your merchant model, commissions, payouts and onboarding requirements. We'll review the current scope with you.

[Book a demo](https://www.ordering.co/contact/?meeting=demo#book)[Ordering.co for Marketplaces](https://www.ordering.co/solutions/marketplaces/)

Before you begin

## Set the foundation for your ordering operation.

Use pricing to review the current plan, then bring the operational questions that shape your setup: what customers need to order, how delivery works, and what your team needs to manage.

Plan availability and commercial terms are confirmed in current pricing and project scope.

[See pricing](https://www.ordering.co/pricing/)[Talk to Ordering.co](https://www.ordering.co/contact/)

## Start with a model you can operate.

Review customer ordering, merchant operations and delivery requirements before you commit to the next stage.

[Explore the platform](https://www.ordering.co/platform/)[Talk to Ordering.co](https://www.ordering.co/contact/)