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Tips on Ordering From Food Lifeline

By September 26, 2018No Comments

Here are some common questions and troubleshooting tips for making an order request through Food Lifeline’s Agency Express system.

Q: Why didn’t I receive the item I ordered?

It’s helpful to think of Agency Express as a request system rather than an order. After you submit your cart, Agency Express communicates with our inventory system and determines whether the requested quantity is available. Adding an item to your cart is not a guarantee that you will receive the item. That’s because many agencies are shopping in the same order window. It’s possible another agency ordering at the same time selected that item before you and it takes some time for our inventory system to reconcile this. The order confirmation email you receive after 3 p.m. will contain your confirmed list of items, including any allocations that were added to your order such as City-Fund and TEFAP.

Q: Our agency has a new staff person who will handle ordering for us. How should we transition?

Let our Agency Relations team know before you make the transition, so we can ensure this person has everything they need to order successfully. We’re happy to provide extra assistance to new staff or volunteers.

Q: How do I know my cart has been submitted?

After you’ve submitted your cart, you’ll receive an email confirmation. If you log out of Agency Express without submitting your cart, you’ll receive an email reminding you to submit your cart. After 3 p.m., you’ll receive a second email confirmation when your order has been processed by a member of our Agency Relations team.

Q: Who receives email confirmations?  

Each agency has one designated “shopper”—all email confirmations will be sent to that person’s email address. Please notify the Agency Relations team when you want to change your shopper, so we can update your contact information.

Q: Why can’t I select order date or appointment time? How do I make changes to my order?

Did you already submit your cart today? If so, go to Order Options, and then Order Management. 10-15 minutes after submitting your cart, a pencil icon will appear next to your most recent order. Click the pencil to make edits or continue shopping. You can do this as many times as you’d like between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. but remember to submit your cart each time you make edits. When you edit an order, you may notice items have “dropped off’ your order request. That is because when your request reached our inventory system, those items were already on other agency orders and were no longer in inventory.

Q: Why can’t I order outside my order window? 

Order windows allow us to manage the volume of orders and product packing so we can best distribute food to our member agencies. Fewer than 50 agencies order each day between 7 a.m.  and 3 p.m. When the order window closes, a member of our Agency Relations team processes each order. Pick tickets are generated the next day and our warehouse staff pick and prepare orders throughout the afternoon. Agencies receive the orders through delivery or pick-up the next day. If you’ve missed your order window or have any questions about ordering, please contact the Agency Relations team.

Q: How do I know an item’s storage requirements?

Click on the item number for details on whether a product is dry, refrigerated, or frozen.

Have questions or need assistance? Call Food Lifeline and ask for Agency Relations at 206-545-6600.