What you need to know when buying a flower business. Formation of the most popular assortment. What do you need to open a flower shop?

You will learn about all the advantages and disadvantages of the flower business. Is it profitable to sell flowers, how to choose a premises for a store and decorate it correctly, what expenses should you prepare for?

Hello, dear readers of Startupoff!

A business selling flowers not only brings a stable income, but also provides aesthetic pleasure. Flower bouquets will always be in demand - as long as people celebrate, love and give each other gifts.

Flower business - a gold mine or a waste of time

Among my friends there are two families engaged in greenhouse flower growing and selling. They started growing flowers more than 10 years ago. They sell roses, carnations, gladioli, tulips, lilies, oak trees. They purchase some of the products in their stores for resale.

Analyzing their experience, I concluded that selling flowers is not easy, time-consuming, but very profitable business with a properly established sales system and proven cultivation technology.

Confirms my assumptions about the profitability of this type of business forecast for rising prices for flower products from RBC:

Advantages of a flower business

For the opening of a flower shop with an area of 20 sq. meters on average costs 330,000 rubles. These expenses pay off on average within 5-6 months of the store’s operation. The projected net profit at the end of the year will be 660-680 thousand rubles.

Let's consider the main advantages of this type of activity.

Small starting capital

The amount of start-up capital required to open a business depends on the scale you are aiming for. Start with a small stall to get a feel for the market conditions.

Ease of starting a business

The procedure for starting a business in this area is simple. Look for appropriate place for trading, fill out the necessary documents, purchase the first batch of goods, advertise for yourself and start working.

It will take you several months to “promote”. Make a beautiful showcase, advertising signs, offer affordable prices to attract buyers and gradually increase your turnover.

If necessary, the business can be easily closed, or rather, implemented. Just offer it to those who are looking for a ready-made flower business.

Large trade margin

Experts say that the average markup on flower products reaches 150%. IN holidays(before March 8, September 1, school last bell), when the demand for bouquets is especially high, it exceeds these figures.

The opinion of experts is confirmed by the price level for bouquets in different Russian cities, relevant for 2017:

Possible difficulties

Every aspiring businessman faces problems and difficulties along the way.

In the “flower business” they are as follows:

Plants are demanding when it comes to storage conditions, so you will have to make sure that the room has optimal humidity and a comfortable temperature.
Perishable goods. There is a high risk of receiving a low-quality batch that will quickly deteriorate.
Cyclicality of demand. The maximum demand for bouquets is in March, May and September.

To avoid difficulties, analyze the market (customer demand, competitors’ assortment), plan purchases in advance, look for reliable suppliers, expand the range of products to stabilize sales throughout the year.

How much do Russians spend on flowers per year?

Another forecast for 2018-2019 based on statistics from the past 8 years from RBC:

How to sell flowers - possible ways to sell goods

Well-established sales are the key to the success of any business.

Let's look at the pros and cons of 4 ways to implement colors.

Flower pavilion

Such pavilions are located in crowded places: near metro stations, in underground pedestrian crossings, near markets.

Plus- high customer traffic, guaranteeing good turnover.

Minus This method means a lot of competition and a small retail space. Besides you, there are other entrepreneurs working in the pavilion. To compete with them, select an assortment and come up with original packaging for bouquets.

Pavilion - great idea, if you grow your own plants and have the opportunity to offer freshly cut samples to your customers every day. Customers will not ignore the freshness and quality of your products.

Flower boutique

It is distinguished from the pavilion by a larger retail area and a more diverse assortment. Here you can display not only freshly cut flowers, but also ready-made bouquets, interesting flowerpots, potted plants, and arranging workplace florist, as well as offer customers small souvenirs or gift wrapping services.

pros is a promising, stable business that brings good income.

Minuses method - high financial costs for opening. Renting a boutique is more expensive than renting a pavilion. It has a longer payback period.

Online store

This method is suitable for big city, in which the service of flower delivery to the office, home, or restaurant is especially valuable and convenient.

pros method - having a real retail outlet is not necessary; you can work on the principle of dropshipping.

Minuses— you need experience in real sales, experience in sales via the Internet, an established delivery system.

An online store is an excellent method of promoting a real florist boutique. It is also suitable for professional gardeners involved in greenhouse cultivation of roses, carnations, gerberas and other varieties.

The main thing is to establish Internet marketing. Use Instagram, accounts in others in social networks, personal acquaintances, as well as advertisements on online trading platforms.

City markets

According to consulting company Eventus Consulting, flower stalls and pavilions account for 66-70% of sales.

pros— high turnover, quick payback. The costs of renting a retail space and purchasing equipment and products will pay off within 3-4 months.

Minuses— small retail space, limiting the assortment. Selling flowers at the market is almost the same as selling on the street.

The method is convenient for greenhouse owners, as well as for those who do not have large start-up capital to open a store.

Step-by-step opening of a flower business - where to start?

Have you decided on the format of your flower business from scratch: pavilion, stall, boutique or online store?

It's time to think through every stage of opening your own business and bring it to life.

Step 1. Business registration

If you are going to make money by selling bouquets at the airport, in a park, at a restaurant or in a park from hand, you will not need to register a business. To open a boutique, rent a retail space at a market or in a pavilion near the metro, you cannot do without official registration. To sell flowers, choose an individual entrepreneur with a simplified taxation system.

According to OKVED, several codes correspond to this type of activity:

47.76.1 — retail plants, flowers and seeds.
47.78.3 - trade in handicrafts and souvenirs.
74.10 - activities in the field of design.
64.12 — courier activities.
82.92 — packaging of goods.

If you are planning to expand the activities of the enterprise, indicate the entire list of codes when registering.

Documents required for work:

trade permit;
industrial sanitary control program;
contracts for disinfestation, deratization, disinfection;
contract for maintenance of air conditioning and ventilation systems;
contract for recycling and removal of solid household waste;
internal store documentation;
permission from the sanitary and epidemiological service;
quality certificates for each type of product.

Step 2. Selecting premises for the store

The success of trade depends on the location in which the store is located. Consider crowded, walk-through places: in shopping centers, in pavilions near the metro, at public transport stops, in the central area of the city, in an office center, in the basement of a residential building (on the first line by the road).

The best option to promote your business is a small separate building, but renting such a premises is more expensive than renting a “point” in mall or pavilion.

An economical option for the first time is a tonar or a trailer on wheels.

Step 3. Selecting suppliers

Even if you find the perfect supplier with the perfect product, don't limit yourself to their services. It is advisable to have three trusted suppliers so that in the event of force majeure you are not left without goods.

When choosing suppliers, focus on prices, quality and assortment that they offer, consider different commercial offers.

Step 4. Purchase of equipment

Minimum set of equipment: tables, display cases, shelves, racks, refrigerators. You will also need equipment: scissors, pruning shears, tape, packaging materials, materials for floral design. Don't forget about cash machine. It is not mandatory for individual entrepreneurs, but its presence increases customer confidence.

Climatic conditions are extremely important for flower products: optimal humidity, temperature and ventilation. Without a good split system, several humidifiers and heating, it is impossible to create optimal conditions.

Step 5. Decoration of the point of sale

Your product gives aesthetic pleasure, so the display case and shelves with it should be designed accordingly. Never leave fading flowers in sight. They spoil the display and the impression of the store.

Choose the interior in light colors. Order aluminum painted racks for arranging goods. Install fluorescent lamps so that the colors of packaging and products are not distorted.

Display bouquets of flowers in the window different varieties plants. Your salon should not only be bright, but also stylish.

Advice from professional florists: Preparing and decorating the bouquet takes a few minutes. To prevent customers from toiling around waiting for an order and from leaving the store while you are collecting a bouquet, print out several crossword puzzles, problems or logic games.

Lay them out on the counter or table. Place a couple of chairs. The wait for the order will go unnoticed by the client, and your creativity will be appreciated.

Step 6. Advertising

Make a catchy sign with the name. Make the most of your storefront. In addition to the floral arrangements on display, post information about prices or promotions. A stopper sign works well, on which every day you will write advertising text with chalk with the cost of roses, carnations, asters, chrysanthemums or other varieties, or announcements about discounts and promotions.

Use all the possibilities of advertising on the Internet. Place an ad on online trading platforms, use YouTube for video reviews of your product, recommendations on floristry. This will increase your credibility as an expert in your industry. Don't forget about the possibilities of word of mouth. Such advertising is often more effective than other methods.

Step 7. Purchase of goods and start of sales

For a pavilion, stall, or tonara, the optimal assortment is freshly cut chrysanthemums, roses, carnations, gerberas, and tulips.

It makes sense to expand the range of potted products if the area of the room is more than 30 square meters. In small shops, indoor potted plants, according to experts, sell poorly, only taking up useful space.

If the area is more than 30 square meters, not only live plants in ceramic or plastic pots are appropriate here, but also soil and fertilizers for growing, as well as a wide range of cut flowers, including rare and exotic ones. Expand your assortment with seedlings of famous rose varieties from the nursery.

Complete the showcase with souvenirs: soft toys, balloons, postcards.

Main expense items

Starting your own business involves start-up costs: payment of premises rent, purchase of goods, wages personnel, purchase of necessary equipment.

How much will it cost and what can you save on?

Rental and renovation of premises

The rental cost depends on the size of the kiosk or store, as well as the location where it is located. The closer the point is to access points, visited places, the more money you will have to spend. Optimal area: 30-45 squares.

A flower boutique needs an appropriate interior. Be prepared to invest in painting the walls, purchasing beautiful lamps, display lighting, and wall decor.

Equipment purchase

Equipment costs also depend on the area of the store and the format of the business. For example, a pavilion near the metro does not need a cash register, but a large salon does. On average, it will cost you up to 160 thousand rubles to purchase commercial and climate control equipment.

Salary to employees

For work we need 1-2 florists and 2 sellers.

If you have chosen this line of work, you probably like to create compositions with your own hands, you know a lot about combining colors and choosing packaging. Work as a salesperson or florist yourself. This is a good saving at the start, plus a way to experience all the nuances and subtleties of the market.

Purchasing flowers

On average, your initial purchase will cost you up to 50,000 rubles. Don't buy large quantities from the start. Take a little of each plant variety and arrange with suppliers to deliver a fresh batch if you sell out quickly.

The costs of opening a store are shown in detail in the table:

Name	Quantity,	Price 1 piece, rub.	total cost, rub.
Furniture, equipment, tools
Split system for air conditioning	1	16 000, 00	16 000, 00
Refrigerated display case for a store	1	50 000, 00	50 000, 00
Work table for floristry	1	7 000, 00	7 000, 00
Chair	1	1 500, 00	1 500, 00
Security and fire protection system	1	35 000, 00	35 000, 00
Laptop (computer)	1	25 000, 00	25 000, 00
Plastic vases	40	100, 00	4 000, 00
Tools and means for decorating bouquets	1	15 000, 00	15 000, 00
Legal registration of the enterprise
Fee for registration of individual entrepreneurs	1	800, 00	800, 00
Making a seal, opening a bank account, etc.	1	3 000, 00	3 000, 00
Marketing and advertising
Signboard	1	25 000, 00	25 000, 00
Naming	1	6 000, 00	6 000, 00
Promotion of the website, groups in social networks	1	30 000, 00	30 000, 00
Working capital
Flowers, plants	1	80 000, 00	80 000, 00
Fixed costs: rent, salaries, electricity, water, etc.	1	90 000, 00	90 000, 00
Total:			388 300, 00

How profitable is it to run such a business - reviews from flower businessmen

Flower business owners agree that this is a labor-intensive but profitable business. Main secret profitability - careful planning of every action. To develop and achieve success, you need not only to analyze every step, but also to be creative, try to surprise and interest the client.

Profitable kiosks and pavilions do not focus on one type of product. Expanding the assortment, offering various services, for example, flower delivery, selling plants from the greenhouse, and gift sets increase the consumer audience.

According to reviews from the owners of this business, it is better not to start organizing it from scratch, but to buy a ready-made enterprise with an established client base and already prepared premises. Further improvement of the outlet, new items in the assortment, and an increase in the level of service are the key to stable profits.

An example of a current business idea in this industry: vending sales automation or installation of bouquet machines.

For more information about floromats, watch the video:

Conclusion

Is it profitable to sell flower products? The experience of my friends shows that yes.

The flower business is primarily attractive due to its low capital investment and good profitability. However, due to the fragility of flowers, the seasonality of sales and many other factors, you should approach the organization of your business responsibly.

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Basic nuances of the flower business

To create a flower business, you need to consider the following features:

Perishable goods. Flowers tend to lose their original appearance, and this happens quite quickly. In this regard, you will need not only proper care of the flora of your store, but also careful planning of product purchases.
Markups on goods. The cost of flowers is quite low, but the markup on them ranges from 100 to 150 percent. Only a limited list of goods, for example medicines or weapons, have such significant indicators. To maximize the return on business, the owner must take this fact into account.
Flexibility. A flower business does not require significant start-up capital, and what is also important, does not require much effort in closing the business.
Seasonality. Revenue will vary depending on the time of year. There will be excess profits during the holidays, a time when the main manifestations of attention will be gifts in the form of flower bouquets. The least profitable season for business will be summer, when people will have the opportunity to grow flowers in their summer cottages or simply collect them in parks.

Forms of flower business

The next step after deciding to sell flowers is to choose the form of this activity. There are several flower business formats, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Flower business can be:

flower tents;
small flower shops;
online flower shops;
flower boutiques.

Flower tents

The main disadvantage of this format is its high location dependence. It is important to understand that it is not possible to avoid competition here, and two different tents with flowers standing next to each other are normal phenomenon. The ideal option would be to open a future stall near a large flow of people. As an example, consider a crowded square, where you can make good money selling flowers to young people in a hurry to go on a date.

Due to the small size of the room, it is simply impossible to provide proper attention to flower care. The owner will be required to place the products as closely as possible on a few shelves without harming the quality of the product.

Small flower shops

We will talk about full-fledged flower shops with an area of 30 m2. Such a business will require not only significant investments, but also a more in-depth analysis of competitors. Placing retail outlets near such establishments is fraught with significant losses in earnings. A rich assortment, which can be increased by increasing the space of the premises, will also play a significant role in the amount of profit. In addition, it will be necessary to expand the staff. If one salesperson could work in the pavilion, then the store should have several employees, with the desired education of a florist.

Flower online stores

Many businessmen today already have popular online projects for selling flowers, and based on their reviews, a number of advantages of this format can be noted. The most significant advantage will be the convenience for the buyer when making a transaction. As a rule, people have little free time, so purchasing with mobile device or home computer looks extremely attractive.

The most important step in organizing an online store is website development. The creation of such a portal should be done exclusively by a professional, because the lion’s share of success will depend on the appearance and convenience of the service. The importance of this stage cannot be neglected, so it is best to contact a reliable web studio.

Flower storage and delivery arrangements also play an important role. The room where the goods will wait for their customers should be dry and cool. Ideally, the room temperature should be about 18 degrees Celsius. Delivery must be carried out by responsible people; delays and tardiness are unacceptable.

Flower boutiques

The most expensive at the start, but at the same time the most profitable format of the flower business is a salon. The area of such a room must be at least 60 m2.

The prospects for a flower boutique are almost unlimited. With due attention to all the details and nuances, a business can bring enormous profits to its owner.

The capabilities of such an institution are significantly expanded due to the presence of highly qualified personnel. Professional florists are able to create real masterpieces from expensive plant varieties. Ultimately, the client will need to pay a large sum for such a product, so a flower salon is a business exclusively for large cities.

One of the significant distinguishing features of this form is the ability to work with corporate clients. Contracts and agreements concluded with various organizations will immediately occupy the most significant positions in the income of your business.

Photo gallery

Flower pavilion Flower shop Example of an online flower shop Flower salon

Step-by-step instructions for starting a flower business

After a thorough analysis of all the advantages and disadvantages of starting a flower business from scratch, you need to move directly to the actions themselves. To understand where to start, first of all, you need to draw up a clear plan, which will include all the necessary stages.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

Preparation of documents.
Supplier search.
Search for premises for a store.
Purchase of equipment.
Personnel selection.
Drawing up an assortment.
Advertising.

Paperwork

The business registration procedure is simple and does not take much time. But in addition to registering an individual entrepreneur, the outlet must have a list of documents, most of which must be available to customers.

Such documents include:

trade license;
conclusion of the sanitary and epidemiological station on compliance with standards;
book of complaints and suggestions;
packing list.

Supplier search

To minimize risks, experienced entrepreneurs work with several suppliers at once. When choosing them, you need to be guided by reliability and the pricing policy that is relevant to you. For example, a product from Colombia has low price, but the speed of implementation should be as fast as possible due to the low quality of the products. Such products are suitable exclusively for pavilions and stalls.

Flowers from wholesalers from Russia are more expensive, but the shelf life is much longer.

The main suppliers on the market are:

Holland;
Ecuador;
Russia.

Emphasis should be placed on goods from these countries.

Competent purchasing of goods plays an equally significant role.

There are several types of such procedures:

Main purchase. Those items and their quantity that are sold in any case. The assortment is replenished through the main purchase pre-order, this will save you time and effort in the future. In addition, there are discounts on basic purchases.
Additional purchase. A process that requires certain business experience. Flowers of a certain variety or type are purchased, which are supposed to be sold. In this case, there are no constant values and there cannot be, because demand is constantly changing.
Holiday shopping. Demand on such days becomes peak, and accordingly purchases are carried out at much large sizes. The main holidays for flower business owners will be February 14 and March 8. In the first case, the purchase is made three weeks before the date, in the second - a month.

Finding premises for a store

When searching and choosing premises, businessmen are usually guided by the degree of crowding of the place in which the premises are located.

The retail outlet may be located:

in tonar;
in the pavilion;
in a separate room;
on the first floor of a residential building;
in the mall.

If you need to save on rent, you can choose a shopping center.

When concluding a lease agreement there are also some nuances. In particular, it is important to clarify whether the monthly payments include utilities.

This video talks about making the right choice premises for a flower shop. Material taken from the UFL Flower Delivery channel.

Equipment purchase

Among the mandatory purchases, it is worth highlighting a cash register. Its cost varies from 9 to 15 thousand rubles. It would be advisable to purchase a refrigeration chamber, especially for medium and large stores. For small rooms, you can limit yourself to installing an air conditioner.

This also includes purchasing packaging for bouquets. Transparent cellophane is the most popular type of packaging and is required to be purchased.

In addition, you should pay attention to other design tools:

mesh;
tape;
felt;
I'm bashing.

When choosing tools, you can limit yourself to a sector and scissors.

Recruitment

The creative potential of the employee is of particular importance when recruiting personnel. Workers flower shop must have unconventional thinking, originality and creativity are the main qualities. For salons that deal with designer flower products, a highly qualified employee with florist education is required.

In addition to staff working with clients, large establishments will require an accountant and an administrator. An online store cannot do without responsible couriers and drivers.

Also, for any type of enterprise, the friendliness of the staff plays an important role. In the situation with the flower business, this role is greatly enhanced. The buyer usually comes to the store at good mood, the employee’s task is to preserve and increase this mood.

Assortment compilation

The speed of the project’s payback and its success directly depends on the size of the assortment. But there is no universal selection of products for all forms of flower business. Due to its characteristics, each format requires a certain range of products.

For the pavilion

Small tents, stalls and pavilions are limited to a selection of live cut plants. Due to the ensured large trade turnover in crowded places, such products do not have time to lose quality. At the same time, when purchasing such goods, it is more profitable for small enterprises to work through intermediaries.

The most popular types of fresh cut flowers include the following:

carnation;
chrysanthemum;
rose;
gerbera;
tulip.

For the store

Shops and flower boutiques are significantly expanding their range.

This may include:

cut flowers, including exotics;
designer bouquets;
decorative indoor plants;
flower care products;
soils;
pots and vases.

Some establishments add variety to their assortment with:

holiday cards;
souvenirs;
toys.

Advertising

A marketing campaign for a flower business does not have to be large-scale. Entrepreneurs limit themselves to signs and leaflets. Flower boutiques can afford advertising on television. Internet projects post information about themselves on various third-party portals and various banners.

Profitability of the flower business

According to experts, the profitability of the flower business is relatively high. The exact percentage depends on the size of the business and other factors such as location and staffing. The flora trade market is showing good growth rates, which means that it is possible to enter it in the coming years.

If you are thinking about where to start a flower business, you first need to decide what format your future store will be and estimate the amount of investment.

To open a small flower shop from scratch you will need about ten thousand dollars. You may be able to save money, but it’s still better to include exactly that amount in your expenses.

Calculate all the costs of starting a store and draw up a business plan. Having described the entire financial model of work, you can calculate how much goods need to be sold for the store to start making a profit. Assess whether sales can reach this level. Think about how you can cut costs and increase flower sales.

You also need to decide from the very beginning whether you will work as individual entrepreneur, or open a limited liability company. You can prepare legal documents yourself, or you can entrust this matter to professionals. It is better to trust a company that specializes in preparing documents for starting a business, especially since the difference in costs is quite small.

Once you have written a business plan and registered your company, you can begin searching for suitable premises and suppliers.

How to find a suitable premises

When searching for premises, it is important to have a good understanding of the so-called map of the trading area. It is preferable to open a store near a large business center; it is better if there are two or three of them nearby. This will attract corporate clients who often place large orders for large quantity employees. In this case, you won’t have to think about how to attract additional clients before the holidays. Several corporate orders can bring in as much profit as you make in an average month.

For a flower salon, a room with an area of eighteen to thirty square meters will be sufficient.

Plus, being close to a business center will mean more customers passing through your store each day. If people order your bouquets and arrangements for their companies because they like them, they will start ordering bouquets for themselves, for their wives, relatives, etc.

However, you need to take into account that renting premises located near a business center is much more expensive than renting in a residential area. And one more thing: it is always difficult to find a parking space near the business center.

But in any case, if you can rent a room in such a place, it is a great success, because the location of the salon at the intersection of many human flows is most advantageous. Life is in full swing work time, people buy more expensive bouquets for work-related occasions, but for themselves, as a rule, they buy something cheaper.

Of course, you can open a store in a residential area. You will benefit significantly from renting premises; moreover, if the residential area is very large, there will be a certain circle of regular buyers living in your area. But you need to pay attention to customer flows Special attention. The ideal option is to draw a map of the area before choosing a room, see where the school is located, where are the large stores, grocery centers, etc.

If there are any offices nearby, analyze which way people go to work and which way they go from work. Even if you have already rented a room, you will still need a trading map of the area. With its help you need to plan your future work.

Before renting a room, you need to pay attention to one more thing: important point. Consider whether your store will be easy for customers to find. If you rent premises in the courtyards, most likely you will have problems with the flow of clients. Of course, there will be regular customers, but you shouldn’t count on a continuous influx of new visitors. A beautifully decorated shop window on a thoroughfare street is best advertising for a flower shop.

Before opening the salon, the premises need to be renovated. There are a lot of interior magazines coming out now, where you can get a lot of ideas on how to make renovations. minimal means, even if the premises are in terrible condition.

How to choose suppliers

Now suppliers offer a very wide range. Flowers that ten years ago could only be seen in catalogs or that were brought only to order are today always available for free sale. There are many suppliers, you can choose those whose conditions are most suitable for you.

When you are just starting your business, it is better to choose suppliers who have minimum bulk purchases. This will make it possible to purchase goods more often and in small quantities. This way you can avoid buying expensive refrigeration equipment for storing flowers, and you can also determine which flowers sell better and which don’t sell as well.

What equipment will you need?

It is advisable to have a refrigerator in a flower shop, so when opening, you need to include its average cost in your expenses. At first, you can do without a refrigerator, because there are now a lot of flower supply companies, and you can buy flowers in small batches. While there are few orders, you will not need a refrigerator. But when your business is sufficiently developed, you will be able to afford a refrigerator, and you will need it.

But if you still decide to buy a refrigerator, you don’t need to place it inside the cabin, this makes an unpleasant impression on the buyer.

It is very important to properly equip your retail space. Even in the arrangement of colors there are many subtleties. You can arrange the flowers so that it visually seems like there are a lot of them. You need to be able to choose the assortment in such a way that the effect of volume is created in the salon. You will need racks and containers for flowers.

For organization normal operation At least one computer is required in the salon. A scanner, copier and fax are also needed, but they can be located at the store manager’s home, i.e., your own resources can be used to the maximum.

How to select staff

The ideal option is to hire four florists who will work in shifts. Two florists working one shift will be able to serve customers faster and fulfill more orders. Of course, you can start with two, but working alone is inconvenient. If the florist is alone in the store, he cannot go anywhere during the day. After all, he cannot close the store during his absence, so four employees is the most optimal number.

If it is not possible to hire so many employees at once, you can invite an assistant florist; his work is paid at least twice as cheap. An assistant may not work in the salon all day, but only during the time the manager is absent from the store. Students work in such positions with pleasure; they count and process flowers. You can invite assistants on weekends when store management is on vacation.

How to plan an assortment

It is necessary to carefully study the range of your competitors and understand what they are mainly selling. If some flowers are sold, it means that there is a demand for them, this must be taken into account. At the same time, there is no need to be afraid to bring something new to the business, make original offers to customers, always slightly exceed their expectations, offer more than others.

Walk around your area and see what your competitors are selling. This way you can understand what is in demand for what.

Each flower has its own lifespan and costs a certain amount of time. When a salon is just opening, you can only guess what flowers will be in demand, even if you have analyzed what your colleagues in the area are buying. Therefore, in the first months of work it is better to purchase flowers that last a long time. This will also ensure that your store is well stocked and will create the impression of abundance and a wide range. Anthurium remains fresh for a week, orchids last a very long time, especially cymbidium and dendrobium, phalaenopsis in flower pots can generally last for several months. Flowers in pots can be sold along with it, and cut for a bouquet. People willingly buy chrysanthemums both for home and as gifts, so chrysanthemums can also be purchased in large quantities. Also, the assortment must include roses and gerberas.

To start a flower shop, it is better to form a basic assortment of flowers that do not lose their presentation for a long time: anthurium, orchids, chrysanthemums.

It is very important to ensure that the assortment is wide not only in names, but also in color palette. You definitely need to buy flowers white. This White Rose, white chrysanthemums, white gerberas, white orchid. It’s more difficult with spring flowers; there must be tulips and daffodils.

Initially, you can sell bouquets in one range to see which colors will be in demand. It is also useful to come up with standard bouquets, decorated in a certain way, for a given amount, which will always be on sale. Gradually, as you build up a customer base, you will study demand, compare your sales with what flowers are sold by your competitors, and make adjustments to the cost of your bouquets and colors.

The assortment must include inexpensive indoor plants.

At first, when you are still limited in funds, you can purchase indoor plants that can be sold individually or used in combination with fresh flowers. There are many such plants. For example, variegated begonia looks impressive in bouquets; speciphylum gives good volume, which can last in a bouquet for several months. Bouquets that combine indoor plants and cut flowers always look very voluminous and expensive.

You can organize an exhibition of ready-made bouquets in the salon and make a special markup for each bouquet for the design.

It is very important to correctly arrange flowers in the salon. They should not be on the same level. In addition, when arranging, a smooth transition of color is of great importance. Let there be pink flowers next to the red ones. It is important to create the impression that there are many flowers. To do this, you can add additional indoor plants and branches; they provide volume and height. The arrangement should be stepped. You should also try to ensure that roses and any other flowers are the same length.

Selling flowers is a fairly popular activity. However, not everyone who tried to do this interesting business got the desired result. So is it profitable? And how to properly organize the work of your own flower shop so that it brings profit and not losses?

A flower shop is profitable!

Flowers are a product that is in great demand. According to statistics, their sales volume in Russia in 2012 amounted to more than $4 billion. And this is quite a considerable amount. Mostly imported products are sold. The average markup in a store ranges from 100 to 300%.

Of course, it is worth considering possible risks. After all, every business faces this. But a flower shop is a special business. The risks here are quite high. Flowers are a very capricious and finicky product. Weather changes, careless handling, various force majeure - all this can lead to their damage and significant financial losses.

Another enemy of flower shop products is time. After all, its shelf life is very short, and no one will buy wilted flowers. If you want to open such a store, then you will have to work very organized and efficiently. And in this case, your efforts will pay off, and the flower shop will become profitable.

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How to open a flower shop and organize its work

Before you open your flower business, analyze the market.

Choosing a location for a retail outlet is a very important decision that needs to be made without haste and wisely. Choose a place where there will always be large flows of people. This could be an area near a large metro station in the city center or the intersection of crowded streets near any entertainment establishments, office centers, etc. It is desirable that the place be easily accessible for both motorists and pedestrians. An additional advantage will be the ability to open outlet next to the civil registry office. Weddings take place every day, and thanks to this, the number of your clients will constantly grow.

In addition to the location, you will need to choose a room. The size of the average flower shop is about 30 square meters. m. This is the case if you want to sell not only flowers, but also related products (pots, fertilizers, etc.). If you do not have such an opportunity, then you can open a flower pavilion and limit yourself to 5-8 square meters. m.

As with starting any business, you need to register it. One of the most popular ways is to register as an individual entrepreneur. Select the desired tax system and prepare the documents necessary for registration. In addition to the standard package, you will need permission from the sanitary and epidemiological station and medical checkup personnel.

Be responsible when recruiting staff. Do not hire people who are far from the flower business. Search good specialists in floristry. It is desirable if they can not only show a document confirming the relevant education, but also have sufficient experience as florists. Your employees should not only be able to care for products and make flower arrangements, but also competently advise customers. If you plan to carry out flower delivery in addition to traditional sales, then you should take care of the staff who will deal with this. Choose responsible and polite couriers. As mentioned above, all of your employees should undergo a medical examination. Therefore, you should not hire people who have any problems with documents.

In order to do this, you will need to find suppliers. It is better if there are several of them, because working with only one is very risky. Some unforeseen circumstances may arise and you will have to slow down your business. Carefully inspect the products of potential suppliers. It should be fresh and without any blemishes.

Before opening a store, consider the product range. You should not immediately focus on too expensive and unusual types of flowers. To begin with, select the most popular products, and then replenish them, monitoring fluctuations in demand. Do not purchase too large quantities, even if it is the most popular product. After all, the average shelf life of flower products is about 20 days, and it is quite difficult to immediately calculate sales volumes.

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Equipment and decoration of a flower shop

You shouldn't skimp on equipment for your store. Even though it will cost you a pretty penny initially, the investment will pay off in the future. Lighting plays a special role. Consult with experts about which lamps are best to choose. Flowers perceive light differently than humans, and a certain range of radiation is useful for them. Besides, different types flowers prefer different temperatures. Therefore, it makes sense to install local heat sources.

An important element is climate control equipment and ventilation. The room should not be too cold or hot. This can have a detrimental effect on the safety of your products. Make sure the equipment can handle adjustments optimal level humidity. Don't forget to purchase a refrigerator for flowers. It will be difficult for you to live without it. You don’t have to buy too big to begin with and limit yourself to medium dimensions. If your room is small, then place the refrigerator as a display case. This way you will save space.

The idea of starting your own business has probably occurred to every person. And the flower trade is considered a relatively profitable business, because it’s hard to imagine the holidays without them. What is selling flowers? A business plan must take into account even the smallest details. So how to start trading and make it profitable?

Selling flowers: business plan

Of course, first you need to sort out some little things. In particular, you need to draw up an accurate and detailed business plan:

Research the sales market.
Choose a place to purchase goods.
Complete the necessary documents.
Find a place to rent.
Purchase necessary equipment and goods.
Hire staff.
Calculate the amount of starting capital.
Conduct an advertising campaign.

If you are interested in how to start selling flowers, then you should know that when creating any business, every little detail is important. This is the only way to make it truly profitable.

What documents are needed to trade plants?

It should be noted right away that a license to sell flowers is not required. Therefore, you just need to register in tax service either an LLC or an individual entrepreneur. Sole proprietorship is suitable for you if you intend to work exclusively with individuals. This option has some advantages, in particular a simplified system accounting, as well as lower taxes.

If you are not the sole owner of a store and plan to expand your business and cooperate with different companies, it is better to register a Limited Liability Company.

Where to rent a room?

If you are planning to start a flower selling business, you should know that the location of your store is extremely important. Therefore, it is best to rent a room somewhere in a busy place, for example, in the central part of the city, in a tourist area, in a shopping center, etc.

Naturally, premises in a busy area will cost more. But a favorable location largely determines the success of trade.

After all, quite often people buy flowers impulsively, without planning it in advance. Therefore, it is important that your store is on the path of a person who is going to purchase a beautiful bouquet.

As for the store itself, it is desirable that it be spacious. Then buyers will not have to crowd into a tiny room.

Try to arrange the flowers so that they are visible from anywhere in the store - this way the client will have the opportunity to independently choose the best plants.

What equipment do you need to get started?

As already mentioned, flowers are a product that quickly deteriorates. Therefore, you need to raise money in advance for the necessary equipment. After all, without it, selling flowers is simply impossible. The business plan should include the purchase of the following materials:

To begin with, you will need a refrigerator, since in the hot season it is important to keep the flowers fresh.

But in the winter months, the main threat to the product is cold. Therefore, you need to purchase a special thermal curtain.

A store full of flowers must have an air conditioning system, which will help create optimal temperature conditions at any time of the year.

Don’t forget about stands, tables for florists and other furniture necessary for creating bouquets of furniture.

Most likely, in addition to fresh-cut flowers, you will sell some other products - these will also require furniture, such as racks and shelves.

To preserve flowers, buckets, vases, sprayers and some other devices are needed.

By the way, make sure there is enough water in the store.

You will also need a cash register. By the way, as your business develops, when there are more and more regular customers, you will probably need a computer and a special software. They will facilitate the process of tracking sales, and also simplify the work of the accountant.

This is a list of basic purchases. You can buy the rest of the things you need for work after the store opens.

Basic consumables: what to buy?

Naturally, the main thing in your business is fresh, fresh-cut flowers. Today, their market in our country is sufficiently developed; only 45% of products come to us from abroad. You just need to find a company that grows or delivers flowers and draw up an agreement with it. By the way, many organizations use a flower franchise.

Many novice businessmen ask what plants to buy. According to statistical studies, roses are the most popular.

Chrysanthemums take second place, and carnations take third place. Therefore, these flowers must be present in your store’s assortment.

Naturally, you can purchase almost any plants that are useful for creating bouquets. And don’t forget about the so-called seasonal ones - for several weeks (or even days) a year, snowdrops, anemones and tulips become especially popular.

Of course, selling flowers is a profitable business. But in order to increase your income, you should think about creating compositions. For this purpose, it is best to hire an experienced, talented florist. He will create original bouquets from ordinary flowers - compositions are usually more expensive. In this case, you will need some materials: gift wrapping, paper, ribbons, bows, rhinestones and other decorations.

By the way, selling flowers in pots is interesting and profitable idea. Such plants are more expensive, but with proper care they can be preserved for months. In addition, indoor flowers are popular gifts because, unlike cut flowers, they do not fade.

We hire workers

A flower selling business can become truly successful, but only if the right approach. It's no secret that the effectiveness of trading largely depends on the quality of service. Therefore, when interviewing future employees, first of all pay attention to such qualities as communication skills and politeness.

To begin with, you will need a seller, and a little later, a florist. If you cannot do accounting, you will have to hire someone for this position (perhaps on a part-time basis). Additional staff may be needed when expanding a business such as selling flowers. The business plan in this case has its own characteristics.

About some nuances

As already mentioned, the sale of plants is often seasonal. Naturally, people buy bouquets every day, but there are times when flowers are in great demand.

This is mainly observed on special and holiday days, for example, the first and last call, prom, March 8 (don't forget to buy tulips, snowdrops and other spring flowers), as well as Valentine's Day, etc.

Always be prepared for such holidays, buy more flowers, create inexpensive bouquets in advance, and offer discounts. In short, do everything to attract customers.

Weddings are another source of good income. Let your florist create bouquets for the bride. Boutonnieres for the groom and bridesmaids made from fresh flowers are becoming increasingly popular - offer this service as well.

Ideas for additional income

Selling cut flowers and original bouquets is a profitable business. But business, and therefore profits, can always be increased by new level. For example, over time you can create a flower delivery service. This service is very popular among people who do not have time to go shopping, as well as among buyers who want to surprise a loved one.

Along with indoor plants, you can always sell pots, fertilizers and other small items. Quite often, flower shops offer customers souvenirs. These can be figurines, boxes, photo frames, paintings, watches, artificial flowers and other gifts.

Selling flowers: advantages and disadvantages

When you start a new business, it's always a little scary. Therefore, many people are interested in the question of whether it is profitable to sell flowers. Yes, there are a number of significant disadvantages in this matter. To begin with, it should be noted that flowers are a product that deteriorates relatively quickly, so if the trade is not very successful, losses can be quite high. And the flower business is seasonal.

On the other hand, there are also important advantages. In particular, some stores sell flowers with a markup of 200 or even 300%. In addition, such a business does not require large start-up capital, any specific skills or extensive experience. With the right approach, selling flowers can become a truly profitable business.