A quote from Real Simple magazine

[Pandalou]

Trim your budget by making small nosegays from supermarket flowers. They’re perfect for the moms of honor or flower girls. See our step-by-step instructions:

I don't subscribe to this magazine but something I was looking at redirected me to their website. :boggles:

 

[sandytf]

A lot of magazines point people in the direction of the grocery stores for simple arrangements they can do themselves. It shouldn't be surprising since Real Simple is a magazine that gives pointers on saving money. Actually, most mags I read these days do the same-its the chic thing to do!

 

[CHR]

Sandy's right, Sharon.

Many, many articles are suggesting grocery stores for DIY flowers to save money. It's frustrating, but as we know, their unarranged blooms can be significantly less than B & M shops.

One of the markets here is running 1 Dz 40 cm roses for $7.99 right now and 18 50cms for $18.99. They're not great, but they're really, really cheap.

Our local Trader Joe's just tripled its indoor flower display area and it was loaded with orchids and mixed bouquets. The mixed bunches were in unusually poor condition yesterday, but the orchid plants - as low as $9.99 - were gorgeous.

Even then, we still sold a few double spike Phal plants today (nicely appointed) for $100 each. Different market, different need.....

 

[cherrie]

Sometimes, I buy those supermarket $9.99 orchids, add some moss, and a butterfly and resale for $29.99. Is that bad???

 

[marigold]

I go shopping for groceries on Sunday, my day off, (yea, right), and my shop is aclosed.
I go to the market and I am the only one without flowers or a plant in my
buggy.
I really want to get up the guts to put bundles of flowers into my cart
and just stroll up and down the aisle and get a load of peoples reaction
to the local florist shopping for groceries and buying her flowers from
the grocery store! Ok, it was just a thought....
What I really do, is wonder why they are buying from the market and not
from a florist. Some are my customers, some I am sure have no idea I
exist.
The flowers are nice...they must of just come in, but, really, the prices
are not all that great. Many times it is just how they bundle them up.
so, 3 sunflowers are in cello and sell for $8.99, or $2.99 each.
I sell the same sized sunflowers for $2.25 each.
I think it is just the convenence. The customers do not expect much more
than a few days from the market flowers, but buy them because they are
right there. Just like they buy more strawberries than they need, because
they are sold in bulk and they just keep filling up the bag, and , they are
there.
It bothers me sometimes. But, I have to realize this is a completely different market. I still sell flowers, I still sell designs and I sell service.
I just try to create an experience for them that they do not get at the
grocery stores.

 

[RWK]

Well, I realize this is not the case always, but we have a store here.......part of a chain of high-end grocery stores called "The Fresh Market" and not just one time......but EVERY SINGLE TIME I go IN that store......the flowers are always fresh, beautiful, fantastic quality, and this is the most unique part......the floral dept is positioned right at the front door area as you go in.....You pass through the flowers to get to the other areas of the store.

Prices are not super cheap, but not super expensive either...a bundle of 12 60cm roses ( no 40's in stock ) was 18.99. and I kid you not, these roses were prettier/heads were larger/stems and leaves greener and in pristine condition.....that I bought them, took them home......and they lasted 12 days.

I had also been to the local whoesaler and saw what they had in stock......and the quality at the grocery store SURPASSED the wholesaler.

 

[Victoria]

Cherrie... it's not bad, it's smart.

V

 

[sandytf]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. A LOT of grocery stores have REALLY nice flowers! (including ours!)

Why wouldn't they buy from the grocery store? They're convenient, inexpensive, and in a lot of cases-great quality. Actually, I would argue that we have better quality than a lot of florists because we turn our product more often. With the amount of traffic in a grocery store, you can turn over product in 2 or 3 days. I call that a good value. Almost all of our cash and carry bouquets are in a sleeve that states there is a 5 day guarantee. I think this takes away some of the apprehension that customers have of buying flowers and thinking they won't last. Of course, most of our bouquets last much longer than that.

It's true not all stores have the best selection or quality-but neither do all florists. I would say that most upscale grocery stores have good quality. The stores that have a little cooler or a few buckets tend to have the worst quality (in my opinion) because they don't have any dedicated floral associates-just someone from the produce dept. who really isn't knowledgable.

Grocery store flowers fill a niche for people who want to enjoy flowers, but don't need or care about 'design'.

I see a lot of posts on FC that put down grocery stores and wonder why anyone would buy from them. To categorically dismiss all grocery stores as having below standard quality is a dangerous assumption to make. It shows a lack of understanding of your competition. I think it's more productive to accept that many grocery stores are REAL competition and think of ways to differentiate yourselves from them. I suggest going to all of your local grocery stores, Sam's Clubs, Costcos, etc and buying some flowers and seeing how they last. You may be surprised!

I'll get off my soapbox now, but sometimes I feel the need to point out that there is a reason why the supermarket end of the floral industry is the growing one.

 

[BOSS]

Sometimes, I buy those supermarket $9.99 orchids, add some moss, and a butterfly and resale for $29.99. Is that bad???

Naw... I too have been known to get them, and in fact have a couple in my living room at home.

I mean, local wholesale 4" are $16.95 for Phals, at the Krogiere I can get beautiful 6" in Terracotta clay pots in 5-7 varieties for $12-14.95...

 

[OB1]

Me too.
It just proves that the only way a professional florist can be successful is to offer something different. No plain 6" phals here...they have to be dressed and potted etc. Our roses cannot be wrapped with 3 stems of leather like at costco...they must be way better...even though the blooms themselves may be the same, the bouquet must be different. And three things we can offer that the others can't are full service with a creative helpful staff, creative design concepts, and a unquestionable guarantee.
There has always been competition, and hopefully there always will be....we just have to understand who our competition is, and how we can provide more than them so that we are the "go to" people when the occasion arises.
There are always 6 places to buy flowers in my little town of only 1000 people.
I just have to remember that I must offer more.
I don't worry about that too much, because there is only one place to buy Mill Street Flowers, and that's from ME!!!
So I have to always offer something different, something better, and something more.
If we all remember to keep these things in mind, we will succeed.

 

[Sarah Botchick]

A couple months ago one of the grocery store chains sent all of its "preferred" customers a coupon for a dozen free roses. Of course my mom took her coupon in and got her free roses. They were gorgeous and lasted an extremely long time. Just further proof that sometimes grocery stores can have good quality.

 

[Pandalou]

Thank you all for your input. I agree with you all, I think it just got to me that day. I had visions of a bride in her bridal gown picking up BB and
a bouquet (yuck). This summer/economy has been hard and it was the straw :wallhead:
Sharon

 

[SpringCity]

I have to realize this is a completely different market. I still sell flowers, I still sell designs and I sell service.
I just try to create an experience for them that they do not get at the grocery stores.

That's it right there! You can get a cheeseburger at a fast food place and you can get one at a nicer restaurant. What is the difference? Ambience, service, quality of ingredients. Some people will never set foot in that nice place but many will. Same w/flower shops. Oh and I have a customer who does buy his "everyday" flowers at the grocery store and uses me for anniversaries, birthdays, holidays. My challenge is to try to get him to know he can get his everyday stuff from me too.

 

[marigold]

Grocery store or not, I am a firm believer that competition only makes you
better.