Canadian prom corsage prices.....is there a difference?

[lil_goldie]

Hi Everyone, (good to be back, btw)
I'm reading some prom postings and am truly baffled by the numbers.
Ricky, you said that you increased a shop's corsage to an average of $45 from $25??
Is this just an American thing, for corsages to be so expensive?
In my small town (45 000) our average for a corsage is like $10
Our prices are as follows:
Single rose - $10
3 mini carns - $8
single denbrob - $10
3 or 4 dendrob - $13
wristlet - add $1

people always say "it's THAT much for a corsage? (meaning, too expensive)" and "can't you make it any smaller???"

But girls in the states always seem to want them huge and glittery.
Does anyone else have this problem?

 

[Rhonda]

Chantelle, I'm small town here and I get
plain velcro wristlet - mini carns (usually 3 blooms) $15.00 ----- spray roses (4 -5 blooms depending on size) $18.50
each one has wristlet, ribbon, tulle puffs (small not overpowering just for "fluff") and baby's breath or similar filler.
It's like pulling teeth to get them to spend more for bling here. Only one Mom has spent for rhinestone bracelets in 2 years.
I went to velcro two years ago because I was tired of the Moms saying their sons date was "petite" "tiny" and the elastic bands were too large. If the elastic bands are too large, so are the rhinestone bracelets and the Fitz bracelets (my wrists swim in the Fitz bracelets)

And if I did do dendrobs, they'd be $25 to cover the cost of buying a bunch and pray for other orders/sales to get rid of them.

 

[KABERS]

Chantelle, it's so great to have you back! I don't know how you can charge so little. They are labor intense, product specific, and packaging costs... not to mention aggravation fee.
My town is only 25,000.
our wrist corsages average $25.00, last year we used a lot of the snap wristlets, this year i'm going for the fitz bracelets and pushing "it's jewelry"
USA girls like them small too, but do love the glitz.
I hope you're using the oasis glue, cuz boy is that faster than wiring.
I love Cory's (from Fitz) idea to have a board with all the add -on bling and bracelets individually priced.so the kids know "up front" $
And I don't feel guilty for charging more.

 

[anytimeflowers]

Single Rose Corsage - $10
3 mini carns - $13
single dendrob - $10
3 dendrob - $15
wristlet - add $5

Our "standard" wrist corsage is 3 sweetheart roses, BB, ruscus, and a bow or ribbon tufts. $22

LABOR - if I get any flak about the cost, I always always point out that although a corsage may seem expensive, they are very labor intensive. Memorize that phrase. Nobody will work for free. Don't get into any arguments or anything, but that time adds up.

Extras - we add a lot of "bling" to prom corsages, whether it be gems, tulle, more than one type of ribbon, wire embellishments, etc. It all carries an added charge. We did not get it for free, and there is labor on top of that. You just need to remain pleasant but firm.

Hope that helps!
Linda

 

[Sarah Botchick]

I have been going thru a lot of old prom threads on here (man were there some good ones last year.) The one idea that keeps hitting me over the head that I missed is to sell the BRACELET (JEWELRY) first, then the bling, THEN the flowers. Girls (in general) are used to spending some money on jewelry - spending money on flowers is a whole new experience for them and is a little intimidating (and possibly a "waste" of money in their minds.) Girls, even from a very young age "get" jewelry. Cory from Fitz talks about how his little girl who is 3 goes thru his sample bags and tries on the bracelets. We gave one of our salesmen a sample packet of the bracelets. His ten year old daughter, who doesn't care much about all the flowers he brings home, was in love with the bracelets! When you are selling the keepsake bracelet corsage you are selling JEWELRY and MEMORIES in addition to just flowers. Doing that might help you be able to charge a little more.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

I have been going thru a lot of old prom threads on here (man were there some good ones last year.) The one idea that keeps hitting me over the head that I missed is to sell the BRACELET (JEWELRY) first, then the bling, THEN the flowers. Girls (in general) are used to spending some money on jewelry - spending money on flowers is a whole new experience for them and is a little intimidating (and possibly a "waste" of money in their minds.) Girls, even from a very young age "get" jewelry. Cory from Fitz talks about how his little girl who is 3 goes thru his sample bags and tries on the bracelets. We gave one of our salesmen a sample packet of the bracelets. His ten year old daughter, who doesn't care much about all the flowers he brings home, was in love with the bracelets! When you are selling the keepsake bracelet corsage you are selling JEWELRY and MEMORIES in addition to just flowers. Doing that might help you be able to charge a little more.

Amen Sister!

FIRST sell the bracellet..I can't remember if I already posted some pics from my first prom or if I only put them on face book. Anyhoo... may average was about $30, most expensive was about $45.

I don't really think it has much to do with "bling" though. And like always I have my reasons.
Albuquerque and Durango are nght and day! Durango is nuts and berries, Albuquerque is flashy and glittery (for the most part) We aren't talking NYC or Orange County mind you, but for sure leaps and bounds more "sparkley" than Durango.
However I think Durango people are very cosmopolitan non-the-less. My average price for a corsage in Durango was about $40. Rarely would they contain bling or glitter!
I think it just had to do with what people will buy.

But with that said, Bettina use to get no more than $17 for wrist corsages. And that was just last year.

My suggestion to you is this, (and BTW, I actually did this this year at the new shop I'm working for)

Make up some silk samples. I did "old school" and "modern" I sold more modern ones than old school.
People are visual, they need to actually see what the heck the difference is.

That black wire butterfly corsage was $45. The double lavender rose with the swatch of fabric was $25. The red orchid with the silver cuff was $35. The white mini cym with melon colored spray roses was the most expensive bout I sold, It was $27.

 

[RWK]

Ok Chantelle - I have a few tips for you to 'up' the price of your corsages and bouts - First and foremost.........They need to LOOK the part. If you are going to charge the high dollars, then they need to have the visual value that accompanies that look.

Now, How do you showcase that ? - You create THREE corsage styles......in permanent botanicals.......USING EXACTLY THE SAME FLOWERS AND COLORS FOR ALL OF THEM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let's say for the sake of illustration you have selected 5 white miniature roses, 3 dendrobium orchid blooms, and 1 stem of babys breath IN PERMANENT BOTANICALS. Those flowers are in each of the three sample corsages you will make.

The first corsage would be a simple ribbon with ivy leaves and the wristlet..........no bling, no net, no lace, no accessories at all. That is your basic, your least expensive style.
The next corsage ( same exact flowers and number ) - has a fancy ribbon, a modest amount of accessories ( say a jewel bracelet, or a couple rhinstone sprays and pearl strands, a touch of netting or lace......Nothing elaborate.......Just accents of the bling and fancy stuff. THis is the middle price range sample.
The last corsage ( same exact flowers and quantity )........has all the accessories, the jewels, the glitter, that style, all the fancy stuff in abundance......this is your high end styling.

In selling........ONCE YOU NAIL DOWN THE FLOWERS AND COLORS..........THEN YOU SHOW THE SAMPLES, explain the differences......( playing up the fancier ones and downplaying the plainer ones ) and ask them which style they like best.......and YOUR RECOMMENDATION as to WHICH STYLE best fits the chracter of the gown.

Sell the Boutonniere to MATCH.........AT THE SAME TIME YOU SELL THE CORSAGE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The bout can have the level of BLING that the corsage can have.........just in a more modest application.

_________________________________________________________

Now, just a few resources to help you - First of all - Look for a copy of Debra De La Flor AIFD's book "Florsages" - That will help you to visuallize how to create a true mini-masterpeice. Secondly - Secure some copies of the John Henry Prom books........Practice making the designs showcased.
Lastly, to help you build your selling confidence............Find and join a branch of an organization called 'Toastmasters' - This is an organization of people in all walks of life who do public speaking engagements.......they meet and PRACTICE their skills WITH EACH OTHER. They will guide you in the most effective ways to verbally present your corsage products and how to extoll the benefits of buying the bling and the stuff and how to suggestively sell the stuff and how to put the image of the memories in their minds.

HTH

 

[Palms]

I am just getting more into this as well. I intend on having a standard and deluxe range. This always helps with pricing structures.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

Oh I also forgot to mention-

No self respectling girl would be caught dead in a pin on corsage in either Durango, Albuquerque, really anywhere I've worked.

Also, I also never use tulle anymore. AND I keep being told "you don't use those fake leaves do you?" and also I hear over and over "No babies breath"

I swear I'm telling the truth!

 

[RWK]

Therein lies a huge difference...........Regional preferences do play a part. Here in our area.....Tulle/Net is seen as a fashionable accessory .......... the satin leaves.......are seen as fashion forward accents..........and baby's breath is still used a lot. Whereas the kids in Shannon's area would undoubtedly see the same thing and think 'OMG how tacky and gross' - regional mindsets and differences do play a huge part.

Even with the 'old-fashioned' accessories........the kids here don't view that as 'old' - Make sure you keep and LEARN your regional taste levels. that can guide you a lot.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

Hey Ricky- Do you guys over there do the wire corsages much?

How about arm or shoe or purse corsages?

Do ya'll do mostly wrist or pin on?

 

[RWK]

The arm, shoe, purse decorations are catching on here...............wrist overwhelmingly over pin-on..............I glue, others i have worked with still wire. However, I still will use a wired bloom if the particular design merits it.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

The arm, shoe, purse decorations are catching on here...............wrist overwhelmingly over pin-on..............I glue, others i have worked with still wire. However, I still will use a wired bloom if the particular design merits it.

I will never understand how people are quicker at gluing than tape and wire.

I can do a 2- 3 bloom old school wrist corsage in about 7-10 minutes,,,boxed up and all! The thing that takes the longest is waiting for the crowning glory to dry. So it takes anbout 7-10 mins to make the corsage, then I spray it down, then set it aside, and about 30 minutes later box it up.

When I used to hot glue with pan glue that was sort of faster than oasis glue. But honestly I make the wire backs at home while I watch TV. I can make about 10 simple ones an hour...Just the base. But then it takes about 20 minutes to glue all the stuff together. I cover my mechanics really well, such as I will take 2 isralie ruscus leaves and glue them together with the wire in the middle...and ya gotta wait for that to dry....
And I will do that about 4 times on a typical base, then you have to glue all the other stuff...It always looks cool, it just takes me FOREVER!

 

[Victoria]

Chantelle... not enough money for your efforts, even in small town Ontario.

V

 

[DFlorist]

Our base prices are 21.50 for a wrist corsage, and 19.50 for a pin on.

I'm thinking of raising the prices a bit. We'll see how the prom season starts off...

 

[lil_goldie]

Thank you all for the tips,
We use the old, ugly, elastic waistband wristlet thing.
I'm just nervous with the Fitz line. Our corsages are already labelled as too expensive.
Maybe once people see the jewellery they might change their mind.

Two other shops in town just undercut the crap out of us. It's ridiculous.
3.50 for a carnation bout, $5 for a carnation corsage for instance......
how can I compete with that??

I guess by upping our line into Fitz or something more fancy.
What are the snap bracelets and velcro bracelets? I have never seen them.

 

[Victoria]

Chantelle... the undercutting shops will eventually undercut themselves out of business. Remaining current and providing quality product and service is the key to success in my opinion.

I must apologise as well, I posted the Oasis link in the wrong spot... brain freeze.

V

 

[RWK]

How can you compete with that Chantelle - I can answer that in one word " INDIVIDUALITY "

You should know her design style, her skills, her staff's skills, their skill level. You should do what she cannot......you should do what she will not.

If that carnation bout is 3.50 - then let it be 3.50.

You are building a prom business........You will have some faltering steps........but if you stay with it, you can rule your town and become the go to place for wild, crazy, cool, prom flowers that the kids love.