After reading a few pages on the wireservice thread and seeing all of the doom and gloom I am scared to death. Do you people with long experience in the industry think it is not a good idea to open a new flower shop. After reading some of the posts I have a feeling that it is inevitable that flower shops are swiftly being phased out. Is there not a good living to be made any longer. My wife made the decision that WS's are a waste of time and money and we are not going to use them. Opinions are much appreciated.
Doom and Gloom Has Me Nervous
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BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
I can imagine that for someone new to the industry, reading the years of posts here might sound that way. Personally I feel the industry has a very bright future, bt that it'll take some work, and answers to some HARD questions to return the balance of power to the REAL Florists.
Keep in mind, much of what you read here has very little to do with Real Florists, especially in the Order Gatherer and Wire service threads. They are designed to impart information to educate each of us to the pit falls, and to help spread the word about whats going on in our beloved industry.
You may want to look in on another site www.floristdetective.com for information on some of the goings on in the dark areas of order gathering among other things of interest.
Many of us have been here for years, many of us are working on trying to return some semblence of credibility to the industry, and we will succeed, it's simply a matter of time.
I think your wife was correct, I do not feel a brand new shop should be in a WS...ANY wire service in the beginning. Wait and see how many requests you get for out of town orders. If it's only a hand full, take the order, Google a Real Florist in the recipients city and send the order on your credit card, generally most florists will be glad to give you 20% this way. After time, 6 months to a year, re-evaluate your position, keeping in mind that in 8 months you will have gone thru a full cycle of Holidays...then and only then decide.
If you'd like to chat, send me a PM, and I'll send you a phone number after this weekends over...just so you know, I have 34 years in myself, and am Third Generation in a biz thats been here 57 years...town of 48,000.
mark
Keep in mind, much of what you read here has very little to do with Real Florists, especially in the Order Gatherer and Wire service threads. They are designed to impart information to educate each of us to the pit falls, and to help spread the word about whats going on in our beloved industry.
You may want to look in on another site www.floristdetective.com for information on some of the goings on in the dark areas of order gathering among other things of interest.
Many of us have been here for years, many of us are working on trying to return some semblence of credibility to the industry, and we will succeed, it's simply a matter of time.
I think your wife was correct, I do not feel a brand new shop should be in a WS...ANY wire service in the beginning. Wait and see how many requests you get for out of town orders. If it's only a hand full, take the order, Google a Real Florist in the recipients city and send the order on your credit card, generally most florists will be glad to give you 20% this way. After time, 6 months to a year, re-evaluate your position, keeping in mind that in 8 months you will have gone thru a full cycle of Holidays...then and only then decide.
If you'd like to chat, send me a PM, and I'll send you a phone number after this weekends over...just so you know, I have 34 years in myself, and am Third Generation in a biz thats been here 57 years...town of 48,000.
mark
Don't be afraid, just be aware. You are already ahead of the game by finding this place (forum). My best advice to you as a new florist opening in this day and time is to keep your eyes WIDE open, ears fully open along with your mind. Perception and logically breaking that info down has made all the difference for me. Oh, btw, come this Feb, we'll have been in business at our retail shop for 4 years, so we are pretty new.
I still study the man who buys the flowers at Safeway.. his shoes, his car, his movement, everything. In every waking minute of the day I try to learn from what I see or hear AND how it relates to what I am doing at my shop, or could be doing - wrong or right.
If you aren't growing, you are dieing... and that statement has nothing to do with money or anything material like the size of your shop or numbers of employees.
I still study the man who buys the flowers at Safeway.. his shoes, his car, his movement, everything. In every waking minute of the day I try to learn from what I see or hear AND how it relates to what I am doing at my shop, or could be doing - wrong or right.
If you aren't growing, you are dieing... and that statement has nothing to do with money or anything material like the size of your shop or numbers of employees.
BOSS, boy do you have alot to learn...
BOSS, what makes you think that florists out here are just willing to give anyone who claims they are a florist, a 20% commission. Why not be honest with these people for a change. If any new florist who is smart enough to NOT join the WS, they should also be prepared to call out their orders on a CC and live off a sending fee, not any 20% commission. Many of the people even on this board have already said they are not going to give any commission to anyone who isn't a member of THEIR team. That's OK because that new florist also doesn't have to give any discount to anyone calling them either. It is much easier that way and besides, why would any of you try to convince a new florist that getting into any 20-80 program has any advantage for them??
BOSS said:
BOSS, what makes you think that florists out here are just willing to give anyone who claims they are a florist, a 20% commission. Why not be honest with these people for a change. If any new florist who is smart enough to NOT join the WS, they should also be prepared to call out their orders on a CC and live off a sending fee, not any 20% commission. Many of the people even on this board have already said they are not going to give any commission to anyone who isn't a member of THEIR team. That's OK because that new florist also doesn't have to give any discount to anyone calling them either. It is much easier that way and besides, why would any of you try to convince a new florist that getting into any 20-80 program has any advantage for them??
Well - you're way further along than many existing flower shops because you're interesting in knowing what you don't know. 
Doom and Gloom? There's some serious reasons for concern but I think you'll find plenty of stories here about florists successfully competing in their chosen niches. As has been said before, the floral business is not monolithic. 'Florist' is such a general term - ranging from small boutiques to giant chains and everything in between. What works for one, doesn't work for all.
My best advice is to focus on marketing and the financial side of the business. Understand your costs in people, product and overhead and use your financial resources wisely.
Too many florists think the primary elements of success are simply great designs and wonderful service. They are important - but before you can design and deliver, you have to sell. And after you design and deliver, you have to remind customers you're there so they continue to think of your business for all their flower and gift-giving needs.
The fact they your families have been active in your community can be a big plus. ( It can also make you the big new target for donation requests, but you'll figure that out soon enough. LOL)
If you're scared, you're smart.
Doom and Gloom? There's some serious reasons for concern but I think you'll find plenty of stories here about florists successfully competing in their chosen niches. As has been said before, the floral business is not monolithic. 'Florist' is such a general term - ranging from small boutiques to giant chains and everything in between. What works for one, doesn't work for all.
My best advice is to focus on marketing and the financial side of the business. Understand your costs in people, product and overhead and use your financial resources wisely.
Too many florists think the primary elements of success are simply great designs and wonderful service. They are important - but before you can design and deliver, you have to sell. And after you design and deliver, you have to remind customers you're there so they continue to think of your business for all their flower and gift-giving needs.
The fact they your families have been active in your community can be a big plus. ( It can also make you the big new target for donation requests, but you'll figure that out soon enough. LOL)
If you're scared, you're smart.
Mikey the Flower Guy
It's a GREAT DAY to live, and love!
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DO what was "once" done this/that "way"....
and you will be doomed from the start!!
I know some very successful "NEWBIE" florists that are in this business LESS than 3 years, and are building EXTREMELY well regarded businesses, because they took the time to be "afraid" of the failures of complete, and due diligence!
This is a tremendous industry, FULL OF PEOPLE that have NO BUSINESS being here, and NO BUSINESS "sharing" their trade secrets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Listen and watch for the "leaders" on this board...emulate successful business people, and you WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
Emulate those that say MANY WORDS, that have NO CONTEXT, and you will FAIL in ANY BUSINESS!!
The florist industry is still strong, is still exciting, is still rewarding, and is STILL LOOKING for florist owners to run their businesses like just that...do THAT, MAKE PEOPLE know who you are, and your florist shop will succeed, and is NOT for the faint of heart
Have multiple "plans" in place...if you can't "RUN" right away...walk...crawl if you have to...just don't stop moving in spite of all the "obstacles" and "naysayers" that'll throw anything in your path...just to prove you COULDN'T start AND grow your newest business!!
Good luck......
and you will be doomed from the start!!
I know some very successful "NEWBIE" florists that are in this business LESS than 3 years, and are building EXTREMELY well regarded businesses, because they took the time to be "afraid" of the failures of complete, and due diligence!
This is a tremendous industry, FULL OF PEOPLE that have NO BUSINESS being here, and NO BUSINESS "sharing" their trade secrets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Listen and watch for the "leaders" on this board...emulate successful business people, and you WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
Emulate those that say MANY WORDS, that have NO CONTEXT, and you will FAIL in ANY BUSINESS!!
The florist industry is still strong, is still exciting, is still rewarding, and is STILL LOOKING for florist owners to run their businesses like just that...do THAT, MAKE PEOPLE know who you are, and your florist shop will succeed, and is NOT for the faint of heart
Have multiple "plans" in place...if you can't "RUN" right away...walk...crawl if you have to...just don't stop moving in spite of all the "obstacles" and "naysayers" that'll throw anything in your path...just to prove you COULDN'T start AND grow your newest business!!
Good luck......
SUPEREAGLE43 said:
My advice, for what it's worth? Be afraid. Be VERY afraid. I'd rate your chances of survival, if you were going into an established shop and you had prior knowledge and experience at pretty low. Starting from scratch, I'd rate your chances of survival at just about ZERO. I sure wouldn't want to do it now. And I think most credible statistics on the subject would back me up.
Prior to 2002, when the economy headed into the tank, the survivability rate for new businesses (not just florists) was horrible. Most, according to government figures, didn't survive 2 years, and that was in times much better than now. I doubt if anybody in government is interested in letting anybody know what the figures on that would be now.
Closer to home, we're approaching 15 years in the business. We cover several small mountain resort towns and the areas surrounding them. We built up to 3 stores and, when the economy started to tank, we circled our wagons, dumped our baggage, sliced off our fat, went back to basics, and consolidated into just a filling center. And that's probably the biggest reason why we're still around and 11 others that were here when we started aren't.
During the time we've been here, I've seen more than a 15 or 20 attempts to start new florist operations from scratch within our delivery area. I believe two of them may still be around but that's only because one of them only jumped into it recently and hasn't had time to run out of money, yet. The other runs the florist operation as an afterthought to a landscaping operation sales yard and the florist operation is part time.
During that same period of time, and particularly in recent years, I've seen at least 11 shops that were here when we started go out of business. Some of them had been multi-generation shops with a lot of experience and were very well established. What happened? The times changed and they didn't? I don't know. I was too busy trying to survive my own mistakes to analyze theirs.
During the past 6 months, I've seen 2 major wholesalers who serve our area call it quits. I'm told that another big and long established one has announced that they'll end operations by the end of the year.
So, yeah, between the statistics that are probably available if you dig deep enough and what I am seeing and have seen as a trend in my area and around the country, I don't think I'd advise you to spend any money you can't afford to lose on this venture. And, above all, don't rack up any debt, either to get into it or to operate it, if you decide to go ahead with it. PAY AS YOU GO ! ! ! And the moment you run out of the money you've allocated to put into it and try it, SHUT IT DOWN ! ! ! Do NOT dig yourself a DEEPER HOLE ! ! !
I agree with your wife on the WS issue. If one of them offers you one of those freebie deals which will give you access to some of their non wire service products and services, that might be of benefit. But I'd sure not put any money into any of them at this point in time as a new shop. There was a time when you could get yourself a cooler and a phone line, hang a sign, and use wire service business to start up and build a new flower shop. I know. We did it with two of our stores. But those days, I'm afraid, are gone and never to return. I doubt if it would be possible to do that now.
I do believe that the "handwriting" is on the wall for the retail floral industry. It is rapidly being taken over by the "big boxes" and "direct shippers". Florists like to argue over Order Gatherer/Wire Service issues. But I believe those are rapidly becoming non-issues. I believe that when the smoke clears, the Big Boxes and maybe the Direct Shippers will have captured most of the floral market share. I don't know who'll win the battle between those two, but I'm willing to bet that it won't make much difference to real stand alone florists. Cause they, along with the wire service operators and order gatherers that helped to kill them, will be long gone into history . . . along with the corner grocery store, neighborhood barber shop, and the milkman and butter and egg man.
But that's just my long (or maybe not so long) range opinion based on what I've observed in other industries, as well as this one.
And one final observation. Everybody likes to give advice. Some of it might work for you and some of it might not. Listen all you can but do your own thinking and remember that some of the advice you're going to get may have an agenda behind it that's not necessarily in your best interest.
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
Griff said:
I left that wide open for discussion, just for you Sir...thank you for chiming in to give SuperEagle this perspective....personally I would give the 20% in my store....but I'm an *Old Dog* trying to learn new tricks...
I did get the message you called, been hectic here, will try to call today...if all goes well....
Gloom
While checking some of the online floral directories and TFTD Find A Florists to see who in town has websites, I counted 5 existing flower shops in your town. Is this correct? How large is you town or how large is the community your are servicing?
SUPEREAGLE43 said:
While checking some of the online floral directories and TFTD Find A Florists to see who in town has websites, I counted 5 existing flower shops in your town. Is this correct? How large is you town or how large is the community your are servicing?
LORRIE
New Member
JUST started our 4th year here. The 1st year was all red ink but since then we have doubled our sales each year. We have put every penny of profit back into the business and I have not yet taken a paycheck. We too started with no debt as the shop was funded by my savings. I believe that this year we will do well enough for me to get paid. Our operation is a bit different than most since we are a theraputic shop and a good bit of time is spent working with people with disabilities. The things that I wish I knew when we opened are: 1. how to buy product as well as we do now 2. that there was a floist forum(flowerchat and others) available 3. the wire services are not there to help. We jumped in with TEl to start, then FTD and added 1800. It has been a nightmare getting that mess under control and believe me I still work at pulling the plug everyday. Your wife is right!
I feel optomistic about the future of this shop at this point. We try all kinds of things just to see what works for us. Each market is so unique that what works for my friend across town may not work here. My suggestion is to be very aware of what is going on around you-read everything- Flowerchat , the magazines (floral managment) join your local florist association and keep an open mind to change.
Best of Luck- you are in for a very interesting and exciting adventure!
I feel optomistic about the future of this shop at this point. We try all kinds of things just to see what works for us. Each market is so unique that what works for my friend across town may not work here. My suggestion is to be very aware of what is going on around you-read everything- Flowerchat , the magazines (floral managment) join your local florist association and keep an open mind to change.
Best of Luck- you are in for a very interesting and exciting adventure!
12BucksFor2Dozon
New Member
I'll guess I'll stick my big fat mouth into this discussion...
We have been open for 2.5 years, so we are *still* very much in the start-up phase of this business (expect start-up to last at least 4 years). We take home $100 a week...the rest goes back into the ravenous jaws of our shop. We work 6 days a week. Our niche is weddings...very lucrative but probably the most labor intensive aspect of the flower business. Our sales are very good and word of mouth is excellent. We get 3-5 brides a week coming in now saying "I simply *must* have Stephanie to do my flowers". We are being featured in the local newspaper regularly.
My advice for a start-up as someone who is still bloody from the whole process? KEEP THE BUSINESS SIDE OF IT VERY VERY TIGHT! As someone else mentioned, just focusing on "artistic" arrangements and customer service will *not* manage your money through the seasonal swings that this business is about. We are still learning this lesson and paying the price for the feast-or-famine aspect of owning a florist. Do as many marketing gimmicks as possible. HAVE A GRAND OPENING!!! If you don't have a real large marketing budget (but you BETTER have a good chunk of cash for some type of effort here), give away product to become known. Press the flesh at Chamber meetings, sponsor a little league team, ANYTHING to get your name out and noticed. Offer money back guarantees.
Someone once said that owning a successful business is as simple as making sure you can open the door of it every morning, one day at a time. That is pretty much true. You will laugh, you *will* cry, you will want to quit, you will wonder why you were dumb enough to start it, you will feel the joy of being your own boss, and you will feel an incredible sense of pride and satisfaction when I customer comes in and tells you how YOUR arrangement made someone incredibly happy.
Welcome to the life of a florist. Glad your here....
We have been open for 2.5 years, so we are *still* very much in the start-up phase of this business (expect start-up to last at least 4 years). We take home $100 a week...the rest goes back into the ravenous jaws of our shop. We work 6 days a week. Our niche is weddings...very lucrative but probably the most labor intensive aspect of the flower business. Our sales are very good and word of mouth is excellent. We get 3-5 brides a week coming in now saying "I simply *must* have Stephanie to do my flowers". We are being featured in the local newspaper regularly.
My advice for a start-up as someone who is still bloody from the whole process? KEEP THE BUSINESS SIDE OF IT VERY VERY TIGHT! As someone else mentioned, just focusing on "artistic" arrangements and customer service will *not* manage your money through the seasonal swings that this business is about. We are still learning this lesson and paying the price for the feast-or-famine aspect of owning a florist. Do as many marketing gimmicks as possible. HAVE A GRAND OPENING!!! If you don't have a real large marketing budget (but you BETTER have a good chunk of cash for some type of effort here), give away product to become known. Press the flesh at Chamber meetings, sponsor a little league team, ANYTHING to get your name out and noticed. Offer money back guarantees.
Someone once said that owning a successful business is as simple as making sure you can open the door of it every morning, one day at a time. That is pretty much true. You will laugh, you *will* cry, you will want to quit, you will wonder why you were dumb enough to start it, you will feel the joy of being your own boss, and you will feel an incredible sense of pride and satisfaction when I customer comes in and tells you how YOUR arrangement made someone incredibly happy.
Welcome to the life of a florist. Glad your here....
Oh one last thing... your greatest advertisement is your product. From there word of mouth spreads and that is free and adds creditability. I am proud to say that when I take flowers to a hospital, heads turn, even if it is only $45. And nurses have told me it is so nice not to see the same ol same of "FTD" design. (Now I know FTD's designs are not all bad, it's the stigma of their cookie cutter stuff they have braded too well)
flowerknife+us
New Member
flowerknife_us
You'll have to make yourself avaliable 7 days a week. It may not always be 7 days. but the potential wil always be there. You won't be able to say no to any real request. Even if on face value you may not seem to make anything on it.
The goal is to create the conditions for them to call a secound time.
You need to be visable(as to location. If not, save your money.
Buy used. buy what you need and don't get rid of the extras, you'll find use for it later.
You'll have to make yourself avaliable 7 days a week. It may not always be 7 days. but the potential wil always be there. You won't be able to say no to any real request. Even if on face value you may not seem to make anything on it.
The goal is to create the conditions for them to call a secound time.
You need to be visable(as to location. If not, save your money.
Buy used. buy what you need and don't get rid of the extras, you'll find use for it later.
Connie
New Member
We opened Feb. 7, 2000. Brand new shop with a two-door cooler, a checkout counter, a cash register, and a few odds and ends of furniture for display. My mom and I ran the business with the help of a contract driver. We've added another display cooler and a 12X12 walk-in. Also some better display pieces. A great POS was purchased from another florist who was going out of business. We have added two employees. We've just gone through our first completely in-the-black summer. I believe that this business can be a good one, but you it does take some careful thinking. Here are a few things I've learned:
1. Never underprice your work. You can never lose money on a wedding you do not get. You can only lose money on a wedding that you price too low.
2. Separate yourself as much as possible from the wire services. If you do join one, do not tie yourself to them via your POS, your CC processing, or by purchasing a lot of their containers.
3. Continue to learn at every opportunity. Attend every seminar, class, workshop that you can. Include classes in business and especially marketing. Read this forum and others everyday. Read books and magazines on flowers, decor, design, and other related features.
4. Create a logo and use it on everything: your invoices, business cards, enclosure cards, labels, vehicles, signs, anything and everything.
5. Make everything that leaves your shop special. Even a simple dozen roses is more interesting with assorted greenery, a few pony beads added to a couple of blades of bear grass, and/or some different filler.
6. Promote your business in every way. Tell your customers, "Have a nice daisy!" They'll grin and remember.
7. Be accessible to your customer. This may mean forwarding your business phone to your home phone. Wait for a customer who cannot get to you by your closing time. Never, ever, be even a little sarcastic to a customer. Always let them know that you are glad to see them and you have the answer to what they need.
8. Always suggest something to your customer. Never ask, "What do you want to send." Say, "For a birthday, we recommend a beautiful vase of mixed fresh, brightly colored flowers with a couple of Happy Birthday balloons attached." Etc., etc.
9. Have as few house accounts as possible. Instead of asking, "How do you want to pay for this?" ask, "Which credit card do you want to use today?"
These are a few of the things I've learned. Maybe some of them will help you. Do not be discouraged by the nay-sayers, but look carefully at what they are saying here because there is much to be learned here.
1. Never underprice your work. You can never lose money on a wedding you do not get. You can only lose money on a wedding that you price too low.
2. Separate yourself as much as possible from the wire services. If you do join one, do not tie yourself to them via your POS, your CC processing, or by purchasing a lot of their containers.
3. Continue to learn at every opportunity. Attend every seminar, class, workshop that you can. Include classes in business and especially marketing. Read this forum and others everyday. Read books and magazines on flowers, decor, design, and other related features.
4. Create a logo and use it on everything: your invoices, business cards, enclosure cards, labels, vehicles, signs, anything and everything.
5. Make everything that leaves your shop special. Even a simple dozen roses is more interesting with assorted greenery, a few pony beads added to a couple of blades of bear grass, and/or some different filler.
6. Promote your business in every way. Tell your customers, "Have a nice daisy!" They'll grin and remember.
7. Be accessible to your customer. This may mean forwarding your business phone to your home phone. Wait for a customer who cannot get to you by your closing time. Never, ever, be even a little sarcastic to a customer. Always let them know that you are glad to see them and you have the answer to what they need.
8. Always suggest something to your customer. Never ask, "What do you want to send." Say, "For a birthday, we recommend a beautiful vase of mixed fresh, brightly colored flowers with a couple of Happy Birthday balloons attached." Etc., etc.
9. Have as few house accounts as possible. Instead of asking, "How do you want to pay for this?" ask, "Which credit card do you want to use today?"
These are a few of the things I've learned. Maybe some of them will help you. Do not be discouraged by the nay-sayers, but look carefully at what they are saying here because there is much to be learned here.
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