Articles for the flower trade
How to open a shop or a wholesale business, where to buy flowers, how to store them, set your markup and sell. Written for owners and managers.
Starting out
How to Open a Flower Shop from Scratch: A Step-by-Step PlanHow to open a flower shop from scratch: format and location, registration and VAT, suppliers and a cooler, first stock and customers, with a 10-week plan.
Flower Shop Startup Costs: A Line-by-Line BudgetFlower shop startup costs line by line for a kiosk, a delivery studio and a neighbourhood shop, plus the cash reserve and where you can and cannot save.
Flower Shop Business Plan: A Worked Example for the First YearA flower shop business plan with real calculations: sections, a 12-month forecast with Valentine's Day and the summer slump, break-even point, waste and risks.
Flower Business: Is It Profitable, Where the Profit Comes From and the RisksThe flower business without gloss: where the profit comes from, how waste and seasons affect it, and the risks of a shop, studio, delivery and wholesale.
How to start a flower wholesale business: stock, supply, buyers and cashStart a flower wholesale business step by step: cold storage, Dutch and direct suppliers, trade buyers with personal prices, pre-orders, credit and cash flow.
Floral studio: how the format works and how to open oneA floral studio instead of a shop: how the format differs, how much space you need, buying flowers per order, pricing design work and the risks to plan for.
Flower kiosk: how a small flower stand at a station or market worksHow a flower kiosk works at a station, market or shopping centre: the right to the pitch, winter cold and summer heat, a range for passing trade and sales by day.
Flower shop franchise: how to calculate it and check itIs a flower shop franchise worth it? What franchisors and relay networks sell, how to test fees and royalties on your own revenue, and a checklist before signing.
Buying a Flower Shop: How to Check It and Avoid Costly MistakesBuying a flower shop? How to check revenue, the lease, suppliers and customers, judge the asking price and avoid the usual traps. Checklist included.Purchasing
Wholesale Flowers for Your Shop: Where to Buy and How Not to OverpayWholesale flowers for your shop: six ways to buy, how to read a wholesale price list, minimum orders and pre-orders for Valentine's and Mother's Day.
Flower Suppliers: How to Choose and Vet Them for Your ShopFlower suppliers for your shop: wholesalers, flower trucks, exporters and growers, how to compare them, test a first delivery and agree terms. With a checklist.
Wholesale Roses: How to Choose Origin, Stem Length and VarietyWholesale roses for your shop: how Ecuadorian, Kenyan, Colombian and Dutch roses differ, which stem length to buy, spray roses and ordering for peak days.
Flowers from Holland, Ecuador and Kenya: where your stems really growFlowers from Holland are often grown in Kenya, Ethiopia or Ecuador. See what each country supplies, how long stems travel and when import prices rise.
Transporting cut flowers: how to get stems to the cold room without lossesTransporting cut flowers without losses: temperatures for common and tropical stems, dry and wet transport, boxes and buckets, checking a delivery and claims.Storage & stock
Flower cooler: how to choose a display cooler or cold room for your shopHow to choose a flower cooler for a shop: display cooler or walk-in cold room, the right temperature and humidity, sizing it to deliveries, new and used prices.
Storing cut flowers: how to make stems last longer in your shopStoring cut flowers: conditioning, temperatures for roses, chrysanthemums and tropicals, stock rotation and a care card that helps customers' bouquets last longer.
Flower waste: normal levels, causes and how to reduce itFlower waste in a shop or wholesale business: what level is normal, the main causes, how to record write-offs and practical ways to cut your losses.
Flower shop inventory: what to record, how, and in which softwareFlower shop inventory step by step: deliveries, stock in stems and bunches, bouquet recipes, waste and cash, kept in a notebook, a spreadsheet or software.Pricing & margins
Flower markup: how much to add and how to price in wasteFlower markup for shops and wholesalers: typical ranges for cut flowers, plants and wrapping, markup vs margin, VAT, and pricing with 15% waste in tables.
How to price a bouquet: from cost price to the price tagHow to price a bouquet from cost: flowers, wrapping and labour, a markup that covers waste, VAT, worked examples and how to read your average bouquet price.Sales & marketing
How to sell more flowers: average order, add-ons and loyal customersHow to sell more flowers without a bigger ad budget: raise the average order, add cards and flower food, bring regulars back and win steady corporate accounts.
Flower shop marketing: where to start and where to spendFlower shop marketing step by step: Google Business Profile and reviews, Instagram and WhatsApp, seasonal ads, your own website and local SEO, plus a yearly plan.
Flower delivery marketplaces and relay networks: a guide for floristsFlower delivery marketplaces and relay networks for florists: how they work, what to check in the terms, how to price after commission and keep repeat orders direct.
Flower subscription: how to launch the service in your shopHow to run a flower subscription from your shop: formats for homes and offices, pricing per delivery, buying for regular orders, delivery routes and keeping subscribers.
Flower shop product range and display: what to stock and how to show itFlower shop product range explained: which flowers to stock all year, what to add each season, which plants and extras to carry and how to lay out the display.
Valentine's Day flower shop: a week-by-week preparation planValentine's Day flower shop plan: forecast from last year, supplier pre-orders, cold space, staff, customer pre-orders and prices, plus Mother's Day as the second peak.Website & software
Flower shop website: which one you need and how to choose the routeFlower shop website guide: which type you need, what it must include, what it costs in euros, and how to compare a builder, custom development and a platform.
Flower shop software: how to choose it and switch without losing dataFlower shop software explained: what it should handle, how florist tools, retail systems and CRMs differ, what to test and how to switch without losing data.
B2B portal for flower wholesalers: what it is and how to launch oneB2B portal for flower wholesalers: personal prices, live stock, pre-orders for a shipment date and a buyer account. How it differs from a web shop and how to launch.Legal & staff
Plant passport and flower documents: what shops and wholesalers needPlant passport, phytosanitary certificates, invoices and delivery notes: which flower documents a shop or wholesaler receives, issues and keeps, and who to ask.
Flower shop VAT and legal structure: sole trader, company and bookkeepingFlower shop VAT and legal structure: sole trader or limited company, reduced VAT on flowers in the Netherlands and Germany, mixed gift items, the till and bookkeeping.
Florist salary: pay ranges and pay schemes for flower shop ownersFlorist salary in Europe, autumn 2026: indicative pay by role, shift-plus-commission schemes, holiday peaks, and how a shop owner hires, trains and keeps a florist.