Today, the flower business is very popular among novice businessmen. Many people are interested in where to start a flower business, the profitability of a flower shop and the possibility of creating this business from scratch in a small town or at home.

You can start it with a minimal investment, or enter “in a big way” by investing a tidy sum. The cost of a flower business depends on the city, the chosen format, the features of the product range and services. Based on this, it is impossible to write a general business plan and calculate the profitability of a flower shop so that it reflects reality. In this article we will look at the nuances and risks, pros and cons of a flower business from scratch, depending on its chosen form, which will help the reader get a general idea, form their own opinion and individually predict the profitability of the flower business.

No one will dispute the fact that there are very few people in the world who are completely indifferent to flowers. And, passing by the window of a flower shop, we involuntarily slow down and stop to admire the bright buds of flowers, baskets with flower arrangements, and ready-made bouquets. Many people, especially women, dream of working as a florist or having their own small flower shop, or maybe a large salon, or an online store. After all, giving people a holiday every day is wonderful! Where to start a flower business?

If you decide to engage in this type of activity, first of all you need to get acquainted with its three risky features, without taking into account which many entrepreneurs quickly lose money and close down:

Seasonality.

Flowers do not grow with the same consistency and do not have a fixed price all year round. In order to correctly compose the assortment in the store and calculate the costs of subsequent purchases, you need to study the varieties of flowers and the periods of their appearance in the markets. Thus, a universal flower is the rose, which is popular and available for purchase all year round. But you can’t fill the counter with just one rose. In the spring, you should focus your assortment on all sorts of tulips, and buy carnations closer to May. In summer, the greatest variety of seasonal flowers is chamomile, gladiolus, alstroemeria, which allows you to expand the assortment. Also in summer it is necessary not to miss peonies, the season for which is extremely short, but the demand is quite high. In autumn, in addition to the chrysanthemums that have appeared, you should purchase soil, fertilizers, and pots, since this is the time to replant indoor flowers. Winter is the most expensive period for purchases; frost-resistant callas, lilies, and orchids are purchased. It is better not to plan the launch and opening of your business for the winter if you are starting from scratch.

Orientation and sufficient knowledge of information is a necessary aspect that will help you be competitive in the market, especially in a small town.

Dependence on holidays.

“Golden” days for flower gardeners are generally accepted holidays, such as February 14 (Valentine's Day) and March 8 (International Women's Day). If the business is not built competently, then the flower shop survives solely on such celebrations and makes about 10% of its annual turnover on such days. This is especially felt in a small town with the presence of a stronger competitor store.

The inseparability of flowers from holiday traditions is a big plus in favor of the flower business. Thus, a family can save on a new backpack for a child to go to school, but will not send it to the teacher on the first of September without flowers, and a bride can rent a wedding dress instead of buying, but will never refuse a wedding bouquet.

You should also not forget that the presence of a rush during the holidays also has several pitfalls: prices at wholesale bases increase in advance, deliveries of goods may be disrupted, and poor work of sellers and couriers distributing your goods can lead to dissatisfaction, negative reviews and subsequent customer outflow. Therefore, business owners should be especially on the alert and keep everything under strict control, and novice businessmen should open from scratch not before the holiday itself, but a little in advance in order to establish a work pattern.

Perishable goods.

Flowers are an extremely short-lived product. The average lifespan of a flower at the right temperature is about twenty days. Since the majority of the goods come from abroad, the cut flower lives most of its remaining life on the way to the store (especially if the store works with resellers and not with direct deliveries). There are several technologies for transporting flowers and options for receiving them from a wholesaler: buying dried flowers and then “soldering” them or flowers in water, which are immediately ready for sale, but will last much less.

Once it reaches the seller, there is no guarantee that the flower will be bought quickly. Today there are no fixed expiration dates for flowers and the return of spoiled goods, as in the grocery sector. The testimony of working businessmen regarding the amount of damaged goods written off ranges from 10% to 50% of the total amount of goods. The profitability of a flower shop directly depends on this indicator.

There are the following ways to solve this problem:

• reducing the price of flowers that have a short life left, and, as a last resort, selling at cost. It's better to go to zero than to go negative. An additional advantage of this option to resolve the situation will be the availability of goods and, accordingly, attracting new customers. The main thing is to teach your sellers to honestly warn about the fragility of the purchased goods instead of assuring them of their freshness, so as not to tarnish the reputation of their store;
• the use of probiotics, preservatives, citric acid and other additives. These products really help the flower look fresh and last until it is sold, but they kill the natural immunity of the flower itself. After the buyer puts flowers in ordinary water at home, bacteria from it will quickly defeat the flower, which can also have a bad effect on the store’s reputation.

How a novice businessman can choose the required format of a flower business

There are several options for the format of a flower business. It is necessary to determine what initial capital you have. Flower trading requires certain investments. The format of flower trade will depend on this.

Flower business at home from scratch.

It involves making and selling bouquets yourself.

Flower business at home - where to start? First you need to master the art of floristry, having previously completed florist courses (of which there are a lot on the Internet), read a certain amount of literature about flowers and the rules of composition, color combinations, methods of arranging bouquets, practice and get your hands on. After mastering the necessary skills, you can start making bouquets for your relatives, friends, and colleagues at work. Having shown taste and imagination, having invested your soul, you give a bouquet. In case of high-quality execution, it will be remembered not only by the person to whom the gift is intended, but also by the guests, after which word of mouth will do its job. To promote a home-based business, it is mandatory to use social networks (Vkontakte, Instagram, Facebook). It is necessary to create pages dedicated to your works, fill them with quality content, make photo reports and advertise to the required audience. The more people see your masterpieces, rate them and write comments, the better.

This format has its pros and cons.

The advantages include the fact that you set your own working hours, you are at home, compositions and bouquets are made to order. Such a business does not require large start-up capital, equipment and premises, or hiring staff. You can allocate a shelf in your home refrigerator for flowers, and store them on the balcony in cold weather. There is no need to purchase an assortment in advance, which, in turn, insures you against their write-off, taking into account the fact that flowers are a perishable product.

However, this also entails disadvantages - flowers are bought at retail, which automatically reduces profits and profitability when selling bouquets. Only confident Internet users can become customers, which makes the profit from the work inconsistent. Your customer will not be able to preview and touch the product being purchased, which increases the risk of returned orders. Therefore, this format of flower business is more of a hobby that brings in minimal income. Although, with diligence and diligence, your hobby can bring a good profit and become a “training field” before releasing your products offline, if, having accumulated some experience and gained experience in arranging bouquets, your desires and ambitions push you to develop further.

Flower stall/kiosk/pavilion.

The most common format for a flower business is small retail spaces with a small range of products. The main role in the profitability of this form of flower business is played by the choice of location. It should be crowded and passable. Location options: passage, stop, metro station, market, that is, places where people constantly gather. You should target buyers with average or below average incomes. Products are purchased mainly from intermediaries and local producers and are mainly rose, chrysanthemum and seasonal flowers. The cost of the flower and packaging should be low, which affects profitability.

This format also has its pros and cons.

Plus - no large investments are required. Thus, a small volume of goods and minimal equipment are purchased. Rent for a modest premises is also usually not high. During the holidays, there is a sharp increase in demand for goods, which helps to gain profit and recoup investments.

But the rest of the time the profitability of such a stall is 25-30%. The owner is his own caretaker, seller, and accountant. You can hire a salesperson. Hiring a professional florist, given the limited range of flowers, does not make sense. A very small share of the profit comes from flower packaging.

The competition is very strong. If you set out to start a flower business from scratch in a small town, you should beat your competitors with quality, the right choice of place for trading, and the maximum expansion of the range of services. The main thing to strive for is the opening of a network of such pavilions. This will help make your services recognizable, expand your range and start purchasing goods in large quantities from direct suppliers, which will affect the freshness and price of flowers.

Flower shop.

The main difference between a flower shop and the above forms of business is the presence of a large area. Accordingly, the answer to the question “how to start a flower business” in this case will involve large investments.

The first thing to do is to draw up a business plan and choose a busy place, purchase refrigeration equipment where vases with cut flowers will be stored, tables on which bouquets will be collected and packaged, racks for related products, computer equipment, etc.

The shop implies the presence of a florist. Whether he will simultaneously perform the function of a salesperson, or whether they will be two different people – it’s up to you to decide. Recruitment should be taken very seriously. The reputation of the store, and therefore sales and the accumulation of regular customers, will depend on the quality of services provided by employees.

The profitability of a flower shop increases due to the sale of additional products. These can be not only cut flowers in a bouquet, but also compositions, boxes and baskets of flowers created by a florist, flowers in pots, seedlings, empty pots, all kinds of fertilizers, soil, seeds, decorative stands for flowers and much more. Also, the presence of a large area makes it possible to introduce related services: gift wrapping, sale of all kinds of souvenirs, postcards, production of helium balloons. This will significantly increase sales volume.

The disadvantages of such a store include the fact that it requires large costs and investments and, accordingly, pays off more slowly. But due to the large number of related products and a wider assortment, the store provides a fairly stable profit.

Flower boutique.

Opening a flower business in a boutique format requires significant investments and costs. But the return is much higher, due to the work of professionals and the solvency of clients. After all, such bouquets belong to the “Premium” class and are created for wealthy people.

You should find a room on the main street or in a large shopping center. It must be properly formatted. It's better if it's a design project. Mandatory attributes are a beautiful name and a tastefully decorated display case, expensive custom-made furniture, industrial and high-quality refrigeration equipment.

It is not enough for the seller in the flower salon to be smiling and inviting. What is needed is a professional florist with a variety of skills, who not only has a good understanding of flowers and knows how they are combined in color, but also delves into traditions and subtleties. Namely, which plants are not customary to put in one bouquet, which bouquets are suitable according to etiquette for a child, a young girl or woman, a man, a friend or a boss, which bouquet is appropriate to give depending on a specific event, and so on. When choosing this format, the assortment should include exotic, rare flowers, the losses when written off are naturally much higher.

Products purchased in a boutique must have the label of the place on them, because the buyer acquires not only the flower, but also the prestige that goes with it.

If the main question for you is how to start a flower business from scratch, then this flower business option may not be suitable due to the large investments.

Corporate orders in the flower business.

Regardless of what format of the flower business you choose, corporate orders can bring big profits, which include small bouquets of compliments to employees, huge baskets of flowers for an event, or room decoration for any event.

A flower boutique and store has a much higher chance of finding a large corporate client than a pavilion, or a person who has opened a flower business at home. But it's worth making the effort to search.

This could be a small cafe where, by agreement on mutually beneficial terms, your small bouquets will be placed on the tables, or a large wedding agency that regularly involves you in decorating tables, rooms and wedding arches with flower arrangements.

Working with a corporate client can bring profit in one go, which you cannot get in a month by selling bouquets at retail.

Equipment for flowers

As we can see, different forms of running a flower business determine the list of equipment. Let's look at the most common items that are needed:

Cooling equipment.

No one wants to receive a rose as a gift, even the most beautiful one, on a long stem, but with dried petals and withered leaves. Therefore, when opening your own flower trading business, you need to take care of equipment that will be designed to preserve the freshness of the flower for as long as possible. In a home-based business, you can use a home refrigerator.

In other cases, the room can be equipped with an air conditioner that maintains a certain temperature. The power of the air conditioning system depends on the size of the room. These systems can work both to cool the air and to heat it. But the air conditioner keeps the temperature at 16 degrees, and cut flowers are best stored at temperatures up to 6 degrees.

The best solution, although the most expensive, is refrigeration chambers, which allow you to create the optimal temperature for storing the flower. They come in different capacities, single-chamber or double-chamber (more spacious). The main criterion when choosing is the ability to create and maintain the optimal temperature for storing the flower.

1. Racks and showcases for flowers. They can be of any shape. Stepped, pyramidal or slide-shaped. The main thing is capacity and stability. But, since flowers are constantly watered and sprayed, the material for the rack must be strong and moisture-resistant.
2. Tables. These are jobs for a seller and a florist. A table is necessary for packing bouquets and creating flower arrangements. It must be made of high-quality material, be smooth and stable. The optimal parameters for a table are 120 by 80, height - 75 cm. It is advisable that the table is in the field of view of customers. By observing the florist at work and the process of creating bouquets, visitors evaluate the professional skills of the workers, and for potential buyers, the creation of a beautiful bouquet serves as advertising.
3. Equipment that can be added.

The store can also be equipped with a thermal curtain. It is usually located at the entrance to the store. Used to ensure that the weather outside does not affect the climate in the store.

For southern light-loving plants, it will be useful to purchase phytolamps. They will warm flowers at any time of the year.

In addition to all of the above, when starting a flower business you need spatulas, pruning shears, sprinklers, watering cans, plastic flower vases and much more. Also, when opening a store, do not forget about decorative elements, wrapping paper, bags, baskets, ribbons, etc.

All materials and equipment must be of high quality. After all, the conditions for storing flowers and their comfortable maintenance will ensure an increase in the duration of storage. And this will entail an increase in profits and profitability, a decrease in the payback period of the business.

Discount cards.

It is worth taking care of preparing discount cards for clients in advance. This will ensure that customers contact you again and develop a database of customer phone numbers. In the future, they can be notified by SMS messages about the availability of promotions, the arrival of fresh goods, new products, as well as congratulations on the holidays and under other pretexts to remind them of themselves.

When opening a flower pavilion, store or boutique, you need to choose the right retail equipment. The dimensions of all installations depend on the area of ​​the room. The commercial equipment market is very diverse. Furniture can be purchased either ready-made from specialized companies or made to order. Whether you use industrial refrigeration chambers or regular refrigerated counters, like in supermarkets, to store food depends on your financial capabilities.

How to organize a flower business in terms of hiring staff for the store

The organization of the personnel structure directly depends on the chosen form of flower business, as well as on your willingness to directly participate in the work or exclusively control the work of the hired personnel.

Let's consider the basic units of frames:

Florist.

This is the designer and creator of your bouquets. He must be in love with his work, have a delicate taste, understand coloristics (the science of combining colors), master the methods and generally accepted rules for composing bouquets, and be interested in new products and fashion trends in the world of flowers. Today, the position of “florist” is an officially registered specialty. There are a huge variety of courses on floristry, including those that take place online. You should not thoughtlessly hire a florist who has many certificates of completion. You should double-check on the Internet the conditions for obtaining them and the reputation of the institutions that issued them. Since a florist is a creative profession, it requires talent and intuition, and not exclusively acquired knowledge. During an interview, it is worth testing the employee’s abilities in practice, place an order for him, give him several requirements, like a real buyer, and evaluate the actual performance of the work and the applicant’s taste.

In his free time from composing compositions, the florist must also care for the goods, take care of the fresh appearance and long life of the plants.

Salesman.

There are creative people and sales people. A florist is not always a good seller. Depending on the size of your business, it may be advisable to hire a separate unit - a salesperson who will communicate with visitors, count customers, and answer phone calls. He must be able to attract the client’s attention and persuade him to buy the product. To increase the incentive to bring profit to your store, it is recommended to hire a seller on the terms of a small rate and a percentage of the revenue received.

In most cases, the seller plays the role of accountant and administrator. If a business has pages on the Internet, it is the seller who posts the product range online, responds to comments and accepts online orders.

Courier.

Today there are almost no flower shops that do not have a delivery service. This is an integral part of the flower business. Depending on the scale of the business created, either a separate unit is hired - a courier with his own car, who delivers bouquets, or an agreement is made with a driver. For example, with a taxi driver who is ready to deliver flowers according to the meter, or if this is a market and there are several pavilions with flowers in a row, by agreement you can hire a common driver for everyone.

Accountant.

Flower accounting is subject to the general rules for trade enterprises; the sale of flowers in a store is regarded as retail trade. It can be maintained either by the owner or seller (by prior agreement), or by a hired accountant. Typically, accountants run several businesses, so payment for their work occurs under a contract and does not require a high monthly salary.

Security guard.

Don't forget about the costs associated with taking the store under security. If the store is 24 hours a day, the night salesperson performs the security guard function.

In this material:

If you walk around any city, you will see that the flower business is quite popular today. In each locality there are several small stalls and large salons. And here many people have a question as to whether the flower business is profitable and how much. Can selling flowers bring a decent profit in such fierce competition? Actually yes! But only if you open a flower business in stages and approach this issue responsibly and competently. To do this, you need to correctly determine the type of product, find a good place to sell it and attract customers. In this case, business profitability can reach a decent level in a short time.

On the way to success

Flower trading can be very profitable if developed. A businessman who establishes his own production of products, that is, grows his own flowers, can get even more profit. However, such a development of events is possible only for those who can calculate everything correctly and feel all the subtleties of this type of activity. The flower business has some nuances, namely the features of the products themselves, which have a short sales period. For this reason, it is necessary to purchase all the necessary equipment to extend this period.

To get a good result, there is no need for huge investments, but you will still have to spend money on certain equipment for the flower business and suitable premises, since this product is considered quite fancy. For a business to be successful, you need to offer customers only high-quality products, and for this, fresh fresh flowers must always be available. If an entrepreneur does not have the opportunity to grow products for sale on his own, he needs to find reliable suppliers. It is especially important that the supply system does not fail at times of high demand, that is, on holidays.

An important factor is the ability of a businessman to create a favorable environment for clients. The desire of customers to return here largely depends on the atmosphere that prevails in the retail outlet. A competent approach and clear calculations are a very important component of any business, but selling flowers is also a creative activity, so you need to love your business and do it with inspiration.

If a businessman has good taste, he will be able to choose the right range of products and decorate the premises. It is important to take care of advertising, as this point is one of the most important mandatory expenses.

How to organize a flower business?

If a person is going to start his own business for the first time, he should read special literature on how to organize a flower business and deal with issues of Russian legislation. It is best to register as an individual entrepreneur, since in this case there will be the best conditions for retail trade. If it is too difficult to deal with organizational issues on your own, you should seek help from professionals who, for a fee, will help you set up and run your business.

If a novice entrepreneur decides to open a flower business, where to start is the first question he asks himself. You should start by defining your own niche. When it comes to flowers, you need to choose the right location of the outlet to avoid unnecessary competition. Please note that this place must be crowded. It's best to look at areas near schools and vocational institutions.

The next step is to find a good, reliable supplier. Difficulties most often arise at this stage. Entrepreneurs often have to go through a lot of trouble before they can find a good supplier. Flowers need to be purchased on time, but with a small supply. This is especially important during the holidays. In this case, a warehouse with appropriate equipment should be provided in the retail premises.

As for how to start a flower business, the first stage involves mandatory investments in advertising. This is the only way people can find out about the new store. Then everything depends on the quality of the products, prices and level of service. If all this is at a high level, there will be many regular customers. It is quite possible that in the future you will even have to expand your business and hire assistants. Sellers in a flower salon must be creative, energetic and sociable people.

A store

If an entrepreneur already has experience in running a business, it will be much easier for him to decide on the amount of work he can afford. Another thing is novice businessmen. If you don’t have serious experience, you shouldn’t immediately invest large sums in a flower business. It is better to start with a small retail outlet, that is, become a representative of the smallest business.

With a minimum investment, you can even organize your own store on the World Wide Web. This is quite convenient and has become quite popular lately. It is enough to organize a warehouse, arrange timely delivery for constant replenishment of the warehouse, and then accept orders via the Internet and deliver flowers to customers. Earnings will depend on the quality of products and the efficiency of couriers.

Having your own salon will require several large investments. Here you already need to spend money not only on renting a warehouse, but also on decorating a retail space. Exotic plants have become quite popular lately. Moreover, you can sell not only cut flowers, but also potted plants, as well as related products. During the period between holidays, such goods make up a significant percentage of revenue. Some entrepreneurs go even further and supplement the flower business with holiday products and gifts. You can allocate several shelves for toys and put a rack with postcards to generate additional income and attract even more customers.

One of the most common types of retail outlets for selling flowers lately is the department in the pavilion. As a rule, they are located in crowded places, but are rented for a reasonable rent. Thus, the pavilion will generate good income at low costs.

A classic option is a flower shop. It can be equipped on the ground floor of a residential building or built as a separate building. Investments in this case will be significant, since everything will have to be equipped correctly. Typically, stores have enough space to offer customers a wide range of products. It is better that these flowers range from expensive to economical options in order to attract as many customers as possible.

Equipment costs

In order to organize your own retail outlet for selling flowers, you will not need huge investments. However, if a businessman plans to sell fashionable exotic plants, they will need to create the necessary microclimate for long-term storage. If the point’s task is only to sell flowers and bouquets of ordinary varieties, the costs will be significantly less. In addition to the products themselves, you will need wrapping paper for bouquets, ribbons and special tools.

The room itself must be equipped with air conditioning, a refrigerator, special shelving and a table for processing plants. Roses and carnations are in greatest demand. Depending on the seasonality, you can purchase other options, for example, tulips or asters. Orchids have become quite popular in recent years.

Location of the outlet

As for whether it is profitable to sell flowers, this largely depends on how well the outlet is located. If the area is passable and crowded, this is a huge plus. However, here you need to pay attention to the presence of competitors. It happens that in one place there are several stores with similar products, which already reduces the level of profitability several times.

Experts say that the most profitable places for selling flowers are areas near restaurants and concert halls, near schools and other educational institutions.

Flower shops can often be found at intersections of busy streets and bus stops. Such places are well suited for flower trading, as they are easily accessible by car.

Will the flower business be promising?

If a person is going to invest a certain amount of money, he must know how to open a flower business and be sure that it will bring a certain profit. As for the sale of flowers, the prospects are very good, since such products will always be in demand, and on certain days of the year there is no end to customers. However, in order for a retail outlet to bring good profits, you must be able to properly store and sell flowers.

Considering that plants are very delicate products, they must be handled with extreme caution. Moreover, a considerable percentage will be written off, and this cannot be avoided. However, the purchase price of flowers is small, so you can make a markup that will cover the costs many times over. And here again the correct choice of supplier becomes very important.

If you organize a medium-sized retail outlet, you can spend 50-100 thousand rubles. This will be enough to purchase normal equipment and purchase products for the first time. With the right approach, you can achieve good results, and the business will pay off quickly. At first, it is best to work on your own in order to delve into all the nuances of the flower business as much as possible, and after that, if necessary, you can hire assistants.

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How to open a flower shop from scratch? This question interests many entrepreneurs, because the business is promising, the profit can be many times greater than the investment. Judging by expert forecasts, the need for bouquets will only increase in the coming years. Therefore, it is not too late to start a business in this area.

• Where to start opening a flower shop?
• How to choose wholesale suppliers?
• What equipment to choose for a flower shop?
• Conclusion
• How much can you earn selling flowers?
• How much money do you need to start a business?
• Which OKVED code to indicate when registering a case?
• What documents are needed to open a store/pavilion?
• Which taxation system to choose for operating a flower shop?
• Do you need permits to open a flower business?
• Flower trade technology

If you are still thinking about whether to start working in the flower business or open your own store, carefully study the positive and negative aspects. The following advantages can be listed:

1. Big markup. You can sell a product for much more than its cost. Selling flowers is very profitable.
2. Entering the market is easy. In order to open a kiosk at the nearest stop or metro station, you will need a small start-up capital. To get started, $6,000 is enough, which is much less than if you wanted to start another business.
3. It's easy to go out of business. It is enough to go through the usual bureaucratic procedures prescribed by law and sell off the commercial equipment.

Speaking about markups on costs and benefits, we need to mention the disadvantages of the flower business. It is worth mentioning the following points:

1. The product deteriorates very quickly. Every hour more and more flowers become unsuitable for sale.
2. Seasonality of demand. Color is needed most during the holidays. Summer is considered the “dead” season.

Where to start opening a flower shop?

The right choice for installing a kiosk. This factor has a great impact on business, and much more than any other. In the business districts of the city, it is best to sell business bouquets. Kiosks selling flowers are classified as follows:

1. Retail outlets near public transport stops, places in shopping centers and stalls in markets. The profitability of a business depends on the location. There should be a lot of people around the trading place.
2. Flower boutiques where customers will be offered luxury-class products. It is worth opening in expensive shopping centers, near other boutiques. The products are aimed at wealthy buyers.
3. Small shops, usually opened in business districts. Ideal location - shopping center. You can expand your range with related products. These could be soft toys, potted plants, different types of packaging and souvenirs.
4. Online stores. There are very few such offers in rural areas, so this is a promising area of ​​sales.

How to choose wholesale suppliers?

Today, suppliers offer entrepreneurs flowers from Holland, and there are goods from Colombia and Ecuador. In addition, products from local manufacturers are in demand. Local flowers smell. Although many roses are rejected, the product still finds buyers. Roses from South America are brought in cardboard boxes. Dutch roses are considered the most beautiful; they last a long time. Such flowers are brought in buckets and trucks are used for transportation.

Owners of small shops and flower salons know that most buyers do not want to buy roses, but chrysanthemums, tulips and carnations. Demand depends on the season.

Deliveries should be established, then from the sale of these flowers you will be able to pay rent, salaries and taxes.

In the flower business, it is suppliers who provide half the success of the business. On the decisive days of the year, on holidays, it is the supplier who will ensure emergency delivery of goods. Choose those partners who will not let you down, then your business will develop successfully.

What do you need to open a flower shop? A standard kiosk can be small, 8 - 10 m² is enough. Expenses are minimal; you won’t need large sums to pay for utilities and rent. The requirements for the pavilion are also minimal, because it may not have running water and there is no need for sewerage.

What equipment to choose for a flower shop?

If you are thinking about opening a flower shop, buy a minimum of equipment. The following can be listed:

1. To work, you will need shelves for goods; allocate about 30,000 rubles for this.
2. Buy 3 office chairs, their total cost is 10,000 rubles. You also need an office table for employees; it is best to buy 2 tables at once. This is another 10,000 rubles.
3. To operate a flower kiosk, you need flower vases and all kinds of stands. Don't forget about consumables. Allocate approximately 25,000 rubles for this.

To summarize, we can say that to start this field you need to have 75,000 rubles. It’s worth calculating expenses for 3 months at once. Don't forget about rent, its cost will vary depending on the city. If we accept that for 1 month you will have to pay approximately 60,000 rubles, then prepare 180,000 for 3 months.

Find qualified workers. You can be the administrator yourself, but you will need an accountant and at least 2 sellers. Accounting can be outsourced. When creating a business plan, don't forget about salaries. Personnel costs vary by region.

If we take into account that the trade margin will be at the level of 90%, then in 1 day you can sell flowers worth 13,000 rubles, per month - 390,000. In the spring, the profitability of the business will be about 15.6%. In summer the numbers will be lower.

It is very good if you organize several points of sale of flowers. Networks have good performance. Try to open at least 3 kiosks, then the stability of your earnings will increase. In the long run, the business becomes very profitable, so think about the strategy in advance.

If you want to open a spacious store, choose a room with an area of ​​50 m². Buy floral equipment and a refrigerated display case. In addition, you will need a climate system, a florist's table and computer equipment.

Hire staff with practical work experience, but do not hire people who have previously worked on the street. Modern standards for decorating bouquets differ from those that were previously adopted. On the other hand, you should not rely entirely on diplomas and certificates of florists. You need an experienced employee who is well versed in modern requirements for bouquet design.

The flower shop must have its own courier, so you can deliver the order on time. Consider hiring staff before you even open a flower shop.

Conclusion

Opening a flower shop is quite simple and does not require large investments. First you need to decide who you see as buyers.

Based on this, you need to select a premises, buy equipment and find a supplier. If you do everything right, you will recoup your investment fairly quickly.

How much can you earn selling flowers?

Taking into account all the risks, with an almost 200% markup, it is quite possible to earn up to 500 thousand rubles in revenue per month. Provided that daily revenue will be in the range of 15-18 thousand rubles. Then you can expect net profit of about 75-85 thousand rubles monthly. Although in a good location and during holiday periods, a simple pavilion can bring in 35-60 thousand rubles in daily revenue, and accordingly, net income will increase. With stable demand for flowers, the business will pay off within a year or a year and a half.

How much money do you need to start a business?

Depending on the level of the store and the assortment of initial investments you will need: for a flower pavilion, a small stall - 6-8 thousand dollars, for a small store - 20 thousand dollars, for a boutique with a large assortment of various floral products - 20 thousand dollars.

Which OKVED code to indicate when registering a case?

To register a business selling flowers, you need the following codes:

• 48.32 – for retail sale of flower products, including fertilizers and seeds;
• 61.2 – for online retail trade via the Internet;
• 12 – for the sale of bouquets with courier delivery to the customer.

What documents are needed to open a store/pavilion?

To legally register the sale of flowers through points of sale, the Internet or with courier delivery, it is enough to register an individual entrepreneurship (IP) with the tax authorities. For this you will need: a civil passport, an application for state registration, a receipt confirming payment of the fee, a scanned copy of the TIN certificate.

Which taxation system to choose for operating a flower shop?

A simplified taxation system is suitable for this trading business. The simplified tax system tax is levied in the amount of 5 to 15% (of income or revenue).

Do you need permits to open a flower business?

Selling flower bouquets does not require licenses or special permits. But the operation of the store and the operation of the premises must comply with fire safety, environmental and sanitary epidemiological standards. standards

Flower trade technology

The profitability of a store depends on many factors: from product suppliers and the location of the point of sale, from the ability of sellers to arrange a bouquet and other reasons. For the location of a flower shop, places with high traffic volumes of people are selected, near transport interchanges and stops. For example, in pedestrian areas near supermarkets and markets, in pavilions organized for the sale of various plants. On holidays, it would be nice to offer floral products for office workers, making a mutually beneficial discount for purchasing large quantities of bouquets. Do not forget that too “flashy” packaging will overshadow the natural beauty of the flower; the design of the bouquet should be stylish and original.

Courier delivery of flowers has become widely popular, when someone who is very far away simply organizes a congratulation for a loved one via the Internet or by phone. Your own website with examples of unusually designed bouquets and custom-made arrangements will significantly increase the demand for your floral products.

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 an 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 a large number of 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 during working hours, people buy more expensive bouquets for work-related occasions, but for themselves, as a rule, they take 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 special attention to customer flows. 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 very 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 designed display window on a passing street is the best advertisement for a flower shop.

Before opening the salon, the premises need to be renovated. Nowadays there are many magazines about interior design, in which you can get a lot of ideas on how to make renovations with minimal resources, even if the room is 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.

To organize normal work in the salon, at least one computer is required. 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. Be sure to buy white flowers. This is a 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.

Experienced businessmen who have achieved some success often say that they don’t care what they trade. The flower business is different in that you will have to sell a very beautiful product, and the profitability of such a business, if organized correctly, is quite high.

At the same time, if counterparties violate contractual obligations, losses can be quite significant. At the same time, experts predict high rates of development of the flower business in Russia in the coming years. That is why it is not too late for those who want to start working with flowers.

How to open a flower business?

Before you seriously start selling flowers, you need to carefully consider how to organize a flower business. Of course, flowers are a sought-after product, but at the same time they are quite perishable, so their sale must be carried out as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the flowers will simply wither and it will no longer be possible to revive them.

Therefore, retail outlets for the sale of such goods should be located in busy places, preferably near the business center. The fact is that in any organization it is customary to celebrate the birthdays of employees, and on these days it is customary to give flowers. If you are starting a flower business from scratch, then first you need to register as an individual entrepreneur and rent a tent at the market. Remember that registration of activities is a prerequisite, otherwise you may be fined for illegal business.

Flower business business plan

Any business begins with thinking through a business plan. It can be drawn up on paper, or it can just be in your head, but in any case it is necessary to think through a plan for organizing a business.

When compiling it, they usually start from the costs of purchasing the main product - flowers, then it is necessary to take into account all the mandatory payments that need to be paid to the budget and extra-budgetary funds, as well as other necessary expenses (rent, wages of employees with accruals and other expenses).

At the initial stage of the business, the selling price of the product, which will generate flower business income, must be set taking into account the prices of competitors; sometimes, in order to attract customers, their level may be even lower. However, pricing in flower shops and salons is carried out on a slightly different principle than in kiosks and markets, since the price of the product also includes the cost of the service - which is why it must be well-established.

To increase profits and create additional convenience for customers, most flower salons practice accepting orders over the Internet and delivering bouquets directly to the buyer; some of them have established cooperation with wedding salons.

The flower business is seasonal, and the provision of additional services allows you to compensate for the drop in revenue during the low season.

Business plan for a flower shop

If you have some capital, it is best to open a flower shop or salon. By expanding the range and selling related products, such a business will have higher profitability. However, for this you will need to rent or purchase (which is quite difficult) a premises with an area of ​​at least 50.0 square meters. meters.

In addition to the sales area, there must be a storage area. The presence of a split system that maintains optimal temperature conditions is also necessary. Freshly cut flowers are best stored in a deli refrigerator. The trading floor needs to be equipped with shelving, and do not forget about the need to purchase simple office equipment.

If you are not experienced in arranging flower arrangements, then it would be a good idea to consider a florist’s workplace. In addition, you will need a variety of packaging materials to decorate your bouquets.

All these costs must be carried out from your own funds, since banks practically do not provide loans for starting a new business. As for planning activities, of course, you can spend money on a ready-made business plan for a flower shop, but it is not so difficult to draw it up yourself, having thought through all the details of this business.

Example of a flower shop business plan

For clarity, we will show you how to draw up a business plan for a flower shop. So, we need a room with an area of ​​at least 50.0 square meters. meters. The minimum list of equipment required to open it includes the following:
No. Name of equipment | Quantity | Price per one. (RUB) | Total price (RUB)
1. Gastronomic refrigeration chamber 3 42500.0 127500.0
2. Shelving 20 2800.0 56000.0
3. Split system Fujitsu Genera" 2 20800.0 41600.0
4. Rack 1 5600.0 5600.0
5. Office chair 3 2900.0 8700.0
6. Ergonomic office table 2 3200.0 6400.0
7. Computer desk “Classic” 1 3050.0 3050.0
8. System unit, monitor, printer 29000.0
9. Specialized florist workplace1 12500.0 12500.0
10. Vases, specialized flower stands, consumables 25000.0
Total 315350.0

Thus, the initial minimum capital costs for the purchase of equipment for a flower shop will be 315.4 thousand rubles. The amount is not that big, but do not forget that the main expenses will be on the purchase of goods and operating expenses.
Let’s assume that there are 3 people working in the salon-shop (1 salesperson, 1 florist, 1 contract accountant). The owner of the business acts as the manager.

With a markup of 90.0% (which is the average in such a business) and an average daily revenue of 34.2 thousand rubles, the gross monthly income will be 855.0 thousand rubles.
Now let's calculate the average monthly expenses:

• purchase of goods – 450.0 thousand rubles;
• salary with accruals – 97.5 thousand rubles;
• rent – ​​120.0 thousand rubles;
• utility bills (including average annual heating costs) – 56.0 thousand rubles;
• consumables for current needs – 15.0 thousand rubles;
• taxes (UTII) – 15.0 thousand rubles.

Total costs – 753.5 thousand rubles.
The salon's net monthly profit will be 101.5 thousand rubles. Thus, the profitability of the flower business will be 11.9%. (The calculations assumed the minimum income that an unpromoted flower shop and salon could receive and real expenses).

Flower kiosk business plan

A flower kiosk, unlike a store, has a smaller sales area, does not provide a florist, and the range of goods is less wide. If a store, in addition to flowers, may provide for the sale of related products - potted plants, souvenirs and gifts, ceramics, soil, then the kiosk, as a rule, sells only the main product.

The profit of a flower kiosk is completely dependent on turnover. In general, drawing up a business plan for a flower kiosk is no different from drawing up a business plan for a flower shop, only the numbers, naturally, will vary.

With the same revenue, the profitability of the kiosk will be significantly lower due to much higher costs and rather large losses. It is also obvious that organizing the work of a flower kiosk will require less investment.

Buying a flower business

Sometimes you can see advertisements of the following nature: “I will buy a ready-made flower business,” which is not surprising given its high profitability. If you are already engaged in a certain business, have experience and, most importantly, considerable capital, then you can buy a ready-made flower business.

However, in this case, you will have to evaluate it, which means finding out all suppliers, terms of delivery of goods, average monthly income and expenses, main buyers, relationships with the tax office, creditors and debtors, and many other nuances.

Buying a flower business in Moscow, and a successful one at that, is quite a rare thing, so without knowing the real reasons for its sale by the owner, the transaction should not be completed.

However, if you carefully study the state of affairs in the flower business that is proposed for sale, you can thoroughly reduce the price, and the purchase transaction can turn out to be very profitable.

Sale of flower business

Flower businesses are sold for completely different reasons: unprofitability, disputes between co-owners, the need to obtain funds to pay accounts payable, repay bank loans. Today on the Internet you can often see advertisements for the sale of a flower business in Moscow.

When making such transactions, it is very important that the real estate where the shops or salons are located is owned by the business owner. In this case, the transaction price increases many times over.

This happens because rents in the capital are unusually high and are increasing every year. As a result of this, the flower business in Moscow in some cases may even have negative profitability, which is one of the reasons for its sale.

Flower business from home

If you live in a private house with a fairly large plot of land, love flowers and understand them, then the best option would be to organize a flower business at home. Some of the most common flowers grown in the garden are roses, dahlias and asters.

Such a business will be quite profitable, because you only bear the cost of purchasing seeds, tubers or seedlings; however, you can obtain seeds and tubers yourself, but rose seedlings must be purchased from nurseries.

In order to run a flower business at home all year round, you need to have a greenhouse, the construction costs of which will not be so high.

True, this will increase energy costs, but, as practice shows, they will more than pay for themselves. The main thing is to find buyers: they can be flower kiosks, shops, or you can also sell flowers yourself.

One of my friends, growing flowers at home, changes foreign cars every year.

So think about it: is the flower business profitable?

Interesting video “How to make money on flowers”!