How to start your own flower shop from scratch. How to start a flower business: profitability, opening nuances and pitfalls

16.10.2019

If you are thinking about where to start a flower business, first you 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 need about ten thousand dollars... You may be able to save money, but it is still better to include this amount in expenses.

Calculate all the costs for launching a store and draw up a business plan. Having described the entire financial model of work, you can calculate how much product needs to be sold in order for the store to start making a profit. Evaluate whether sales will be able to reach this level. Consider how you can cut costs and increase your flower sales.

You also need to decide from the very beginning whether you will work as individual entrepreneur, or open a limited liability company. You can deal with legal paperwork 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.

After you have written a business plan and registered your company, you can start searching suitable premises and suppliers.

How to find a suitable room

When looking for premises, it is important to have a good idea 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 employees. In this case, you do not have to think about how to attract additional customers before the holidays. Several corporate orders can bring in as much profit as you get on average per month.

For a flower salon, a room with an area of eighteen to thirty square meters will be sufficient.

In addition, due to the proximity to the business center, more customers will pass through your store per day. If people order your bouquets and compositions for their companies because they like them, they will start ordering bouquets for themselves, for their wives, relatives, etc.

However, it should be borne in mind that renting a room located near a business center is much more expensive than renting in a residential area. And one more thing: it is always problematic to find a parking place 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 streams is most beneficial. Life is in full swing during working hours, people buy more expensive bouquets for reasons related to work, and for themselves, as a rule, they take something cheaper.

Of course, you can open a store in a residential area. You will greatly benefit from renting premises, besides, 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 large stores, grocery centers, etc.

If there are still some offices nearby, analyze which way people go to work, which way - from work. Even if you have already rented a room, the trade map of the area will still be useful to you. 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 how easy it will be for customers to find your store. If you rent a room in the courtyards, most likely you will have problems with the flow of customers. Of course, there will be regular customers, but you should not count on a continuous influx of new visitors. A beautifully decorated showcase on a walk-through street is the best advertisement for a flower shop.

Before opening the salon, the premises need to be repaired. Now there are many magazines about the interior, in which you can get a lot of ideas on how to make repairs with minimal means, even if the room is in a terrible state.

How to choose suppliers

Suppliers now offer a very wide range of products. Flowers that ten years ago could only be seen in catalogs or that were brought only to order are always available for sale today. There are many suppliers, you can choose those whose conditions will be most suitable for you.

When you are just starting your business, it is best to choose suppliers with minimal bulk purchases. This will make it possible to purchase goods more often and in small batches. This way you can avoid buying expensive refrigeration equipment for storing flowers, and you can also determine which flowers are selling better and which are worse.

What equipment is needed

It is desirable to have a refrigerator in a flower shop, therefore, when opening, you need to provide for its average cost in expenses. At first, you can do without a refrigerator, because there are now a lot of flower supplying firms, you can take flowers in small batches. As long as there are few orders, you will not need a refrigerator. But when your business is sufficiently developed, you can already afford a refrigerator, and you will need it.

But if you nevertheless decide to buy a refrigerator, you do not need to place it inside the salon, this makes an unpleasant impression on the buyer.

It is very important to correctly equip a trading place. Even in the arrangement of colors there are many subtleties. You can arrange the flowers so that it will visually seem as if there are a lot of them. It is necessary to be able to select the assortment in such a way that the effect of volume is created in the salon. You will need racks and flower containers.

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, that is, you can use your own resources to the maximum.

How to find staff

The ideal option is to hire four florists who will work in shifts. Two florists working in one shift will be able to serve customers faster and complete more orders. Of course, you can start with two, but working alone is inconvenient. If there is only one florist 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 a florist's assistant, his work is paid at least twice as cheap. The assistant can work in the salon not all day, but only during the time when the manager is absent from the store. Students work with pleasure in such positions, they count and process flowers. You can invite assistants for the weekend when the store management is resting.

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 they are in demand, 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 the area and see what your competitors are selling. This way you can understand what is in demand.

Each flower has its own lifespan, it costs a certain time. When the salon just opens, you can only guess what flowers will be in demand, even if you have analyzed what they buy from your colleagues in the area. Therefore, in the first months of work, it is better to purchase flowers that are stored for a long time... It will also ensure a good filling of your store, create an impression of abundance, wide assortment. Anthurium retains freshness for a week, orchids stand for a very long time, especially cymbidium and dendrobium, phalaenopsis in pots can generally stand for several months. Flowers in pots can be sold with him, and cut for a bouquet. People willingly buy chrysanthemums both at home and as a gift, 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 the main 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 terms of names, but also in terms of color palette. Be sure to buy white flowers. This is a white rose, white chrysanthemums, white gerberas, white orchids. It is more difficult with spring flowers, there must be tulips, daffodils.

Initially, you can sell bouquets in the same range to see what 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 constantly be on sale. Gradually, as you build up a customer base, you will study demand, compare your sales with what competitors are selling, and make adjustments to the cost of your bouquets and colors.

The assortment must include inexpensive houseplants.

At first, when you are still on a limited budget, you can buy indoor plants that can be sold individually or used in combination with fresh flowers. There are many such plants. For example, variegated begonia looks spectacular in bouquets, a good volume is given by a special phylum, which can stand in a bouquet for several months. Bouquets that combine indoor plants and cuttings always look very voluminous and expensive.

You can organize an exhibition of ready-made bouquets in the salon and make a special markup for design for each bouquet.

It is very important to correctly arrange flowers in the salon. They don't have to be on the same level. In addition, a smooth color transition is of great importance for placement. Next to the red flowers, let the pink ones stand. It is important to give the impression that there are many colors. To do this, you can put additional indoor plants and branches, they give volume and height. The arrangement should be stepped. You should also try to keep roses and any other flowers the same length.

How to open flower shop and receive income as soon as possible.

No holiday is complete without beautiful bouquets, which guests are in a hurry to hand over to the hero of the occasion.

But there are also weddings, anniversaries, corporate banquets, at which it is customary to decorate the hall with flower arrangements. Add to this the dates of lovers, because the ardent young men who want to bestow their lady of the heart have not died out. fresh roses or daisies, and you will understand how profitable this type of business is.

If you are looking for a niche in entrepreneurial activity, then it will not be superfluous to find out, how to open a flower shop, what kind of start-up capital is needed in this business and how profitable this type of business is.

The answers to your questions can be found in this article.

Capital investments: 500,000 - 600,000 rubles.
Business payback - from 1 year.

Benefits of opening a flower shop

Not in great demand among entrepreneurs ...

Many businessmen are afraid to get involved with such a delicate product. And this market is really full enough, because, wherever you look, there are grandmothers everywhere offering simple bouquets grown with their own hands, or flower stalls with a small and inexpensive assortment of goods, or pretentious markets where they sell fancy compositions at exorbitant prices.

Yet opening a flower shop can be a profitable and profitable business because it has many undeniable benefits:

You don't need to have a lot of money to launch this startup.
You don't have to be a florist or agricultural education to become a flower shop owner.
Your business is business, and leave the rest to specialists.
In order to open your own flower shop, you do not need huge areas, which means that renting premises will not ruin you.
Flowers will always be a hot commodity while people celebrate birthdays, fall in love, get married, have children, that is, they live a normal life.
This type of business itself implies creativity, you will be able to come up with more and more new competitive advantages and increase your customer base.

Competitive advantages of your flower shop

A business started from scratch does not promise huge earnings at the startup stage. Until you have a wide client base, you cannot dream of super profit.

To attract a lot of customers, you need to figure out how you can favorably distinguish yourself from competitors. Alas, the competition in this type of business is quite serious, so you have to try.

Fortunately, owning a flower shop creates many competitive advantages.

For instance:

Maintain a reasonable pricing policy.
It is inconceivable not to overstate the cost of flowers, but to set a sufficient margin to keep the business profitable.
Offer the client a good assortment of goods.
You should have flower arrangements for every taste and budget: small inexpensive bouquets for schoolchildren and students, luxurious roses or orchids for wealthy clients, intricate compositions for originals, etc.
Carry out promotions in holidays: March 8, Valentine's Day, September 1, etc.
For example, “Three bouquets for the price of two”, “Buy a bouquet and receive a postcard as a gift”, etc.
Think over a loyalty program for regular customers.
Organize a delivery service for those who cannot personally deliver the bouquet.
Make sure that the sellers and florists working in your flower shop are as friendly, smiling and competent as possible.

Disadvantages of opening a flower shop

This type of business, like any other, implies not only advantages, but also disadvantages.

Entrepreneurs are often reluctant to start a flower shop for a number of reasons.

The most common are:

Perishable goods.
Even clothes have their own expiration date when they go out of fashion. But old clothes can at least be sold at discounts.
It is quite difficult to carry out such an action with flowers: few people want to buy half-dead flowers, albeit at a low price.
Seasonality of this type of business.
For example, summer is considered a low season for sales, but on holidays, floral goods fly away instantly. But after all, pay taxes, salaries to employees, eat and dress always, without reference to the season.
When ordering large quantities, you can get a defective product hidden among quality flowers.

And yet these disadvantages of opening a flower shop can be fully compensated for if you do not order more goods than you can sell, do not spend all the profits, but save enough to painlessly survive the low sales seasons, work only with trusted suppliers.

Features of owning a flower shop

"If you want milk, do not sit on a stool in the middle of the pasture, waiting for the cow to come up to you and substitute her udder."
Richard Branson

A flower shop is also a business, so it operates according to the laws of entrepreneurial activity. The more clients, the more profit.

And yet the flower business has its own nuances that need to be considered before starting an activity:

The most beloved flowers of Russians, as well as of Ukrainians and Belarusians, are roses.
In pursuit of originality, consumer tastes cannot be ignored.
It is imperative, depending on the season, to have in an assortment of chamomile, gerbera, freesia, lily, chrysanthemum, sunflowers, dahlias, asters, alstroemeria, irises, carnations.
The range of flower shops is similar.
You are unlikely to find any unusual flowers from the supplier that your competitors do not have, so focus on original colors, creating interesting compositions, a variety of types of flowers, selling not only ready-made compositions of cut flowers, but also plants in pots.
March 8, September 1, February 14 are the days of big earnings for flower sellers.
No one will judge if these days you raise prices substantially.
But in the summer, you will have to tighten the belt tighter, since the flowers acquire much less at this time.
Selling flowers cannot be called waste-free.
15–20% of discarded plants are considered normal. Don't be upset about this.
In order to keep the freshness of your goods as long as possible, you should install special refrigeration equipment in the flower shop.
It is not cheap, but will help further reduce costs.

4 ways to make money selling flowers

Your own flower shop is a conventional name for a business. Most often, entrepreneurs who want to sell such a beautiful and delicate product open the following types of outlets:

Flower pavilion.

This is the most profitable option for those who do not have a large start-up capital, because, in fact, you only need to rent a retail outlet in a crowded place, for example, a large shopping center, an underground passage, etc.
If you choose the wrong place to trade, where there will be few people, you run the risk of bankruptcy.

It is also important to take into account the low level of solvency of the future clientele, therefore, when purchasing goods, give preference to inexpensive flowers. No special equipment or decor is required for the flower pavilion.

The actual flower shop.

Here you will have to invest a lot more money and rent a small retail space, decorating it to your liking.

Due to the fact that your sales area will increase, you will be able to sell not only cut flowers, but also ready-made compositions, plants in flowerpots, etc.

The clientele of flower shops is middle class, so don't make huge fancy compositions in advance. They can be made from scratch to order.

Flower boutique.

This is a slightly pretentious establishment for clients who value not only the quality and assortment of goods, but also the interior, the level of service, etc., so you will have to invest a lot of money in your flower boutique.

You can also experiment with the assortment of goods: buy from suppliers both classics and exotic plants.

You don't have to pacify your imagination in drawing up flower arrangements either.
You don't have to open a flower boutique right in the center. If you distinguish yourself favorably from competitors, then they will come to remote areas for your products.

Online flower shop.

Here, in addition to renting premises and purchasing refrigeration equipment, you will have to spend money on creating a website.

Another disadvantage of this type of business is the inability to get a random customer, since purchases are made by pre-order. To increase the profitability of an online flower shop, it is recommended to combine it with a regular one.

Step-by-step instructions for opening a flower shop

The main components of the implementation of this type of business are the premises, its decor, the purchase of equipment, establishing relations with suppliers and recruiting personnel.

In addition, you will need to officially register your flower shop and advertise it in order to get your first customers.

It will take no more than 4-5 months to launch a startup, if you can agree with all government agencies.

Registration of a flower shop

Of course, you will have to register your company, like an individual entrepreneur, and register with the tax service.

You do not need to obtain a special license for opening a flower shop from scratch, but you will have to get the approval of the fire service and the sanitary and epidemiological station that the room you have chosen meets all the standards.

The cost of registering an enterprise ranges from 30,000 rubles and more.

All these procedures should not take you more than 2 months.

Flower shop premises

To start a business, it is not necessary to purchase or rent a huge space. 30 sq. M. Will be enough for you. m.

Not only a trading floor, but at least one household room, where the staff will rest and change, where you can store some of the products, etc., as well as a bathroom.

Rent one square meter even in small towns it is expensive.

In the regions, the cost of a monthly rental of premises will range from 25,000 rubles. V large cities this amount can be two or even more times higher.

In addition, keep in mind that if you want to locate your flower shop directly in the center, and such an arrangement will certainly have a beneficial effect on business, then renting the premises will cost even more.

If the condition of the premises you found is not very good, then it will have to be repaired. If there is no need to renovate the hall for a flower shop, then you will definitely have to decorate it in such a way as to attract the attention of buyers.

Fortunately, flowers in themselves are a great decoration, so you don't have to spend a lot of money on interior decoration.

Flower shop equipment

In addition to commercial furniture (counter, shelving), you will have to equip domestic premises at least a minimal set of furniture: lockers for changing personnel, a table, chairs, etc.

Remember that flowers are perishable, so they keep much better in the cold. Can be purchased to store goods special refrigerator for flowers, although conventional industrial cold rooms will work as well.

Flower shop staff

People always need flowers, so it is desirable that your store be open seven days a week, for example, from 10.00 to 22.00.

To do this, you will have to hire several salespeople to work in shifts.
If you have registered a small flower shop (about 30 sq. M.), Then you can get by with one seller per shift. If you are targeting a larger business, then you should consider hiring two salespeople to replace.

To create original flower arrangements, you need to hire a professional florist, but in order to cut costs for a new venture and allow it to get back on its feet, you need to hire a salesperson who knows how to compose, albeit simple, but beautiful bouquets.

Hence, to open a flower shop, you need the following staff:

Until your business begins to bring in more profit, you should not hire a driver who will bring flower products from suppliers (you can arrange delivery directly to the office) or deliver them to customers at home.

This position should be thought about later, when the business is on its feet.

You can do the bookkeeping and management of the store yourself.

Flower suppliers to the store

If you are not planning to build a greenhouse and grow flowers for sale yourself, then you will need suppliers.

The most popular suppliers of flower products in Russia are the Mytishchi State Farm of Decorative Horticulture, the Yuzhny State Farm, and the Kosino agricultural company.

Perhaps you will open a new supplier that suits you in all respects.

Flower shop advertisement

Of course, the most popular way to attract customers is to serve them well and sell quality products.

If your business is just starting to operate in the market, then use advertisements, videos on local radio and the Internet to advertise it ( social networks, city forums). You should also invest in a colorful sign that immediately grabs the attention of your customers.

How much money does it take to open a flower shop

So, if you ask the question: “How much does it cost to open a flower shop?”, Then for everything about everything you will need a start-up capital of at least 500,000 - 600,000 rubles.

Expenditure item	Amount (rub.)
Total:	RUB 550,000
Company registration	30 000
Premises rental and repair	100 000
Furniture purchase and cold storage. equipment	200 000
Purchase of the first batch of goods	50 000
Employee salary (per month)	60 000
Advertising	30 000
Additional expenses	50 000

We offer for viewing a selection useful tips from an expert:

when and how best to open a flower shop,

what should you pay attention to?

Profit from opening a flower shop

Get ready for the fact that floral, like any other type of business, will not bring fabulous profits at first, so include in the amount of the start-up capital the cost of renting a hall and salaries of staff (at least for a period of up to 3 months).

As soon as your business is on its feet, then income will automatically increase.

Download a ready-made business plan for a flower shop with a quality guarantee.
Business plan content:
1. Confidentiality
2. Summary
3. Stages of project implementation
4. Characteristics of the object
5. Marketing plan
6. Technical and economic data of equipment
7. Financial plan
8. Risk assessment
9. Financial and economic justification of investments
10. Conclusions

Calculation of the proceeds of the flower shop

As you can see, in a favorable scenario, the flower shop begins to pay off after 3-4 months of work. Expected profit: 20,000 - 50,000 rubles per month.

Of course, with such monthly income, you should not expect your business to pay off earlier than after a year of successful activity.

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Where to start a flower business: how to open and register a flower shop, what is needed to open (advertising, equipment, associated costs), premises and location, assortment policy and subtleties of purchasing goods.

This is not just a business. Over time, it turns into a way of life. Fascinates, fascinates, takes prisoner. How? Constant contact with nature. Permanent feeling that you bring a particle of beauty into the world, you give joy to people. An emotional activity. Those who once plunged into the flower business part with it only due to force majeure.

However, we will talk about the mentioned correct approach, which will allow you to get the maximum possible profit from trading such a complex product.

Procedure for opening a flower shop

Consider the question of where to start and how to properly organize the flower trade.

registration

The registration process is perhaps the easiest thing in the flower business. IP is registered in accordance with 52.48.32 OKVED " Retail flowers and other plants, seeds and fertilizers. " You have to choose a taxation system (UTII or STS).

After registering the enterprise, you need to purchase a cash register, as well as register the cash register with the tax office. Self-registration will take about two weeks. It is easier to use the service offered by the KKM sellers. In this case, the registration process with the tax office will take a maximum of 3 days.

Mandatory documentation

A retail outlet (regardless of its area) must have a package of documents, and most of them must be available to customers. This includes:

Permission for the right to trade (obtained from the council in accordance with N 381-FZ).
SES conclusion on compliance.
Book of complaints and suggestions.
Price (optional).
Packing list.

The rest of the documents (lease agreement, certificate of registration of KKM, cash register) are also preferable to keep at the point of sale. Sellers and florists must have medical books, as well as name and photo badges.

Certification

Certification is not required, but there is a nuance. This document inspires confidence, and it costs the business owner the cost of a photocopy. Most reputable suppliers are voluntarily certified. It remains only to take a copy from them when purchasing the goods.

What you need to start a flower business

Advertising

from four sides. The box itself costs about $ 1000, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. The main expense is approval in the proper authority, which can cost $ 10 thousand (Moscow time). In the regions, these figures are much lower, but they cannot be ignored (a solid item of expenditure).

Flower shop equipment

You cannot open without a refrigerator. refrigerators compartment may be ready, but it is extremely inconvenient. It is preferable to do it "for yourself". In this case, you do not need to immediately contact the "masters of cold". First, you need to build the "room" itself (more profitable). One side of the refrigerator should be "dull". It's good if it's a wall. The rest are plastic "windows" made according to individual measurements.

The door is required, but rather several (depending on the size). After the camera is built, a cassette split-system or monoblock is installed in it (possibly, when there is another “blank” wall). Together with all the work, the refrigerating chamber will cost from 120 to 200 thousand rubles.

A standard split system with a winter option is installed in tonars or small pavilions. Accordingly, this is the cost of a conventional air conditioner installation.

Stands for flowers are needed, as well as flowerpots. In large chambers, they usually equip shelves and use glass vases. In tonars and small pavilions these are special designs (about 4 thousand one) and plastic flasks (from 80 to 150 rubles each) for them.

Cash register

The cost of the cash register varies from 9 to 15 thousand rubles.

The purchase of a cut for a small pavilion will cost about 40 thousand rubles (Moscow time). Fully fill a large store with goods: from 300 to 400 thousand.

Related expenses

Packaging for flowers is required. To begin with, you can not get too carried away with the color scheme, purchase universal shades: mesh, felt, matting, sisal, ribbon. Transparent cellophane - No. 1. Always needed. This is the most popular type of packaging. In addition, you will need: wire for gerberas, tape, scotch tape, glue gun. Tools: secateurs, scissors, floral knives, wire cutters. All together will cost about 5 thousand rubles.

Premises for a flower shop and its location

A store or point of sale can be located:

In tonar. A small room on wheels. Essentially a car trailer.
In the pavilion. Small spaces, modular designs.
In a free-standing room (rare, almost unrealistic luck).
On the first floor of a residential building (only the first line).
In the mall.

The lowest rent is in shopping centers. Then - tonars and pavilions.

On a separate line: online store. It is worth opening it with a fully established business. It cannot exist separately.

The territorial location of the flower shop (IMPORTANT!)

The “fate” of the business depends on the correct choice of the location of the premises intended for a flower shop of any level.

The proximity to a metro station is not always a great advantage. It is important where the exit from the station goes: people come home or leave home. But this is not the main thing either. The main stream is motorway... She gives a large stream.

If a place is chosen on the highway closer to the city center, then the most powerful traffic will be where the movement is towards the region, and vice versa: when located in residential areas, you need a direction to the center.

If the store is located near the metro, but there is no road nearby, you can not expect large daily sales. Of course, if the professionalism of the staff is at the highest level, and the assortment is always full, including rare exotic flowers and plants, sooner or later the enterprise will start working in full force, but this will take at least three years. Plus, you will have to constantly make financial investments in advertising, pay for a highly qualified florist and maintain the assortment at the proper level. A similar arrangement of the flower salon is too long a ruble.

There are nuances. Not every track is guaranteed a quick start. Purchasing power is reduced by 50% if the store is located:

on highways, on the sides of which it is prohibited to stop cars.
At the track with understudies.
Directly at a public transport stop, where parking is also not possible.

"Pitfalls" of rent

If they refuse rental holidays, you should be on your guard. There can be no urgency. Vacations are a standard requirement for any sales organization. It is necessary, at a minimum, to equip the premises, to bring in equipment, goods, to arrange showcases. In most cases, this takes a week. If you need redecorating, some alterations, it will take a month. The refusal of the landlord in the standard requirement serves as a reason not to rent this premises. Most likely, either there are no rights, or there will be difficulties with taxation.

The requirement for an advance payment of two months is justified only for shopping centers. Recently, however, even in them it is not practiced.

When making a lease, it is imperative to clarify whether the monthly fee is included in the amount communal payments... Tariffs for electricity and housing and communal services for commercial enterprises significantly differ from consumer ones. Electricity bills can go up to $ 300 per month. Price garbage disposal is also significantly higher. In addition, it is necessary to clarify whether the landlord has this agreement at all. If not, then there is a risk of being left without the ability to get rid of packaging containers and other litter, of which there will be quite a lot.

When renting in a shopping center or residential building, please check availability immediately outdoor advertising opportunities... It may easily not be there. In this case, it is reasonable to refuse the premises and find something else. This rule also exists for pavilions. There are situations when the height of the premises is such that outdoor advertising cannot be placed due to inconsistency with the architectural plan of the area.

In general, when concluding a contract, you should seek the help of a lawyer. It is not so expensive, but it can save you from a lot of troubles, up to the fact that the landlord is ending the term of the land acquisition. It will be extremely unpleasant if the building is demolished in a couple of months.

Features of the assortment, what colors to trade

For small areas the best option is to trade in freshly cut flowers. Potted crops and related products in such places are rarely looked for. The product of this category takes up precious space, which can and should be used in order to increase the assortment of the cut.

Assortment for tonar

The assortment is minimal. The area does not allow maintaining any serious level.

Carnation ( several colors: red, white, variegated).
Shrub carnation ( several colors: white, pink, variegated).
Chrysanthemum single-headed ( white, yellow, lilac).
Chrysanthemum bush ( white, yellow, variegated).
The Rose ( burgundy, white, pink, yellow, variegated).
Shrub rose (pink, white).
Gerbera (mix).
Tulip ( February to June: white, yellow, pink).

Assortment for the pavilion

If the area of the pavilion is about 10 square meters, then the assortment practically does not differ from that in the toner. Starting from 18 square meters, you can already buy: orchids, anthuriums, irises + increase the number of varieties of roses.

Assortment for the store

Starting from a 30-meter area, it already makes sense to trade in pot crops, soil, pots, boxes. On a 50-meter square, the assortment will be complete:

All possible cut, including exotic, in a large refrigerator.
Artificial flowers. Dried flowers. Potted crops, including large-sized crops.
All types of pots: plastic, clay, ceramic.
Soils, fertilizers and other preparations.
Vases: from ordinary glass to original works.
Postcards.
Various decor for home and garden.
Subject literature.

In a large store, you can and should organize gift wrapping. The production of copyright postcards is encouraged. Everything is used: dried flowers, beads, beads, ribbon, colored paper... The main thing is the florist's imagination.

How to purchase goods

The main immutable rule is never be limited to one supplier even if he has a super product. Some kind of force majeure and you can be left not only without profit due to lack of goods, but also incur unforeseen costs associated with wages staff. In addition, the lease should also be considered.

Choosing three main suppliers is ideal. The following are widely represented on the market: Holland, Ecuador, Russia. So you need to choose three wholesalers. If something happens for one, two-thirds of the ordered goods will be received anyway.

Colombia is very widely represented in Russia. This product is only suitable for pavilions. You need to sell it quickly. The price is relatively low. Russian flowers are definitely more expensive. Pot crops - Holland and Russia.

For small additional purchases, which will definitely be required at the beginning, the best supplier is “ 7 colors v". These are democratic prices, wide choice, flexible approach. Contact the manager, and all restrictions will be removed ( tested). This is a Dutch, international company. As for the rest of the suppliers, you will have to choose on your own, based on their prices and the quality of the supplied goods.

1. Basic purchase

In the process of work, the main assortment will be formed - positions and their quantity, which is sold in any case. This will be the main purchase. You will need to make a preliminary order for it from all suppliers in order to be guaranteed to receive the goods on certain days. It is preferable to place such an order on Wednesday. First, it will have to be reissued several times, then the main purchase will take place automatically.

2. Additional purchase

This is a rather subtle point that requires experience. Flowers are bought here, which are supposed to be sold. It is almost impossible to build a persistent list. It should be borne in mind that additional purchase is always more expensive, since discounts apply to the main purchase.

3. Holiday shopping

On February 14, a double purchase is made. Moreover, the main + additional purchase. The item should be ordered three weeks before the holiday. Some wholesalers may require you to place your order one month before delivery. Their demand should be satisfied.

The order for March 8 is made one month before the 1st day. This purchase is tenfold. An advance payment of at least 30% will be required. When planning the movement of funds, this aspect must be taken into account, as well as the fact that prices rise quite seriously.

Trying to negotiate post facto payment with suppliers can lead to their agreement and disastrous results. Risk of being left without goods on the most trading days of the year is too large. The suppliers' claims are more than justified. They pay for flowers from their own funds, which are simply not enough for the festive volume. At auctions and plantations, flowers are not released on credit.

Pricing

The standard mark-up is 200%. However, for a product that looks more expensive, the price should be set higher, since it periodically decreases on a fresh cut. In addition, when determining the cost of freshly cut flowers, one should start from the maximum price tag of the goods, that is, from the cost of flowers purchased at additional purchase (it is more expensive than the main one). This is done for stability. Customers don't like hopping pricing. There is a tendency for buyers to look for flowers in advance, several days before the intended purchase. If the selected product suddenly became more expensive, the person will buy it, but will not come to this store again.

Price reduction

In the flower business, this process is mandatory and must be done on time. Flowers are stored in the refrigerator for a long time, but the price for them should be reduced not by their appearance, but by the date of purchase. Do not wait until the presentation is lost. This will happen immediately and irrevocably. If the flowers are not sold within a week, their cost must be reduced without fail. The florist should start them up first.

Seasonality and holidays

The flower trade is a fickle but predictable process. The decline is observed in the following periods:

The first two weeks of January due to vacations.
Great post... Weak trading all 49 days excluding March 8.
May holidays (vacations).
The last two weeks of August. This is due to the preparation of children for school.
September starting from the second week. Reason: velvet season.
The last two weeks of December. Everyone is preparing to celebrate the New Year.

In addition to these standard "dips", the flower market responds to sharp changes in exchange rates and crashes on the stock exchanges. It is difficult to identify the reasons, but the trend is evident. With the right business, this does not have a significant impact on the state of affairs.

The main holiday is March 8th. Intensive trading has been observed for almost a week. The main excitement falls on March 6, 7, 8. The 4th, 5th and 9th numbers can be compared with less significant holidays. Then descending: February 14, September 1 (double main purchase), New Year, Teacher's Day, Tatyana's Day.

When the store is located in the city center, Saturday and Sunday are quiet days. Trade freezes. In residential areas, the opposite is true: Saturday is the most trading day of the week.

Summary

The most profitable option in all respects would be the choice of a large area located on the first floor of the shopping center, as close as possible to the central entrance group... Of course, the location of the shopping center itself must be optimal and meet the above requirements. This will be a quick start.

Several immutable rules

You shouldn't feel sorry for old flowers... Illiquid goods spoil the shop window and cause much greater losses than getting rid of them.
Money for the purchase of sold related products must be set aside immediately. If you move it "for later", you can end up with an empty store.
The staff must be made directly dependent on profit. The minimum salary is prescribed. The rest is% of the proceeds. The more a florist earns, the higher the store's profit. The dependence is direct and very tough.

Make sure the florist is happy. This is creativity. Too much depends on him. However, one must not lose vigilance either. Organization of video surveillance is the best way out. You can pay a lot, but you cannot be deceived. Unfortunately, the flower business cannot be built on trust, no matter how much you want it. Otherwise, the store owner runs the risk that his profit will be lower than the seller's salary.

Should you start a franchise flower shop?

One of the options for opening a flower shop is to buy a franchise from an existing shop. With this option, you get a ready-made business model, with a detailed description of where to buy flowers, how to store them and answers to many other questions that arise during the operation of the store. But how is it necessary to pay for this information (as you know, free cheese is only in a mousetrap, and even then only for the second mouse).

Let's look at the example of the Mnebuket franchise offer, which gives the purchase of a franchise in comparison with opening a store from scratch.

Comparative table of opening a store by franchise and independently (according to the presentation of "Mnebuket")

Opening from scratch

Franchise "Mnebuket"

The flower business attracts primarily with low capital investments and good profitability. However, due to the fragility of flowers, seasonality of sales and many other factors, you should take a responsible approach to organizing your business.

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The main nuances of the flower business

To create a flower business, you need to consider the following features:

Perishable goods. Flowers tend to lose their original appearance, and this happens quickly enough. In this regard, it will be required not only proper care for the flora of your store, but also careful planning of purchases of goods.
Product markups. The cost of flowers is quite low, but the mark-up for them ranges from 100 to 150 percent. Only a limited list of goods has such significant indicators, for example, drugs or weapons. In order to get the most out of the business, the owner must take this fact into account.
Flexibility. The flower business does not require tangible start-up capital, and just as importantly, it does not require a lot of effort to close the business.
Seasonality. Revenue will vary depending on the season. Super profit will be on holidays, the time when gifts in the form of flower bouquets will become the main manifestations of attention. The least profitable season for business will be summer, when people will have the opportunity to grow flowers on summer cottages or just collect them in parks.

Flower business forms

The next step after making a decision to engage in the sale of flowers will be the choice of the form of this activity. There are several formats of flower business, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

Flower business happens:

flower tents;
small flower shops;
flower online stores;
flower boutiques.

Flower tents

The main disadvantage of this format is that it is highly dependent on location. It is important to understand that you cannot avoid competition here, and two different tents with flowers standing next to each other are normal. The ideal option would be to open a future stall next to a large flow of people. As an example, consider a crowded square, where you can make good money selling flowers to young people in a hurry to date.

Due to the small size of the room, it is simply impossible to provide proper attention to flower care. The owner will need to place the products as closely as possible on the few shelves and at the same time not harm the quality of the goods.

Small flower shops

We are talking about full-fledged flower shops with an area of 30 m2. Such a business will require not only significant investments, but also a deeper analysis of competitors. Placement of outlets near such establishments is fraught with significant losses in earnings. A significant role in the amount of profit will also be played by a rich assortment, which makes it possible to increase the area of \ u200b \ u200bthe premises. In addition, it will be necessary to expand the staff. If one seller could work in the pavilion, then the store should have several employees, moreover, with the desired education of a florist.

Flower Online Stores

Many businessmen already have popular online projects for the sale of flowers and, based on their feedback, it can be noted whole line advantages of this format. The most significant plus will be the convenience for the buyer when making a deal. As a rule, people have little free time, which makes purchasing from a mobile device or home computer extremely attractive.

The most important step in organizing an online store is website development. The creation of such a portal should only be dealt with by a professional, because from appearance and the convenience of the service will depend on the lion's share of success. The importance of this stage cannot be neglected, so it is best to contact a reliable web studio.

Also, an important role is played by a room for storing flowers and organizing delivery. The room where the goods will be waiting for their customers should be dry and cool. Ideally, the room temperature should be about 18 degrees Celsius. Delivery should be handled by responsible people, delays and delays are unacceptable.

Flower boutiques

The most costly to start, but at the same time the most profitable format of the flower business is a salon. The area of such a room should be at least 60 m2.

The prospects for a flower boutique are almost unlimited. With due attention to all the details and nuances, a business can bring enormous profits to its owner.

The possibilities of such an institution are significantly expanded at the base due to the availability of highly qualified personnel. Professional florists are able to create real masterpieces from expensive varieties of plants. Ultimately, the client will need to pay a large sum for such a product, so a flower salon is a business exclusively for big cities.

One of the most significant distinctive features this form is the ability to work with corporate clients. Contracts and agreements concluded with various organizations will immediately take the most significant positions in the income of your business.

Photo gallery

Flower pavilion Flower shop An example of an online flower shop Flower salon

Step-by-step instructions for starting a flower business

After a thorough analysis of all the advantages and disadvantages of starting a flower business from scratch, you need to proceed directly to the actions themselves. To understand where to start, first of all, you need to draw up a clear plan, where all the stages necessary for implementation will appear.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

Registration of documents.
Supplier search.
Search for premises for a store.
Equipment purchase.
Staff recruitment.
Assortment compilation.
Advertising.

Paperwork

The business registration procedure is simple and does not take much time. But in addition to registering an individual entrepreneur at a retail outlet, there must be a list of documents, most of which must be available to customers.

These documents include:

trade license;
the conclusion of the sanitary and epidemiological station on compliance with the standards;
book of complaints and suggestions;
packing list.

Supplier search

Experienced entrepreneurs work with multiple suppliers to minimize risks. When choosing them, you need to be guided by reliability and pricing policy that is relevant to you. For example, a product from Colombia has a low price, but the speed of sale should be as fast as possible due to low quality products. Such products are suitable exclusively for pavilions and stalls.

Flowers from wholesalers from Russia differ in a more expensive price, while the shelf life is much higher.

The main suppliers on the market are:

Holland;
Ecuador;
Russia.

Emphasis should be placed on goods from these countries.

Competent purchase of goods plays an equally important role.

There are several types of such procedures:

Basic purchase. Those positions and their quantity that are sold in any case. Through the main purchase, the assortment is replenished with a preliminary order, this will save you time and effort in the future. In addition, discounts apply to basic purchases.
Additional purchase. A process that requires certain experience in business. A certain sort or type of flowers is being purchased, which are supposed to be sold. There are no constant values in this case and cannot be, because demand is constantly changing.
Holiday shopping. Demand on such days becomes peak, accordingly, purchases are carried out in much larger amounts. The main holidays for flower business owners will be February 14 and March 8. In the first case, the purchase is made three weeks before the date, in the second - a month in advance.

Finding space for a store

When searching for and choosing a room, businessmen are guided, as a rule, by the degree of population of the place in which this room is located.

A point of sale can be located:

in tonar;
in the pavilion;
in a separate room;
on the first floor of a residential building;
in the mall.

If there is a need to save on rent, then you can choose a shopping center.

There are also nuances when concluding a lease agreement. In particular, it is important to clarify whether the monthly payments include utilities.

This video describes the right choice premises for a flower shop. Material taken from UFL Flower Delivery channel.

Equipment purchase

Of the mandatory purchases, it is worth highlighting the cash register. Its cost varies from 9 to 15 thousand rubles. The purchase of a refrigerator will be desirable, especially for medium and large stores. For small rooms, you can limit yourself to installing an air conditioner.

This also includes the purchase of packaging for bouquets. Transparent cellophane is the most demanded type of packaging, required for purchase.

In addition, you should pay attention to other design tools:

mesh;
tape;
felt;
matting.

When choosing tools, you can limit yourself to a sector and scissors.

Staff recruitment

The creative potential of the employee is of particular importance in the selection of personnel. Flower shop workers must have an out-of-the-box thinking, originality and creativity are the main qualities. For salons, where they are engaged in designer flower products, a highly qualified employee with a florist education is needed.

In addition to staff working with clients, large establishments will require an accountant and administrator. An online store cannot do without responsible couriers and drivers.

Also, for any kind of enterprise, the friendliness of the staff plays an important role. In the situation with the flower business, this role is greatly enhanced. The buyer comes to the store, as a rule, in a good mood; the employee's task is to maintain and increase this mood.

Assortment compilation

The rate of payback of the project and its success directly depend on the size of the assortment. But there is no one-size-fits-all product selection for all forms of flower business. Due to its peculiarities, each format requires a certain range of goods.

For the pavilion

Small tents, stalls and pavilions are limited to a selection of live cut plants. Due to the ensured large turnover in crowded places, such products do not have time to lose quality. At the same time, when purchasing such goods, it is more profitable for small businesses to work through intermediaries.

Of the most popular types of cut fresh flowers, the following can be distinguished:

Carnation;
chrysanthemum;
the Rose;
gerbera;
Tulip.

For shop

Shops and flower boutiques are expanding their assortment significantly.

It may include:

cut flowers, including exotic;
designer bouquets;
decorative indoor plants;
flower care products;
soils;
pots and vases.

Some establishments add variety to the assortment by:

holiday cards;
souvenirs;
toys.

Advertising

A marketing campaign in the case of a flower business doesn't have to be massive. Entrepreneurs limit themselves to signs and leaflets. Flower boutiques can afford television advertisements. Internet projects post information about themselves on various third-party portals and all kinds of banners.

Flower business profitability

According to experts, the profitability of the flower business is relatively high. The exact percentage depends on the size of the business and other factors such as location and recruiting. The flora trade market is showing good growth rates, which means that it is possible to enter it in the coming years.

For many years, the flower business has been one of the leading areas of private entrepreneurship.

This can be explained by the fact that regardless of the season, flowers as a gift will be relevant. Especially on holidays. For the flower shop to start bringing stable income a year after its opening, you need to draw up a competent business plan with all the calculations. A well-written business plan is already half the success of a flower business.

You can also open your flower business from scratch at home, it will consist in growing indoor potted plants at home and selling them. No special equipment is needed for this, but the income from growing plants at home will be minimal. So entrepreneurs interested in this area should invest in a more serious flower business.

Choosing a legal form to start your flower business

To open a flower shop, you should give preference to an individual entrepreneur (Individual Entrepreneur).

If the choice is made in favor of the individual entrepreneur, then the following documents are submitted to the tax office:

paid receipt of state duty for registration of individual entrepreneurs (800 rubles);
application form R21001 for state registration of individual entrepreneurs. It must be certified by a notary;
if the accounting is carried out according to the simplified taxation system, then an application is written in form No. 26.2-1 on the transition to the simplified tax system;
a copy of all pages of the applicant's internal passport.

Consideration of a set of documents for opening an individual entrepreneur will take a week. If it was not possible to pick up the documents on time, the tax office will send them by mail within 2-3 weeks.

With a positive decision to open an individual entrepreneur, the entrepreneur is issued:

OGRNIP;
extract from EGRIP (single register of individual entrepreneurs);
notification of registration with the tax authority of an individual;
notification of registration in the territorial PFC of an individual (Pension Fund);
from Rosstat - notification of the assignment of statistics codes.

After passing the registration of the individual entrepreneur, it is necessary to make a seal (from 500 rubles) and open a current account in the bank (from 1 thousand rubles).

OKVED code 52.48.32 "Retail trade in flowers and other plants, seeds and fertilizers."

After registering an individual entrepreneur, the next step will be to buy a cash register and register it and then register with the tax authority. This process will take about two weeks. Stores selling cash registers often provide services for expedited registration with the tax office. If you use the services of this organization, then all documents will be ready in a maximum of 3 days.

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Mandatory documents to start your flower business

Regardless of the area of the retail space, it must contain such documents as:

a permit for trading activities obtained from the district council (according to No. 381-F3);
a conclusion from the sanitary and epidemiological service on the compliance of the commercial premises with all sanitary standards;
book of complaints and suggestions of buyers;
consignment note for the goods provided;
price list for the product being sold (this item is optional).

All these documents at the first request will have to be provided to the buyer. Documents such as a contract for the lease of premises, a document confirming the registration of a cash register, an accounting journal cash transactions, documents for equipment, etc., it is also better to keep in the sales area, so that in the event of the arrival of the checking company, you can immediately provide them. All staff must have valid medical books and cards, which will indicate the full name of the employee and his photograph.

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Choosing a room to open a flower salon

You can choose places for a point of sale:

in one of the city's shopping centers. There are many of them in Moscow;
on the first floor of the first line of residential buildings;
in a separate building. It is almost impossible to find such a retail space in Moscow;
to rent a small space in a trade pavilion of modular design;
in tonar. This is a small area on wheels, you can also call it a car trailer;
in the online store. Flower business experts recommend opening an online store with an already established retail outlet business. There cannot be a separate online flower shop. This is easy to explain. After all, flowers are a perishable commodity.

The most important thing in choosing a location for a retail space is not to be mistaken. The most lucrative place for selling flowers is a retail outlet, which is located in the immediate vicinity of the motorway. Even if a flower shop is located near a metro station, but there is no road nearby, big profit you can not expect from him.

When concluding a lease agreement, it is imperative to clarify whether utility bills and garbage collection are included in the rent. If the area is rented in a shopping center or in a residential building, you should immediately clarify the availability of such an opportunity as outdoor advertising. Often it just may not be there. In this case, it is better to refuse this room.

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Equipment for organizing a flower business

The most important piece of equipment in a flower shop is the refrigerator compartment. Opening a store is unacceptable without it. If you make a refrigeration unit on an individual order, then the cost of equipment will be about 150 thousand rubles.

For tonars and small pavilions, standard split systems with winter options are installed. At a cost, this equipment will cost like installing a conventional air conditioner.

You will also need stands for flowers and flowerpots. In tonars and small pavilions, equipment is usually installed simpler: special designs and plastic flasks for them. In large cold rooms use shelves and glass flower vases.

Consider how much it costs to open a flower shop. Expenses for the necessary trade equipment in Moscow:

air conditioner - 20 thousand rubles;
refrigerator - 40 thousand rubles;
thermal curtain - 15 thousand rubles;
florist's table - 7 thousand rubles;
inventory and accessories for a flower shop - 28 thousand rubles.

Total equipment will cost 110 thousand rubles.

The Internet will help you find out the exact cost of the necessary equipment in each city.

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Flower shop staff

The working staff must have 1 administrator, 2 florist-seller, 1 accountant. You do not need to hire an accountant, but use the services of a third-party company for legal and accounting services of the firm. And if the store also has a sales channel through the website, then you will need another person who will accept orders via the Internet and fulfill them, but at the beginning of a business, opening an online store selling flowers is simply a senseless waste of money. You can think about opening a sales channel via the Internet when the work of the main point of sale is well established. When starting a flower shop business, you need to hire competent salespeople. Only depend on them positive reviews buyers.

Staff salaries will be:

administrator - 30 thousand rubles;
florist seller (2 people) - 50 thousand rubles;
accounting and legal support of the company - 10 thousand rubles.

Total 90 thousand rubles.

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Assortment and its features

If the retail space is small, then the ideal option would be to sell fresh cut flowers. Buyers are not looking for potted indoor plants and related products in such places. In addition, this product category takes up too much space. Using this retail space to expand the range of cut flowers will be much more productive on the bottom line.

For tonar, due to the small area, it is worth preferring an assortment of carnations (ordinary and spray), chrysanthemums (single-headed and spray), roses (ordinary and spray), gerberas and tulips. Colors: white, yellow, red and variegated.

For a pavilion with an area of 10 sq. m, the assortment will be the same as for tonar. If the area is from 20 sq. m and more, then it will be possible to add orchids, irises and anthuriums to the assortment. The number of varieties of roses can also be increased.

For shop with retail space from 30 sq. m, the assortment can include indoor potted plants, soil, fertilizers, pots and other accessories. If the area of the store is from 50 sq. m and more, then the range can be expanded to the maximum. It will be possible to include exotic plants, large-sized potted plants, and different kinds soil, etc. For shops with a large sales area, you need to organize the packaging of products and gifts, or, for example, the production of designer postcards from fresh flowers.