If you decide to open your own business, and at the same time you want to receive aesthetic pleasure yourself and give others only positive emotions, then a flower shop will be a great option. It is about how to open a flower shop, and today we will talk.
Start-up capital and necessary documents
The buyer, as a rule, already enters the flower shop, experiencing positive emotions. After all, their purchase is associated with some kind of triumph, and this is always a joy. And at such a moment, the owner of the flower business should try to strengthen this positive energy and guess what the buyer might be most interested in the assortment of your store.
A relatively small start-up capital is required to create a flower business. Answering the question of how much it costs to open a flower shop, we can say that for a start the amount of $ 8,000 - $ 10,000 is quite enough. But these numbers vary depending on the chosen format of the flower shop.
Let's figure out how to open a flower shop from scratch. Before taking any action, you need to register with the tax service as an individual entrepreneur (IP) or as a limited liability company (LLC).
If you plan to open one point of sales, and you yourself will act as a seller, then it is advisable to register as an individual entrepreneur. If your plans include opening a small network of flower shops where service personnel will be hired, then you should consider registering an LLC.
When all the documentation is ready, you can continue to organize the flower business further.
Let's talk in more detail about what you need to open a flower shop.
What are the types of flower shops
Flower business in the framework of small business is divided into the following types:
- Small pavilions located in the underpasses or at the exit of the subway.
- Small shops in places where there are a lot of people, in particular in large shopping centers.
- Specialized boutiques located in large shopping centers and directly on the busy streets of the city.
- Online stores.
Let us consider in more detail each type of store.
Flower Pavilion
Such small flower pavilions are located near the metro; they can be found in the underpass. A good place is the basis for the success and development of the flower business. Thanks to a well-chosen place, you can get a good daily income.
Flowers are a delicate product that quickly becomes unusable, therefore, turnover, preferably large, is the most important component of a successful business. The main percentage of sales in small pavilions is cut flowers. The assortment is usually represented by 15-20 positions. Additional profit comes from packing the bouquet.
Small shop
The main difference between the store and the pavilion is the large trading area. This makes it possible to significantly expand the range of goods.
The visitor is offered not only a floral cut, but also ready-made bouquets, potted flowers, ceramics, gifts and souvenirs, and other related products.Expanding the range, including a sufficient percentage of non-perishable goods, makes it possible to reduce the level of costs.
The profit of a store of this type is no longer so dependent on daily turnover, as you can sell fewer flowers, but also make a profit from the sale of related products.
A store is much more expensive than a pavilion. And the answer to the question of how much it costs to open a flower shop will be something like this: the starting capital, which is necessary to open a flower shop, starts with an amount of $ 20,000.
The store pays off much more slowly than the pavilion, but there is one undeniable advantage: the business becomes more stable due to the significantly expanded assortment and the appearance of regular customers.
Flower boutique
Floral boutique is the apotheosis of the flower business. Everything is a delight here, starting from the design of the room and flower arrangements made by masters of their craft, and ending with well-trained sales consultants.
The opening of such a salon requires huge costs, the amount of minimum investment starts from $ 80,000, but this is a guaranteed stable business, which implies great prospects in the future.
Online store
In large cities, flower delivery is in great demand. After all, an order can be placed without leaving the apartment or work office.
The financial cost of opening a virtual store is very small. You can perfectly fit in the amount of $ 1000, but an online store is a risky enterprise, as you can easily go bankrupt. At first, as a rule, there are always very few customers. Given the fragility of the goods and the cost of delivering a bouquet, one can even expect that the business will “fly into the pipe”.
It was a little prelude to the conversation, how to open a flower salon, and now about the main thing.
Place for a flower shop
It will be quite difficult to find a good room, since all more or less suitable areas are already occupied. And if suddenly something is released somewhere, the rent will be quite large. Generally speaking, the cost of retail space with a high level of customer traffic and a good location is quite large and ranges from $ 1,000 per m2 / year.
As you remember, the right place for the store is the basis for successful business development. An ideal option would be a room where you can equip a trading room, warehouse and a separate place or point in the common room where the florist will work.
The work of a florist in front of visitors is an excellent advertising move. Customers, watching the appearance of the next floral masterpiece, get a lot of positive emotions and a desire to acquire such beauty, and this, in turn, increases profits and attracts new visitors.
What else do you need to know before opening a flower shop? The arrangement of the premises plays an important role in the prosperity of your future own business.
Appearance and advertising
The buyer should be met by a beautiful sign that shows the name of the flower shop. The best option is to use luminous neon signs that are perfectly visible day and night.
A store located in a quiet residential area needs regular customers to make a profit. To attract buyers, it is simply necessary to use various advertising means. You should not spare money for printing leaflets and advertising business cards. They can be left in various companies involved in the organization of holidays, or in wedding salons. This is a great targeted advertising for potential buyers.
Flower shop interior
If the appearance of the store must meet the requirements of architectural supervision, then the internal design is your own business. Here, for imagination, there are simply no boundaries.
But we will only touch upon the minimum that the interior of the flower shop should contain. First of all, racks should be placed along the walls. They must be of different heights. Before them, directly on the floor, leave space for tall plants or flowers.
Choose aluminum racks. Vertical profiles have the necessary holes so that the shelves can be placed at different levels.
Give preference to white color, as the store is usually small in size, and dark colors will visually reduce it. In addition, the white hue does not cause color distortion.
Daylight lamps are the most optimal lighting option. It is better to choose a white shade. The reason, as is the case with shelving, is the lack of color distortion. The room should be equipped with air conditioning, and the possibility of ventilation should also be provided.
Special equipment
In addition to commercial furniture, you just need a refrigerator for flowers. Freshly cut flowers - the product is very delicate and does not last long. To increase the life of flowers, special refrigerators are required, the price of which is quite high and starts around 20,000 rubles.
In principle, you can use a conventional industrial refrigeration unit, which is used in large supermarkets. It is also perfect as a refrigerator for flowers. The main thing is that it provides the desired temperature range.
Flower suppliers
Flowers are purchased either from wholesale suppliers or from local households. Both options have their advantages. When bulk purchasing from large suppliers, you can create a huge assortment offered to the buyer. When ordering goods from local manufacturers, you get the most fresh and high-quality goods. If financial opportunities allow, you should use both options for the purchase of goods.
Imported goods, as a rule, have a presentable appearance for much longer and are much cheaper than goods of a domestic manufacturer. This difference is due to the experience of growing flowers. Abroad, the flower business is well developed, while in our country it moved to a new level only a couple of decades ago.
Almost all flower suppliers practice post-payment, especially on the eve of big holidays. But a start-up entrepreneur who has too high financial risks will not be granted a deferred payment.
How to open a flower shop? The question is complex and multifaceted. But this is absolutely impossible to do without hired workers.
We hire staff
For a boutique, you should only hire specialists who have completed a full course of training in the art of floristry and who, if necessary, are able to competently advise a client on all issues that have arisen. Preference should be given to a florist designer who has experience and a portfolio of finished bouquets. It’s easier to appreciate his creativity.
No less important place is assigned to the seller. He must understand the colors, know their features. The ability to communicate with a client is almost the main selection criterion. It is this skill that helps sales. In order to stimulate the seller, the following payment scheme is usually applied: a low base salary is assigned and additional interest is paid on monthly revenue.
The seller must also have minimal skills in creating flower arrangements so that he can not only recommend them to the client, but also correctly compose a bouquet. At the same time, the ability to use various jewelry and accessories is welcome.
In addition to the sellers, a successful manager will need a manager, as well as several couriers who will provide delivery, if provided, and a driver.
It is advisable to transfer the bookkeeping to a company that specializes in services of this kind. So you will be completely sure that all financial documents are filled out correctly.
Choose assortment
Cut flowers are a very fragile product. The shelf life of a flower at a correctly selected temperature regime does not exceed 20 days. Therefore, well-planned procurement will help to minimize financial losses from damaged goods.
The most sought after flower among buyers was and remains roses. They should prevail in the assortment of freshly cut flowers.
Recently, designer bouquets composed of freshly cut flowers with added dried flowers and fruits and bouquets made entirely of dried flowers are gaining more and more popularity. Compositions of both directions must be present on the storefront.
An excellent solution would be the introduction of potted plants to the assortment. Flowers are often bought as a gift, so various cute cards and souvenirs will be in demand among the store’s customers.
Selling flowers is a great business, giving you the opportunity to make good money. But you should approach it with fantasy. So we came to the end of the conversation. Now you know exactly how to open a flower shop. Good luck!
