While flowers are beautiful and a great way to wish someone a happy birthday or to demonstrate your love, they sometimes carry a rather hefty price-tag. Obviously flowers are a premium gift but considering they are quite simple and can be grown en-mass with ease many people wonder why flowers are as expensive as they seem to be.
There are a few answers to this question:
International Logistics
Not only are the logistics of delivering flowers very precise, the growing in or arrival of flowers to your country is also crucial.
Despite much commercial flower growing being done regionally to cater to local demand, some flowers come from exotic locations too. Despite the improved logistics and international costs of delivery in recent times it is still expensive and tricky to import flowers from some of the biggest international flower growing regions (for example the biggest commercial rose growing nation is Ecuador and Columbia the number 1 flower producing country overall) where only the most sought after flowers can be grown in sufficient quantities.
The fact also that flowers are normally delivered directly for special occasions also gives a flower delivery an air of immediacy which of course carries a price.
Luxury
People spend a lot of money on flowers because it is perceived as a premium item. They have an air of class and elegance which marks them as distinct from other gifts.
The idea of commercially cut flowers has always carried a premium and throughout history (until very recently in fact) they were the preserve of wealthier homes. In fact, when commercial growing started in the Netherlands in the 1600’s the price of Tulips inflated so much that a single bulb became worth as much as a house. Many flowers were exotic imports from far away lands and this of course made them sought after and very expensive as a result.
As refrigeration and storage techniques have improved and transport has increased in speed it’s now not only for the super wealthy but it still carries that mark of luxury that is reflected in the price. Not to mention the fact that flowers feature in many celebratory events such as weddings and birthday parties that already have higher costs attached.
Ultimately in this case though, it comes down to the fact that if you want to buy the best quality flowers you normally get what you pay for.
Artisan Skills
Flowers prepared and delivered by florists are of course alive and fresh when they arrive to your home, which means that they need special care getting to their final destination.
Flowers are very delicate and must be treated carefully. This means it takes a certain level of skill to prepare and arrange the flowers, so they not only look amazing, but so they will also arrive safe and sound to the recipient. Being a florist is a skilled and very precise profession. It is not just something that anyone can do without training or experience. You need a good eye for detail as well as clear knowledge as to what plants need what care, how certain flowers match other decorative plants, how to cut them to ensure they stand properly and look their best and even the cultural significance of different arrangements. To get the best bouquets you need to pay the florist their dues.
Maintenance and Profitability
Maintaining and keeping cut flowers requires a very particular balance. Flowers need to be bought and sold very quickly and as with working with any natural product there’s the potential for a lot of wastage. Flowers that arrive and don’t look the part or that perish quickly are completely unusable and if that keeps happening too much costs can become insurmountable. This means that are very tight profit margins in the florist industry especially if you are a small private florist.
You need to be able to get the flowers in to the shop, arrange them as per the client’s request and quickly send them out before they go off. It’s very easy to lose money if demand for flowers drops or if there is a problem with the logistical chain.
Whilst flowers may carry some cost the reaction they get is undoubtedly worth the money and the effort it takes to get them to your loved ones on their special day.
FloraQueen delivers quality flowers internationally to over 100 countries worldwide. Working with a network of expert international florists we are able to guarantee the best quality flowers for your recipients but also that your flowers will remain fresh for up to seven days.