Business Idea: Starting an Online Flower Shop

Introduction

There are plenty of articles online about corporate high-flyers who gave up their well-paid jobs to open a flower business.

This is not one of them.

In this article you will find step-by-step information on how to open both a bricks-and-mortar flower shop and an online flower shop with home delivery.

The first step.

You have two options.

You can hire a florist, or you can become one.

A single florist can be enough to generate a turnover of up to 60,000 euros, which keeps you below the threshold for VAT registration.

Hire a florist who is already trained.

Depending on the city where you are hiring, and on the florist’s experience and above all their reputation, the salary can start at the national minimum wage and comfortably exceed 5,000 lei.

Invest in yourself and train as a florist.

If you have no experience and have never put together a bouquet in your life, you have several options.

You can pop down to your local flower wholesaler and pick up the flowers you need to practise with.

For bouquets, besides the flowers themselves, you will need a pair of garden secateurs, green floral tape and satin ribbon.

To make floral arrangements you will need floral foam, a wicker basket, a ceramic vessel or a box.

There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube to watch and draw inspiration from. Floral art is not for everyone; it is a craft that calls for patience, concentration and, not least, dedication. Being able to teach yourself counts for a great deal.

Doing your research on YouTube and Google can whet your  appetite for floral art. There is essential information you should jot down in a notebook so you can read it again whenever you need it. It is important to find a style that appeals to you. Find a few big names in floral design to inspire you and feed you with their creations. 

Sign up for a specialist course run by a talented, experienced florist. My advice is to choose a course you attend in person rather than an online one.

Choose a wholesale flower supplier.

In 2022 there are wholesale flower suppliers who will deliver the cut flowers you need straight to your shop every week.

Set up a company under CAEN code 4776.

Choose CAEN code 4776 – Retail sale of flowers, plants and seeds.

Trading in flowers carries no special legal requirements.

Find premises for the business.

Depending on how much you want to invest in your flower business, you can go for premises with or without good passing trade.

One thing worth taking into account is which way the premises face.

North-facing premises offer the ideal temperature for keeping flowers fresh during the warm months of the year. At the opposite extreme are south-facing premises in direct sunlight.

If you want to focus mainly on selling flowers online, you can choose a more tucked-away space, which will be far more affordable. The only requirement is easy access for loading and unloading flowers.

A recommended supplier for flower shops.

A flower shop cannot exist without a supplier of fresh flowers, plants and, not least, the accessories florists rely on. The recommendation below comes out of the experience of a number of flower shops.

Sell flowers with home delivery through Superflori.ro

Superflori is an online platform where independent florists can sell bouquets and floral arrangements with home delivery.

You will trade under your own shop name, which means you start building your brand from day one. With Superflori you get front-page exposure on Google for the keywords that matter.

Superflori comes with a whole series of long-term benefits.

We would be delighted to hear that you want to be part of this project.

Alternatively, you can apply using our online form and you will receive an answer within three working days at most.