Florists Report Price Increases and Supply Issues

Florists are seeing a continuous peak in flower prices, according to research conducted by Floranext, who surveyed 311 florists about the current state of the flower industry.

The survey was based on data from the US (83%), Canada (8%), and internationally (9%).

“Over 98% of florists say that flower prices have increased,” the platform for independent florists reported.

“This year has been a lot harder than 2020 in several ways,” one florist said in the survey. “The cost of doing business has gone up, and sales have gone down the past month,” said another.

Furthermore, 58% of the surveyed florists reported that day-to-day costs for flowers have not only increased but are a lot more expensive than in the past.

To add to their woes of surviving in an already tough industry, small floral businesses also reported flower supply hiccups. Nearly 50% of the florists said that they cannot get the flowers or supplies they need.

“Some items are hard to find at the wholesaler, and I can’t replace them for months,” said one business owner. Another noted that “quality and availability is brutal right now.”

Multiple florists reported an issue with glassware availability, for example, and have had to find substitutes for favorite vases. Of the surveyed florists, 53% said they have had to find new suppliers, and that quality remains an issue.

What does this mean for florists?

In a nutshell, the cost of business for a florist has increased – a lot. Remember, in addition to paying more for flowers and hard goods, florists must still pay rent, shipping, salaries (which have also increased), and gasoline for deliveries, not to mention the cost of electricity and water to keep a flower shop running.

As with any perishable item, florists also don’t have the guarantee that their weekly flowers will sell. They may lose big time financially if sales drop – which it has. One florist noted that they had to become creative in the market to attract customers, as customers have been spending less and less.

“Consumers really need to get the memo. They don’t seem to understand the increase in costs,” one disheartened florist said.

What can I do?

1. Support local
Here at Fiesta Flowers, our customers are like our family, and we are so grateful for your continued support during this turbulent year – thank you, thank you, thank you! When you support local, your arrangement isn’t part of some mass production in a faraway warehouse. Every time a purchase comes through, we do a little dance and pour all our love and knowledge into making the perfect arrangement. Plus, supporting us means also supporting the local economy.

2. Understand why prices have increased
As with anything, the prices of cut flowers have increased this year, which directly affects what we charge our customers. We pride ourselves on high-quality flowers and keeping our arrangements as affordable as possible. We will never increase our prices without a good reason! The flower industry is dictated by supply and demand.

3. Please have patience
Sometimes the supplier won’t have the product you like, or the flowers you wanted are too expensive for us to buy. We’ll go above and beyond to help our clients, so kindly call us if you have a question, and we’ll help you as best we can. If the flowers you want are too expensive or simply not in season we’ll suggest the best alternative, and if the supplier is fresh out, we’ll keep you updated (or have a look at our variety of other products in stock).

Thank you again for your continuous support; we just love sharing our passion for all things pretty with you!