The floral industry is blooming! According to the Society of American Florists (SAF), spending on floral products grew 21.5% from 2020 to 2021, bringing the industry as a whole to $46.6 billion. At a store level, cut flowers make up $360 million of the U.S. sales figure, and retail flower shop sales are expected to grow 5% in 2023, with incremental growth continuing beyond that. SAF Chief Executive Officer Kate Penn says the industry’s recent growth period “has created an urgency about how we keep those flower-buying customers.”
With Mother’s Day approaching, that sentiment is more important than ever. From delicate bouquets that need special attention to reaching moms all over the country, logistics is a tricky element for florists to manage. This is true for florists ranging from small standalone flower shops to national chains. Thankfully, Roadie is ready with problem-solving delivery solutions that florists will love — and moms will too.
Problem: Flowers are fragile, and boxes are bulky
For most florists, the biggest delivery hurdle is keeping plants and flowers cool, fresh and intact during transport. Because of their organic nature and need for air and water, many arrangements can’t be sealed in boxes for transport.
To facilitate the delivery of dozens of orders in a single excursion, floral delivery vans are often equipped with racks and stabilizing components to keep vases from shifting on the road, and some may even be refrigerated. This sounds like a nice setup — but also an expensive one. For many florists, buying, equipping, insuring and maintaining their own delivery vehicles, plus hiring drivers, is cost-prohibitive — or out of reach entirely. These growing costs may quickly become an issue for fast-growing and mid-sized operations that have increasingly complex logistics and delivery needs.
Rather than building an expensive fleet, turning to Roadie allows florists to leverage a wide network of drivers ready to meet their unique transport needs. From small cars for individual deliveries to large vehicles that can safely accommodate fragile and oddly shaped orders, the Roadie’s platform helps every arrangement arrive at Mom’s doorstep safely.
Problem: Moms are everywhere, but florists can’t be
Even if a florist can afford to outfit a floral truck of their own, one vehicle can only deliver so far from the shop. Once the delivery radius gets restricted, the bloom is off the rose.
With the ability to fulfill same-day deliveries as far as 100 miles or more from the shop, Roadie is an affordable option that enables florists of any size to expand their service footprint (and sales opportunities) without increasing overhead. This ability to cast a wider net extends to rural areas too. The Roadie network and its capabilities include drivers traveling between smaller towns off the typical ultrafast delivery path.
Problem: Traditional delivery is unforgiving for the forgetful
Moms spend so much of their time raising kids, so taking just a few minutes to order flowers seems like the least their child can do. And yet…sometimes they forget. That customer’s mom will probably forgive them for waiting until the last minute, but shipping companies may not. Even if the customer’s preferred arrangement is available for last-minute delivery, the procrastinating child will pay out the nose to get it there in time.
Thankfully, fast delivery is where Roadie shines. Florists can use the Roadie driver network to deliver arrangements safely that same day within a 100-mile radius. And for those who only waited until the second-to-last minute, fast and affordable next-day delivery is also available.
Problem: The challenge of spreading out demand
There is another issue when consumers send flowers at the eleventh hour — the demand has not been spread out, so the traditional carriers are often at capacity. Their trucks are full, so the florist is out of luck.
Or are they? With Roadie, florists can scale up easily, especially during holidays when demand is high and van space is tight. That means that you’ll always have a resource to get orders out the door, even when sudden demand extends beyond your expectations and projections.
Roadie helps a florist own the flower delivery experience
Moms don’t ask for much in return for all that they give, so ensuring their flowers arrive intact and on time is essential. For businesses looking for better, more efficient ways to scale up capacity and serve more customers during peak holidays, Roadie is ready to fill that need in the most efficient and affordable way possible.
By leveraging Roadie’s flexible network of drivers and their vehicles, florists can create a brand experience that sets their business apart. With Roadie taking care of the last-mile logistics, florists can take a moment to stop and smell the roses.
Reach out to Roadie now to get ultrafast delivery set up in time for Mother’s Day.
