Flower business owners are businessmen like all the others. As such, they look for ways of expanding their businesses, with a minimum possible risk and an affordable amount of investment money. What most successful flower business owners want is to open another store and gradually turn their business into a brand, with its stable position on the market. This idea is rather tempting, but when it comes to opening even one more store, the owner has to think of new rent, redecoration, double the inventory, hiring staff and many more additional expenses which can turn this undertaking into quite risky one. However, if they decide that they do want to expand the business and increase the income, there are few options to do so.
One of the ideas is to rent a vending machine for flowers. Flower shops, like many others, have the so called slow hours, when few people walk in and if there are orders coming via the Internet or the phone, then it’s good, otherwise the sales may not cover the expenses for keeping the shop open. However, flower businesses experience huge boosts in their sales during holidays such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and national holidays. It is quite challenging to find the right staff and train it so that they can cope with the highs and lows in the flower industry. That’s why renting a floral vending machine is a great idea, as this is like opening a small flower shop that works 24/7. The machine can be put literally anywhere that’s full of people as its aesthetics can match all sorts of scenery: airports, malls, restaurants and bus and train station. Its convenience would allow and hint at more people to purchase flowers. What the vending machine needs is an Internet connection and electricity. The bouquets of beautiful flowers will be displayed on a carousel which rotates and offers a panoramic image of fresh flowers. The bouquets in the vending machine have perfect conditions – they are kept in water at 6-8 ᵒC. The water is kept clean by the circulation. When a bouquet is purchased, a single door opens, so the other flowers are not exposed to any changing conditions. Flower vending machines are a great marketing and selling strategy, which makes buying flowers a much easier experience. It saves time, effort and if it’s where you need the flowers, then they will be fresh and you don’t have to carry them. The florist can keep track of what’s being sold and know when the machine needs to be restocked. The florist knows the status of the vending machine at any moment, due to email or phone messages. This hassle-free method is becoming quite popular and florists that have a good vision of expanding their businesses are already taking proper advantage of it. This allows the florist to focus on their primary source of income: the flower shop. That’s where customers interact with the florist, seek assistance and information about flowers. They can also get custom-made bouquets and spend some time choosing the flowers. In comparison to that, a vending machine is perfect for people who are on the go and don’t have time to go to a flower shop. It is a convenient and affordable way to get flowers exactly where and when you need them. Vending machines can considerably boost the sales of a florist with the right advertising and location. A great option is to allow purchasing a small card with every bouquet or simply attach them to the wrapping paper. This little extra will make your vending machine stand out and people will remember your name. Consider getting a vending machine to reach a bigger market of people who simply don’t have the time to go to floral shops. This is a risk-free expansion which can lead to many bigger options.
