Inflation and the massive winter storm that swept through country in the four days before Christmas wreaked havoc on December flower sales for some, according to florists who responded to the Society of American Florists’ annual survey about December sales and Valentine’s Day expectations.

More than 47 percent of respondents reported that their December sales were down compared to 2021 (among those, about 23 percent saw a drop of between 6 to 10 percent). More than 26 percent of florists reported an increase in sales (20 percent saw an increase of 1 to 5 percent), and 25 percent reported that their sales were about the same.

The December sales results came following two years of robust, unprecedented growth due to pandemic-related social distancing restrictions and concerns. For some florists, their December sales were more in line with pre-pandemic December sales.

“Business returned to a more normal pattern as compared to 2019,” says Stephen Neubauer of Nuebauer’s Flowers of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.

The outlook for Valentine’s Day is laced with hope and worry. Nearly 33 percent expect an increase in sales compared to 2022, and nearly 41 percent believe their sales will be flat.

Changing Trends

Those with drops in sales placed much of the blame on inflation, which fell to 6.5 percent in December from its 9.1 percent peak in June, when many have reported the first signs of a sales slowdown.

“It’s been an ongoing trend the past 6 months of negative to flat sales compared to last year,” says Brian Kusuda, of Jimmy’s Flower Shop in Ogden, Utah, who is also a member of SAF’s Board of Directors. “We are hearing more customers bring up the increased prices of items and they are becoming much more conscious of costs.”

Although the shop started December slow, Kusuda says, it picked up by mid-December and the week of Christmas was strong, bringing sales in line with those of December 2021.

Pat Cannon, of Beach Plum Flower Shop in Newburyport, Massachusetts, noticed another trend.

“Local customers traveled, downsized or eliminated local celebrations,” Cannon says.

And one respondent acknowledged that the decrease in sales might simply be that consumers aren’t relying on flowers like they were during the pandemic.

“I think the pandemic is officially over,” says Brenda Sterk of Eastern Floral in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “People are seeing their friends and family in person again, so sending flowers has lessened.”

Winter Storm Elliot

Respondents also put some of the blame for sluggish sales on the winter storm. Many wrote that they had to close their shops in the days before Christmas.

“We had a bad storm come through and ended up pushing everything to Wednesday and Thursday,” says Jacklyn Burrell of Flowers From Sky’s the Limit in Petoskey, Michigan. “We closed early on Friday with no staff coming in and were totally closed on Saturday.”

Several other shops shared Burrell’s dismay with the weather.

“We were tracking flat until Thursday and then we were hit with extreme weather and heavy snow,” says Nate Golter of Longmont Florist in Longmont Colorado.

Other findings about December sales from the survey include:

• 51 percent of respondents reported an increase in website sales; 26 percent reported an increase of walk-in sales; and 21 percent reported an increase in phone sales. Increases in the other categories were reported by less than 20 percent (wire outs, wire ins, giftware, holiday décor services).
• Nearly half of respondents reported a decrease in walk-in sales (47 percent); more than a third reported a decrease in phone-in sales (38 percent); and wire-in orders dropped 34 percent, while wire-out orders dropped 26 percent.
• 41 percent of florists said that 21 percent or more of their sales came through their website.
• 44 percent of florists reported that sales of poinsettias were about the same; 36 percent reported a decrease in poinsettia sales; and 12 percent reported sales of poinsettias were up
• Social media, email promotions and online advertising were most effective marketing tools, florists reported. Virtual events, television advertising and promotions with other businesses were the least effective.

Sweet Valentine’s Day?

Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday, which some florists — but not all — found encouraging because it means more deliveries to offices, more early deliveries on the weekend, and a little more time for men distracted by the Super Bowl to remember to order. (Need help reminding your customers to order early? Check out SAF’s new social media graphics and web banners).

“Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday seem to always be the busiest so we’re gearing up for that,” says Jackie Bockwitz of Forever Floral in Coon Rapids, Minnesota.

But there were concerns that the holiday falling two days after the Super Bowl would cause a lot of last-minute orders.

“In 2022, moving the Super Bowl to the day before Valentine’s Day made our Sunday sales very soft,” says Letitia Martin, of Strelitzia Flower Company in Davis, California.

Chris Drummond, AAF, PFCI, of Penny’s by Plaza Flowers in Philadelphia and SAF Chairperson, is anticipating that the Super Bowl will cause a last minute rush — and he’s prepared.

“Media hype around the Super Bowl will distract consumers,” he says. “I think that will cause a record sales day on Monday Feb. 13. We will streamline our collection and pre-produce thousands of arrangements before Feb. 13 to be ready for the deluge of orders.”

If the Super Bowl weren’t enough to contend with, florists also pointed out other concerns, from more bad weather and competition to the prevalence of remote working.

“I believe the change to remote working is directly impacting the floral holidays, as half the fun is showing off in the office,” says Regina Cannon Treml of Belladonna Florist in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

James Yaughn of Cannon House Florist in Aiken, South Carolina, is heading off competition — from grocery stores to gas stations — by marketing their flowers as the best.

“We are trying to promote our flowers as a higher end product — which they are,” he says.

And some florists remain confident that despite inflation, weather and competition, flowers will always sell.

“Those that are die hard flower orderers, they will find the money for those flowers,” says Justin Degonia of New Leaf Flower & Plant Shop in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

Amanda Jedlinsky is the managing editor of SAF NOW.