Why Are Flowers So Expensive? How To Save Money On Buying And Sending Flowers

They’re arguably the most popular gift option in the world and have been for many, many years.

From Mother’s Day to birthdays and weddings, everyone loves receiving flowers as a special gift.

But as thoughtful as flowers are, they’re often an expensive option! Why are flowers so expensive? We’re going to answer that question for you.

Not only that, but we’ve going to give you the tips and tricks you need to save money on purchasing flowers in the future.

This way, you can get better quality flowers at cheaper prices; everybody wins!

Why Are Flowers So Expensive?

So, let’s get the big question out of the way first. Flowers are so expensive because of several different factors.

The first of these is the fact that the flowers are delicate. They are a perishable product and demand careful packing and shipping methods to keep them safe.

This makes them more costly to grow and harvest that many other grown products, like vegetables.

You need more pickers to keep up with the huge demand for flowers worldwide, whilst there are also certain financial concerns.

If those flowers you’ve spent time and money picking end up wilting or breaking in transit, then all that money will have been wasted.

The same goes for any insects that could find their way to a garden; all the time spent on growing flowers will be for nothing if insects ravage them.

For high-quality cut flowers, they will often need to be refrigerated whilst they are transported in large numbers.

Because of this, the actual transport of flowers themselves can be more costly than other shipped goods.

Finally, the logistics of the industry is also more complicated than most. Often, flowers are picked then transported to a florist, who then transport them to customers. This means they’ve often transported around and at risk of damages.

Now that you know the main reasons why flowers are so expensive, let’s discuss ways you can cut your flower spending.

Go With a Subscription Service

One way in which you can save on flowers if you buy them regularly is by using a subscription service.

A subscription service will source, curate, package, and get fresh flowers delivered directly to you for a single fee. They can often be received weekly, biweekly, or monthly depending on how often you like to receive your flowers.

Subscription services will also often have different pricing models based on the flowers themselves. This means you can cater your subscription to your own needs and budget.

If you often buy flowers as a gift, buying someone a subscription also means that they receive flowers all-year-round. This is more thoughtful than a one-off purchase and will keep your loved one appreciative every time they receive new flowers.

If you’re interested in trying out your first flower subscription, consider Bloomsy Box. They handpick all flowers fresh for delivery and have several packages suitable for any customer!

Avoid Delivery Costs

If you’re going for more one-off flower purchasing, one way of saving costs is snipping the delivery fee. You can do this by picking up flowers by collection directly from your florist.

You can then deliver them yourself to whomever you’ve purchased them for, or take them home.

It is worth remembering that this will only be cost-saving in certain situations. If you’re delivering the flowers a long distance, then the time spent delivering them yourself might not be worth the money you save. You’ll also need to factor in the petrol cost of delivering yourself.

But if your florist is local, and your destination is also, this can be a good way to save money. It also allows you to interact face-to-face with your florist, building a stronger relationship with them which could serve you well in the future.

Use Your Own Vase

One way in which some online flower suppliers charge more money is by packaging their flowers in their own vases. But you don’t have to always use a vase offered by the florist, you can use your own!

You can find suitable vases second-hand which serve flowers well. Or, you can send flowers without a vase at all.

Many people who receive flowers will have vases of their own that they put their flowers in any way. If this is the case, then that extra money you spent on the vase will have totally gone to waste.

Remember that the flowers themselves are the main gift, the vase is just a way of transporting and holding them. Spend your money on the contents, not the container itself!

Avoid Add-Ons

In a similar vein, many florists online now try to include add-ons in their flower deliveries.

This can include cute teddy bears, small gifts, or chocolates which are delivered alongside your flowers. These products are almost always at an extra cost to you the buyer, and you really don’t need them!

Just like above, the flowers themselves are the gift that you’re investing in. You’re much better off saving your money and just sending flowers.

Or, you could even use the money saved on not having add-ons to buy a slightly better arrangement of flowers. This way, you’re investing your money into the most beautiful flowers you can get, not add-ons which won’t be appreciated as much as the flowers themselves.

Ask Your Florist What They Recommend

Remember how we said its good to build a relationship with your florist earlier? Well, its for occasions like these!

With local florists, they’ll often have a stock of certain flowers that are no longer full price. Maybe they’ve had a huge order for a wedding, but the couple decided against having so many flowers so there are several left over.

Or, there was a particularly large harvest of a particular flower this year that isn’t selling as well as they’d hope.

But you won’t know about these secret flower options unless you ask. If you do ask, then maybe you can get better flowers at a lower price!

People often forget that florists and companies selling flowers are more than just people who sell products, they’re experts and artists in their own right. Many people ask retailers for recommendations, why not florists!?

Using their expert knowledge can get you better flowers at a lower price.

Look for Sales and Deals

Some florists will put certain flowers, like those from the situations above, in a designated deals section of their store. For brick and mortar locations, this might be as simple as a chalkboard outside that has discounted flowers listed on it.

But online, there will likely be a whole category dedicated to discounted flowers. This should be curated by the florist, meaning it will likely have up-to-date information.

It’s advisable to use this section first, to see if there are any discounted flowers on offer that you’d be interested in. This way, you end up with quality flowers, but at lower prices than some of the deluxe packages advertised.

There’s no shame at all in shopping in the sales section, these are usually just flowers that may not last quite as long as those at full-price. It can also make you purchase flowers you wouldn’t normally!

Bear in Mind a Minimum Spend and Shipping Costs

One way in which online buyers can be caught out by florists is not checking the minimum required to spend before they start shopping.

The last thing you want to do is get to the checkout with a $40 order to find out that you need to spend at least $50 for delivery, which also isn’t free! This puts the whole florist way out of your budget and will either force you to spend more than you can or end up wasting your time.

Always check the listed minimum spend on a website before you begin shopping. Not only that but make sure you look up how much they charge for shipping too, as this can add a lot to your order!

Ensuring you know this before you buy will allow you to budget better and means your purchase will likely be far cheaper overall. You should focus on spending more money on the flowers themselves, not on extortionate shipping fees!

In The End, Get What’s Right For You

These are just some of the ways in which you can save money on your flowers.

Why are flowers so expensive? As seen above, the reasons why flowers are so expensive are understandable in the way the industry operates.

But that doesn’t mean that you have to foot the larger bill! Overall, ordering a subscription service is usually the best method, as it means you get quality, reliable flowers regularly at an affordable price.

It’s also the gift that keeps on giving, all year round! If you’re interested in finding out more about flowers or anything else, make sure you take a look through the previous posts on our website!