Sample: Retail Florists with email addresses256 Completed Responses 8% Response Rate Survey Monkey Online Survey Mother’s Day sales in 2013 compared to 201251% of the florists reported sales increases 31% reported sales the same as last year 18% indicated sales decreased 1% didn’t know Sales compared to 2012 by Annual Sales Level of Business and Location (%) | Under $300,000 | $300,000- $499,999 | $500,000 – $999,999 | $1 million+ | Increased | 40 | 54 | 59 | 43 | Same | 41 | 24 | 27 | 26 | Decreased | 18 | 22 | 15 | 31 | Don’t know | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| City/Urban | Suburban | Small Town | Rural | Increased | 48 | 47 | 51 | 44 | Same | 36 | 30 | 29 | 19 | Decreased | 17 | 23 | 20 | 31 | Don’t know | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Of the sales changes…The average increase was 11.8 percent vs. 12.6 last year The average decrease was 10.5 percent vs. 9.4 last year Reasons for Sales Increases* (%)Multiple responses allowed Shop reputation 51 More online (Web-site) sales 34 Higher average sales 25 More wire-in orders 22 Regional economy 24 More walk-in sales 25 E-mail campaigns 14 National economy 15 Public optimism 17 Weather 24 Word of mouth/buzz 17 Fewer competitors (including fewer florists) 19 Improved shop management/operations/planning/preparation 19 Shop advertising/promotion 13 Social networking 18 More telephone sales 16 Reduced overhead 11 Local PR 12 Networking 10 Product quality 22 Other 8 Price points 8 Higher delivery charges 5 Wire service product 6 Industry advertising/promotion 2 Coupons – 4 Product availability 9 Reminder calls 3 Improved product mix/offerings 9 More wire-out orders 3 Cost of goods 4 Profit margins 2 More toll-free telephone sales 1 More gift sales 3 Loyalty program 3 Reasons for Sales Decreases* (%)National economy 31 Regional Economy 28 Higher fuel and delivery costs 19 vs. 42 last year Competitoin from order gatherers 38 Competition from supermarkets and mass merchandisers 31 Competion from online floral vendors 26 Competion from other gifts 17 Competition from wire services 29 Lower avg sales/price points 12 Wire service factors 24 Calendar timing (incl. competing holidays or events) 6 Less walk-in traffic 26 Fewer wire-in orders 30 Wire service offerings 18 Cost of goods 14 Fewer orders from order gatherers 10 Availability of labor 4 Not enough industry advertising/promotion 15 Product availability 2 Weather 7 Other 21 Competition from street vendors 5 Dropping or adding a wire service 6 Competition from other florists 11 Fewer Web-site orders 10 Product quality 4 Decline in importance/observance of holiday 8 Less shop advertising 6 Shop management/operations/staffing 2 The Wars 2 Cost of labor 5 | | Change in delivery charges from last year:Higher 23% Same 72 Lower 3 N/A 3 PromotionFifty-eight percent of the shops did the same amount of holiday promotion as the year before. Thirty-six percent did more than last year Four percent did less promotion than last year The remainder didn’t know or didn’t promote the holiday (3%). The most used promotional vehicles for Mother’s Day by retail florists were*:Indoor signage, posters or displays 57 Window displays 49 Web-site promotions 50 Social Networking 52 E-mail promotions or campaigns 43 Outdoor signage 42 Statement stuffers or mailers 35 Newspaper/Magazine Advertising 30 Coupons 24 Direct mail 19 Radio 18 Online ad 22 Reminder Service 16 TV 5 Other 4 PR/Media Interviews 4 Telephone Campaign/Telemarketing 5 Of the fresh flower sales:78 percent were fresh flowers 8 percent were green and flowering plants 15 percent were bedding and garden plants Wire Orders:Shops reporting an increase in incoming wire orders from a year ago: 25 percent Shops reporting a decrease in incoming wire orders: 44 percent Shops reporting no change in incoming wire orders: 26 percent Shops reporting didn’t know: 6 percent Shops reporting an increase in outgoing wire orders from a year ago: 14 percent Shops reporting a decrease in outgoing wire orders: 39 percent Shops reporting no change in outgoing wire orders: 43 percent Shops reporting didn’t know: 5 percent Percentage of orders coming from website: 24.2 Business Hours on Mother’s Day*Open part of the day (28%); Open all day (26%); Closed (43%); Open extended hours (3%). Shops that were open did about 14.7 percent of their Mother’s Day holiday sales on that day. Average sale was $58.42. Sources of Orders:Phone 45% Walk-ins 21 Fax or e-mail 1 From wire services 17 From Web-site 15 From Toll-free phone services or order gatherers 6 Total may not sum to 100%. Independent questions. Extra Staff for Holiday*:77% of florist shops hired extra staff for the holiday. Outlets Florists See As Their Main Competition:1. Order gatherers 2. Supermarkets and grocery stores 3. Online florists (Internet and 'Dot coms')
4. Wire services
5. Direct floral shippers (like Proflowers) 6. Other
*=2012 data (Not asked on 2013 survey) |