How to Price Your Bouquets Without Undervaluing Your Work
How to Price Your Bouquets Without Undervaluing Your Work
One of the most common phrases we hear from florists is, “I know I should charge more... but I don’t want to scare people away.” Pricing your bouquets isn’t just about numbers—it’s about confidence, positioning, and business survival. In a saturated market, your florist pricing strategy needs to do more than cover your costs. It needs to tell a story of value.
Let’s break down how to calculate prices that are fair, profitable, and compelling—without apologizing for them.
The 4-Part Formula Every Florist Should Know
Here’s the base pricing structure we use when helping flower businesses scale sustainably:
COGS (Cost of Goods Sold): Flowers, greenery, floral foam, and any hard goods (like vases)
Markup: Usually 2.5x–3.5x depending on your market and brand
Labor: Time spent arranging, prepping, sourcing, and consulting
Packaging: Includes everything from tissue to branded boxes (critical for premium packaging flowers)
Delivery Fee: Optional—can be rolled into price or charged separately
Example:
Let’s say you create a hand-tied bouquet:
COGS: $32
Markup: 3x → $96
Labor: $18 (roughly 45 minutes at $24/hr)
Packaging: $6
Delivery Fee: $10 (optional)
Total Price: $120–130 depending on how you handle delivery.
Too many florists skip labor and packaging in their pricing—and end up working 14-hour days for minimum wage.
Markup Isn't Greedy—It's Survival
Florists often hesitate to apply a 3x markup. But here's the truth: markup is not profit. You have rent, website fees, insurance, taxes, flower waste, cooler maintenance, and a dozen other hidden costs.
According to the Society of American Florists, typical retail flower margins are 60–70%, but actual profit after overhead often lands between 5–10%.
If you’re marking up at 1.5x because you're “being fair,” you’re not being fair to yourself.
Delivery Fee Pricing Model: Charge or Include?
This is one of the most debated topics. Do you show the delivery fee separately or roll it into the bouquet price?
When to separate:
You serve a wide radius with varying delivery costs
You want to remain price-competitive on bouquets
You offer tiered delivery (express, timed, etc.)
When to include:
You want to simplify the customer experience
Your main value is premium gifting, not transactional flowers
You can standardize your geography (e.g. downtown core only)
In either case, be upfront and transparent. Hiding delivery fees until checkout destroys trust—and conversion.
Presenting Premium Pricing With Confidence
Your price only feels “expensive” if the presentation doesn’t match. Luxury pricing must be supported by visual and sensory cues.
Here’s how:
Use tactile, branded materials (wax seals, velvet ribbons)
Show premium packaging in your product photos
Describe your craftsmanship in captions and web copy
Position bouquets as meaningful experiences, not bundles of stems
People pay $20 for a drugstore bouquet because it’s functional. They’ll pay $150+ from you if it feels like art meets emotion.
When to Offer Flower Bundle Deals or Upsells
Strategic bundles and upsell ideas for flower shops can grow your AOV—but only when done with intention.
High-performing examples:
“Add a handwritten card for $4” (Gift packaging florist upsell)
“Buy 2, Get 1 Half Off” on mixed arrangements (Bundle)
“Add a deluxe vase upgrade for $12”
“Get 10% off your next order when you gift a friend”
These don’t devalue your main product. They enhance the experience.
Just make sure your bundles and discounts don’t scream “discount brand”—especially if you’re positioning as premium.
Flower Shop Order Minimums: Set the Right Floor
Order minimums do two things:
Signal who your service is for
Protect your profit margins
If your typical bouquet takes 30–45 minutes to make, and you’re only charging $40? You’re working for free.
Set a clear order minimum for each of your categories:
Daily delivery (e.g. $75 minimum)
Events (e.g. $2,000 for weddings)
Custom requests (e.g. $125 minimum)
Upscale clients respect thresholds. Budget clients may not be your audience—and that’s okay.
Don’t Undervalue Yourself Because You’re "Just Starting"
You are not your own customer. Just because you wouldn’t pay $180 for a bouquet doesn’t mean your audience won’t.
Start with pricing that supports your business—not pricing that appeases every window shopper.
Remember: you can always run promotions, but you can’t raise prices mid-order.
Conclusion: Price Is Communication
Pricing is one of your most powerful marketing tools. It shapes how people perceive your brand, how they talk about you, and whether they trust you.
When done right, it also ensures:
You’re not burning out for break-even orders
You can reinvest in your growth (tools, talent, or time off)
Customers respect what you do—because you respect it first
At Bloom Rush, we help florists like you structure pricing models that support your art and your business. From margin analysis to packaging strategy to landing page clarity—we make sure your pricing does more than survive. It sells.