Soft Thanksgiving sales, financial insecurity and stiff competition with nonfloral retailers are dampening florists’ expectations for December holiday sales, according to a recent survey by the Society of American Florists.
“Our Thanksgiving sales were the lowest they’ve been in 50 years,” said Elise Gaylord of Lyal Nickals Florist in Castro Valley, California. “The whole year has been down. I predict the same for December.” Many respondents shared similar sentiments.
The survey, which asked SAF retail members about their fall holiday sales and December sales expectations, was sent Dec. 1.
Highlights from the survey include:
- 48% said Thanksgiving sales were down over 2024.
- About a third of retailers anticipate flat sales for the December holidays.
- The most popular Halloween products were Halloween-themed or colored fresh flowers (75%), followed by Halloween nonfloral giftware and décor (12.5%) and Halloween-themed potted flowering and green plants (12.5%).
See more detail in the charts at the end of the article.
Proactively Pushing Sales
Nearly 40% of retailers promoted Small Business Saturday, with far fewer participating in Black Friday (18%) or Cyber Monday (9%).
Watanabe Floral Inc. in Honolulu offered a 25% discount online with the code BLACK for any item (excluding wedding or sympathy arrangements) for delivery any time in the future. Last year, the promotion netted 46 web orders; this year, it more than tripled to 154 orders for $23,407. “We were thrilled!” said general manager Monty Periera, AAF. “We are all in and believe it will be a great December. We have a slew of promotions to drive traffic and engagement on social media. We are doing three pop-ups in our main showroom, featuring local vendors as well.”
For Small Business Saturday, Walter Knoll Florist participated in a St. Louis bus tour, which dropped off groups of 50 visitors at the O’Fallon, Missouri, business to admire the holiday décor, watch designers in action and peruse giftware. On Dec. 13, they will host an event for families, including photos with Santa, a poinsettia craft for kids, an ornament-making station, cookies and hot cocoa, and a limited promotion of 50% off in-store gift purchases.
Others, like Rose Hill Flowers in Nashville, eschew holiday promotions but reach out to past clients, particularly for holiday decorating, said Garrison Clower, Rose Hill’s order creation specialist.
Keeping Spirits Bright
Whether through food, cash bonuses or extra days off before or after the busy season, florists plan to make sure their employees know how much they appreciate their hard work during the holiday season.
Darlene Dolbow treats the staff at Ramones Flowers in Wilmington, Delaware, to lunches and coffee throughout the season, and she keeps the atmosphere festive with plenty of Christmas music and holiday-themed attire.
At McShan Florist in Dallas, staff games and an ugly Christmas sweater contest help boost morale.
Employees at Boynton’s Greenhouses Inc. in Skowhegan, Maine, receive small gifts, such as chocolates, jam, coffee and scented soaps, as well as lunches out and a Christmas bonus.
Looking for resources to help you have a prosperous holiday season? Check out SAF’s holiday planning resource package in the Floral Education Hub for guidance on SEO, staffing for profit, sales and more.
Katie Vincent is the senior contributing editor for the Society of American Florists.
