On Mother’s Day, millions of people come together to celebrate the mother figures in their lives. It’s also one of the biggest days of the year for flower shops across the world. In the US, Mother’s Day orders account for 24% of all holiday flower shop revenue, tied with Christmas and second only to Valentine’s Day. In Canada, children spend an average of about $50 more on gifts for their mothers over gifts for Father’s Day to a total of $110. And in Australia, almost half of the population ranks Mother’s Day as the most significant special day of the year.
While many customers are still purchasing their Mother’s Day gifts in person, others are branching out with what — and how — they give this year. For example, local flower delivery is a growing trend, so offering same-day Mother’s Day flower delivery is a big opportunity to drive sales. Additionally, many customers are turning to alternative green gifts, like easy-to-care-for potted plants and ferns, which add a spin on the traditional bouquet and last longer. Consider having this smart offering on hand, given the continuing flower supply chain shortages that could make it challenging to source your usual blooms.
Mother’s Day flower sales checklist
Beyond studying up on the latest floral industry trends, is your flower shop ready for Mother’s Day 2023? Follow this quick checklist to ensure your business is prepared for Mother’s Day gift orders to bloom.
Estimate your incoming orders
How big will this year’s Mother’s Day be? To estimate sales, look back at your numbers from the past few years. This will help you get an idea of what you need to do for a successful Mother’s Day this year — from sourcing blooms, to hiring extra hands, to iterating on your best-selling items and offering even more tantalizing options for sale.
Organize your digital systems
Having a reliable order and inventory system is key for managing the holiday rush. Need to update a few barcodes and prices, or set up a new credit card processing system? Now is the time to get all of your digital systems in order.
Already a DoorDash partner? Our platform easily integrates with your existing POS to increase order accuracy and reduce errors. We have integrations with Square, Redcat, Deliverect, and more.
Get all hands on deck
Next, it’s important to make sure you have enough hands on deck to fulfill orders — especially same-day ones. Consider hiring temporary staff full-time or part-time during your Mother’s Day rush, or asking your existing staff to come in for a few extra hours to help you get through the rush.
Upgrade your local delivery
Another way you can boost your capabilities during a busy holiday like Mother’s Day is to work with a local delivery logistics company like DoorDash. Delivery can help you reach local customers looking to get flowers delivered, as well as customers looking to send gifts to loved ones who live far away (but are local to you). DoorDash’s gifting feature makes it easy for customers to send a surprise, and orders even include a digitally-animated card.
With little-to-no impact on your day-to-day operations, adding a Mother’s Day flower delivery partner can help you fulfill local orders and grow incremental sales. If you have your own delivery team, you can also work with them alongside DoorDash.
The Flower Shop, a local floral business in Decatur, Georgia, has seen a 3% monthly growth in DoorDash orders and an overall 10% profit margin increase since partnering with DoorDash. Read their story.
"Every day, we do about 100 deliveries with our own drivers, 12-15 with DoorDash, and 12-15 with other partners.”
Optimize your shop for pickup orders
Not all customers will get their Mother’s Day gifts delivered; those who are looking for more cost-effective options will want to reserve their bouquets and pick them up in person.
DoorDash makes it easy to facilitate pickup orders through our digital payments platform. All customers have to do is select items for purchase, pay online, and your store confirms and prepares the order. We recommend setting up a dedicated pickup station with highly-visible signage so that customers can get in and out quickly – and on to celebrating with their loved ones.
Get creative with your offerings
With flower supply chain issues making it challenging to get blooms, consider having a range of alternative gifts for purchase. Chocolates, teddy bears, and balloons are all good standbys – but don’t forget to have some unique offerings on hand, too!
Houseplants that require low light and are easy to take care of, like Monsteras, have been trending in recent years. Consider offering some fun arrangements and potted plants that have the potential to be a conversation-starter — and are easier for you to source.
Market your Mother’s Day specials
Last, but not least, don’t forget to market your offerings! Leading up to Mother’s Day, make sure to advertise your holiday specials on your website, your social media channels, your email newsletter, with physical fliers, and more. Encourage people to get their orders in ahead of time so that you can plan production. With DoorDash, customers can schedule their flower delivery orders up to two weeks in advance.
Additionally, don’t forget to optimize your website for search terms like “Mother’s day flower delivery near me” to connect with local customers or “cheapest mother’s day flower delivery” for those looking to save on flower delivery costs.
DoorDash also offers marketing promotions to help you grow your sales on our platform. Promos like “First Order, Free Delivery” and “$5 Off Next Order” can encourage new and existing customers to place an order with you. Bilal Sabusa, owner of The Flower Shop, is a fan. He explains, “I love those promos. They help get the message out about our local business, and all of the great products we have.”
Nurturing your Mother’s Day sales
As you plan ahead for one of the biggest holidays of the year, consider working with a flower delivery partner to help you reach more local customers, market your unique offerings, and grow your sales. DoorDash offers a variety of products designed with flower and plant shops in mind, including flower and plant delivery, marketing tools, and more.
Sign up for Mother’s Day flower delivery with DoorDash and see how we can help you grow your sales.
