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Flowers, Gifts & Card franchises in the UK

We currently don’t have any listings under this category but we have put together concise industry analysis below to help you make an informed franchising decision.

Alternatively, you can check out our franchises home page to search for a particular franchise or similar category that may match your search requirements.


Franchise Spotlight: Flowers, Cards and Gifts

If you are looking to enter this market, find out if a franchise is for you.

The gift industry has changed substantially in the past decade as more and more products become available online.

People shopping for gifts today are looking for unique, homemade products over generic looking gifts.

The most important thing for anyone in this sector is to remain relevant to customers. 

Millennials and Gen Ys are attracted by the consumer experience and this is something that anyone operating in this industry will have to keep in mind if they want to keep them as customers! 

This industry usually attracts the more creative entrepreneur and it is possible to keep overheads low in this sector, however, you will need to ask yourself if it is to your advantage to buy a franchise rather than starting from scratch.

Sector Overview

  • The floristry industry is worth over £1.1 billion a year and the greeting card industry has a market value of £1.7 billion
  • In 2018, Valentine’s Day sales increased by 5.5% and other major holidays, like Christmas, have been experiencing similar rises in sales.
  • Personalised gifts have increased in popularity and are most popular among 35 to 44 year olds.
  • Online retail continues to grow in 2018 and so businesses are having to adjust and make at least part of their business online.

The industry

There are a few companies across the globe that have a large stake in this industry and becoming a franchisee is the best way to take advantage of this. 

A well-recognised stationer in the UK is WHSmith. The company has sold cards and gifts, among other things, since the 1700s.

They have recently started franchising on a small scale through WHS Smith local.

WHSmith has also extended its franchises to other countries. In 2014 it bought the largest Australian gift card franchisor Wild Cards and Gifts.

One of the card companies that supplies WHSmith is Card Connection, which is a gift card distributor that offers franchise opportunities.

Becoming a Card Connection franchisee, you join a distribution network that is backed by a multinational corporation, but you will still be your own boss.

If you have the backing of a large company, there are interesting technologies that can sometimes be possible. This is the case with Speaking Roses.

The Speaking Roses have reaped the benefits of the products’ media popularity. The messages printed onto the petals of a rose even caught Ellen’s attention when Tom Cruise presented her with 225 of them on her Mother’s Day show!

Flowers

Is it for me?

The florist, gift and card industry are a difficult market to carve out a niche in. There is a lot of competition and the profit margins are narrow. This makes getting a franchise particularly appealing because the parent company will be there to help you with prices, products and marketing.

There will be some restrictions, though. You might be going into this industry because it takes creativity and having a franchise could limit that because you will need to stick to the brand of the franchisor.

The best way to make sure that your florist, card or gift franchise is successful is to pick one that aligns with your creative ideas.

The other skills that you need will be the same owning a franchise. You will need to be great with people and have a good sense for business.

If you’re entering this industry for the first time, there is a lot that you will need to learn- especially floristry- and the support will be needed. 

The advantage of having the franchise is that a lot of franchisors will offer you training which can go a long way in making your business a success.

Consider the things that training will help you with. You could possibly be offered help adjusting to the rapid increase in the online component of the business or understanding what the new trends are going to be.

The best way to find the franchise for you, or to know if you should become a franchisee, is to weigh up your strengths and weaknesses. You should find the option that you will most likely be able to make a success.