10 



The Florists' Review 



FBBttUAUY 22, 1917. 



alive with color and a dark setting 

 brings out their life. Artificial light is 

 better, but natural light is good if enou^ 

 can be obtained. Light portieres, gath- 

 ered at both sides so they will not take 

 away much light, finish off some win- 

 dows in elegant style. I would say the 

 woodwork would better be pure white 

 than cream. 



A pergola effect is airy and sugges- 

 tive for some kinds of displays. An 

 appropriate setting will improve the 



display of any article, and time and 

 money spent, in securing the proper sur- 

 TOUTidiugs are well expended.. There is 

 little danger of driving away middle- 

 class trade by too much style. It is 

 the stock you carry that you are striv- 

 ing to show to advantage. 



If necessary, price your stock once in 

 a while; firms in all other lines of busi- 

 ness do so. But when you mention 

 prices, make them special offers. 



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THE RETAIL 



FLORIST 



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• I 



THE RETAILER'S PROFIT. 



As indicating the rapidity with which 

 the cost of operating a retail flower 

 store is rising, a man who is recog- 

 nized as one of the most successful in 

 his city states that in the best year he 

 ever had his net profits were seventeen 

 per cent of his total sales, while by last 

 year they had decreased to twelve per 

 cent of a somewhat larger total. This 

 year he expects to see the net cut to ten 

 per cent of the sales, ninety per cent 

 as against a former eighty-three per 

 cent being consumed in operating ex- 

 penses and the purchase of merchandise. 



The figures become all the more inter- 

 esting when it is stated that this retail 

 florist never has catered to "cheap" 

 trade, but has handled good stock and 

 charged good prices. Indeed, although 

 most retailers consider 100 per cent 

 the necessary margin on cut flowers, 

 this retailer has not hesitated to charge 

 more. That his prices have not been 

 unreasonable is shown by the fact that 

 the yearly sales have grown steadily if 

 not rapidly, while today the total sales 

 are the largest ever known, the per- 

 centage added to the cost of goods is 



higher than it ever was before and yet 

 the net profit is the smallest it ever 

 has been. 



The question is, what profit remains 

 for the man who has not raised prices? 



THE WOMAN FLORIST. 



[The reply of Mrs. .T. Drew-Bear, of the Lon- 

 don Flower Shop, Pliiladelpliin, to frequent in- 

 terrogations regardinB the florists' business as an 

 occupation for women.] 



In the large city or country town 

 there is no more delightful or profitable 

 occupation for a woman than the flo- 

 rists ' business. Being in love with your 

 business does not necessarily mean suc- 

 cess, but dislike for your business is al- 

 most sure to cause failure. 



Do you know of a woman who does not 

 love flowers, growing them, handling 

 and arranging them? The woman at 

 least has this asset for success. 



In addition to love for the business 

 you must possess the following: 



A knowledge of finance. 



The art of buying and selling. 



Artistic making up and arranging. 



The actual capital required need not 

 bo large at first, but you should have 

 sufficient outside resources to keep your- 



self or family for at least two years 

 without drawing a dollar from the busi- 

 ness, for as your business increases it 

 will necessarily require larger capital. 



Making a Start. 



I well remember my first year as a flo- 

 rist. Never did I work harder or longer 

 hours. Not a dollar was drawn out of 

 the business for my labor, but all ex- 

 penses were paid and my profits for the 

 year were just $5. I thought I had done 

 well and think so still, as the foundation 

 of success was laid in that first year. 

 Taking a position in a successful florists' 

 shop will be of great aid in the art of 

 arranging and putting up flowers, and if 

 you will keep your eyes and ears open 

 you will master much of the difficulties 

 of buying. 



There must be a willingness on your 

 part to give up all outside pleasures dur- 

 ing the winter and to devote as much 

 time as may be necessary to the busi- 

 ness. You may be called on at times to 

 give twenty out of twenty-four hours, 

 or to go to work at 3 o'clock in the 

 morning to get out an important order 

 at 8 o'clock. 



Rules for Success. 



Should any of my readers decide to 

 engage in the florists' business, let me 

 advise them to adhere strictly to the 

 following rules: 



First. Send out absolutely fresh flow- 

 ers. Eefuse to sell stale ones at any 

 price. Throw them away. 



Second. Be punctual to the minute in 

 filling an order. 



Third. Kectify any complaint at once, 

 without regard to the justice of the 

 claim. No matter whether it is your 

 fault or theirs, make it right — it pays. 



This third rule may seem absurd at 

 first sight, but it is not. Let me give you 

 an example of an actual occurrence. Last 

 fall a gentleman ordered a corsage of 

 roses to be worn at a football game. The 

 buds were too tight to be used for that 

 purpose. Ho was told so, but insisted. 

 Shortly afterward I was told by a mu- 

 tual friend that the corsage had not 

 been a success. I immediately wrote the 

 young man, told him that I regretted to 



Modern Front of the Spokane Florist Co., Spokane> Vash., with Simultaneotis Publicity and Sales Displays. 



