As We See It: Predictions in 2023 for Retail Florists
Every December the internet fills up with predictions for the year ahead, and this year Vonda and Lori did their homework — then discovered their lists went down completely different roads. One list was all business; the other was about growing yourself. Put together, they add up to a surprisingly complete picture of what retail florists should expect (and work toward) in 2023. With one caveat, borrowed from a dad who keeps repeating it: whatever will be, will be. These are predictions, not certainties.
Good news first: the supply chain is healing
The prediction florists have been waiting for: supply chain should not be the story of 2023. Containers are coming back into stock, and Smithers Oasis said in the fall that cold glue would return in December. On the fresh side, logistics have improved dramatically — production at the farms is back up, and with demand down slightly, getting what you need is easier. There's still a limited number of cargo planes, so a breakdown can cause hiccups, but overall both hard goods and fresh product should be a positive going into the new year.
"Is it slow for everyone?" No — it's 2019 normal
Facebook groups everywhere are asking the same anxious question: is it slow for anyone else? The hosts' answer: it's not slow, it's 2019 normal. The pandemic years were unprecedented — one shop owner reported being up 54% from 2020 to 2021 — so settling back down feels like a cliff even when it's really a correction. The tricky part is the anxiety that comes with the loss of craziness. Instead of panicking, take the cue from the owners who say, "Yes, it's slower — here's what I'm doing with the time." There is always something to do.
Flexibility is the new hiring advantage
Both lists landed on the same word: flexibility. The workforce at large is renegotiating where and when work happens, and flower shops can use that to win. Vonda and Lori point to the shop owner who ended a revolving door of employees by hiring a handful of moms, asking each one "where's your sweet spot?" and building the schedule around their answers. Even bolder: with cloud-based systems, there's no reason a trained salesperson can't take your phone orders from home, free of shop-floor distractions. One North Carolina shop's manager moved a thousand miles to Texas and still runs the phones, the marketing, and new-employee training remotely — and she's killing it. Think about that before Valentine's Day, when you need extra people on the phones.
Authentic service — and the training truth nobody wants to hear
Customer service has never mattered more, and customers can see through excuses. The wholesaler who told the hosts "I'm busier than most because I don't make excuses" has built her reputation on it: if she says a plane was delayed, a plane was delayed. That honesty has to run through your whole culture, down to the driver at the door.
Then comes the tough love: if your employees know nothing and care less, the fault is not the employee. You haven't trained them or set them up to succeed. A truly apathetic hire won't survive real training — they'll quit, and that's a bullet dodged. Pair every new hire with a mentor (your best employee, with an incentive for taking it on), set the example yourself, and stop letting "it's so hard to find people" cost you your reputation.
Invest in yourself: coaches, connections, and extra income streams
The personal-growth list rounds things out. Expect life coaches, mentors, and therapists to keep booming — much of it virtual, and increasingly covered by insurance. Multiple income streams are going mainstream: about a third of Americans have started or plan to start a side hustle, and even one Flower Clique member just added a real estate license. (If your employee has a side hustle, have the boundaries conversation early.) Double down on your shop's brand and become a trusted authority in your community. Triple your network: build your own email list and add a second social platform — and yes, the platform to watch for 2023 is TikTok. Finally, stand for something beyond the shop, because customers — especially younger ones — want to know what you're about.
Key takeaways
- Supply chain pressure is easing for 2023 — plan your buying with confidence, not fear.
- Business isn't slow; it's back to 2019 levels. Budget and staff accordingly instead of panicking.
- Offer flexible schedules and consider remote phone-sales help — it's easier than you think and a real hiring advantage.
- Train every hire and give them a mentor; untrained employees are a reputation risk you can't afford.
- Grow beyond the shop: a coach for you, a bigger network, an email list, one new platform, and maybe a second income stream.