The procedure for a fundraiser is actually very simple. First you will want to call the store at least one month before the holiday and find out when the last day you can order the fresh cut flowers, the minimal order, the estimated prices, and when they have to be picked up.
On a day-to-day basis we like to take your order at least 10-14 days in advance, however you can order any amount and pick up whenever you like. On the other hand holidays are a different story. We have to set guidelines so that everyone ends up with the flowers they want and we are all happy. Second, get with your group and decide how much you will sell the flowers for, will they be sold by the stem, wrapped in paper, with babies breath or greens – consider all of this before you set prices – this is a fundraiser – you do not want to end up going into your own pockets.
Carnations and roses are the most common and best value to sell. Prices do vary during the holidays, so again, it is best to call and speak with someone in the cut flower department.
Next, you will want to take orders from your co-workers, students, neighbors, and clubs. It would be a good idea to limit their choices of colors and styles – less pressure and work for you. You may also want to consider adding on a few extra bunches for orders on the spot or to sell throughout the day.
Set a deadline for your helpers and yourself so that you will have time to figure out the amount of flowers and supplies that you will need to complete your project and get your order in on time for pick up. Please keep in mind that carnations and roses are sold in bunches of approximately 25 – if you need exactly 350 roses order 15 bunches, instead of 14 bunches, to be safe. We cannot guarantee that there are exactly 25 roses or carnations in each pack – sometimes there are 26 and other times there are two heads broken off and you only have 23 in a pack. They are packaged and bundled in Columbia, once they arrive at our back door we cut, process and put them in water for sale – we do not recount them.
After you pick up your flowers, you will need to remove all of the rubber bands and wrappers and recut ALL of the flowers with a sharp knife and place them directly in large buckets of water. You are now ready to fix up the flowers for sale. We hope this information has helped you and we look forward to hearing from you all very soon. (757) 625-0901 Press 2 for Operator