Maybe I'm missing something but I can't see this being more than a small business. The only reason I can see to choose this over a local flower business is that it delivers in 90 minutes. A very limited number of bouquets is a big downside meaning you can't really deliver to the same person more than a few times. Also, is the 90 minute thing really a big selling point? How often is anyone going to need flowers delivered that quickly? Normally you send for an occasion which you know in advance and if you're sending them to thank someone for something that just happened next day would be fine.
Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
31–40 of 57 posts
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#32Figuring out how to market affordably (and in a defensible way) is really key to this space. A friend works for 1800 Flowers and it sounds like the entire industry competes on marketing, not on product, because the products are indistinguishable. http://i.imgur.com/GUZRdUE.png
Great insight. You're absolutely right. For this reason, we take a lot of inspiration from Warby Parker. By building an awesome brand that people want to associate with, you can (hopefully) avoid playing the super expensive demand harvest game.
Thanks for your comment!
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#33I literally just ordered flowers from ProFlowers and the whole flower ordering business sucks. I can't stand seeing flowers on a site for $19.99 then on the last page seeing that shipping and handling is another $20 bucks. And seeing an option for a coupon and searching the web for something is also absurd. I'm digging the flat model and speed. I'm not in the SF area, but I'm looking forward to this spreading through…
Hey scubasteve - great name - and thanks for the comment. You're absolutely right: pricing tricks and up charges are not cool. The price we display is the price you'll pay (plus a little tax). We're working hard to spread to other cities super fast. Where are you located?
Thanks for the reply! I'm in Atlanta, GA. Looking forward to your growth.
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#34Maybe I'm missing something but I can't see this being more than a small business. The only reason I can see to choose this over a local flower business is that it delivers in 90 minutes. A very limited number of bouquets is a big downside meaning you can't really deliver to the same person more than a few times. Also, is the 90 minute thing really a big selling point? How often is anyone going to need flowers delive…
Thanks for your comment. You bring up good points.
Most of our users are sending flowers in creative ways outside of the obligatory flower send occasions. For this reason and others, we see the total addressable market to be quite large. In fact, we've reached substantial small biz levels of revenue in a matter of months.
Delivery in 90 minutes is what allows people to send flowers in creative ways. But hey, we're happy to concede 90 minute delivery isn't a game changer these days - it's a requirement.
Our users tell us the power flowers arriving moments after leaving a meeting or closing a deal is quite real.
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#35Maybe I'm missing something but I can't see this being more than a small business. The only reason I can see to choose this over a local flower business is that it delivers in 90 minutes. A very limited number of bouquets is a big downside meaning you can't really deliver to the same person more than a few times. Also, is the 90 minute thing really a big selling point? How often is anyone going to need flowers delive…
Thanks for your comment. You bring up good points. Most of our users are sending flowers in creative ways outside of the obligatory flower send occasions. For this reason and others, we see the total addressable market to be quite large. In fact, we've reached substantial small biz levels of revenue in a matter of months. Delivery in 90 minutes is what allows people to send flowers in creative ways. But hey, we're ha…
Thanks for responding, it's good to hear your side of things. I'm sure you understand the market a lot better than me (I very rarely use flower delivery services).
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#36I don't know how Bloomthat works, but I'm a little suspicious of anything that offers pre-arranged bouquets without any consideration to which flowers are in season. San Franciscans who like flowers might like http://farmgirlflowers.com/ : locally farmed flowers with beautiful arrangements and home delivery. (Disclaimer: I have no connection to Farmgirl beyond being a happy customer. I feel like every time I carry my…
Hi evmar, we really appreciate your feedback. We rotate our arranged bouquets seasonally and we're big proponents of supporting local flower growers and local brick and mortar florists. At any time, about 80% of our flowers come from California, and the majority of those are grown within a couple hundred miles of their final destination. Thanks for your comment!
That's great to read. The last time I looked into purchasing flowers outside of SF I was sad to discover that most local florists are themselves effectively just resellers of gross FTD flowers, so it seems like a service like yours can go far. I wish you luck.
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#37If this weren't a YC company, "Magic does exist" would have been edited out of the title by now.
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#38If this weren't a YC company, "Magic does exist" would have been edited out of the title by now.
The double standards certainly run deep here
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#39If this weren't a YC company, "Magic does exist" would have been edited out of the title by now.
Why? It's the same title as the article, so why would it be edited? Unless the TC article had a different title when you posted.
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#40Is it available in Växjö?
"They promise to deliver flowers to anywhere in San Francisco in less than 90 minutes."