Home-Based online flower delivery

People sending gifts to friends and family, workplaces ordering for staff or clients, and anyone marking birthdays, anniversaries or sympathy occasions.

You charge per bouquet or arrangement plus a delivery fee. Add-ons such as vases, cards and chocolates, and subscriptions for weekly or monthly flowers, raise the average order.

• An eye for colour and design
• Knowing flowers and how to keep them fresh
• Reliable, on-time deliveries
• Basic online selling and social media

• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence and whether zoning allows customer deliveries and storage
• Commercial general liability insurance, plus cover for your vehicle if you use it for business
• Fresh flowers spoil quickly, so order stock carefully, especially around peak dates such as Valentine's Day and Mother's Day
• Winter cold can damage flowers in transit, so plan insulated packaging and heated vehicle space
• Check GST/HST registration once your sales pass the small supplier threshold
• Quebec businesses should check French-language requirements for websites and labelling

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $1,000 to $4,000, depending on your workspace setup, stock, packaging, website and insurance. Treat this as a rough estimate and price your own setup first.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around $500 to $3,500, depending on how many orders you take, your bouquet prices and your delivery area. Peak dates such as Valentine's Day and Mother's Day can affect sales.

Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence and whether zoning allows deliveries and storage. Also check commercial general liability and vehicle cover, GST/HST registration past the small supplier threshold, and French-language rules for websites and labelling if you are in Quebec.