Streamlining operations for a major florist tech brand
Floom brings the local florist experience online, connecting people with hundreds of independent florists
A fast-growing brand with a manual process
Floom was growing fast but most of their fulfilment tasks was still manual. One, for example, was sending branded cards and envelopes to florists which they then included with each bouquet. This was Floom's only brand touchpoint that arrived with the flowers. But Floom didn't have a viable management system in place. Everything was packed and sent by Founder Lana Elie and the team, and with no data on usage it was almost impossible to know when a florist would run out. The process was time-consuming, and as Floom took on more florists, it became even more difficult to manage.
Floom also offered a box for shipping bouquets, but because they didn't meet the MOQs for more than one size, they had to settle for a one-size-fits-all solution. With only one large box, material costs were high and space was often wasted. The box also needed non-recyclable poly tape to hold it together due to lingering structural flaws.
An online and automated packaging operation
Within a week, Sourceful's in-house team set up a dedicated Shopify site for Floom. It was a single place for all Floom's branded products, which were then stored in Sourceful's warehouse. Florists could order on their terms, meaning Floom didn't have to try and predict when stocks were low. Instead of the Floom team fulfilling orders, Sourceful handled storage, fulfilment and distribution. The switch saved hundreds of hours and allowed Floom to focus on growth.
After a few months, we had enough data to integrate the store with Auto-Stock, Sourceful's inventory management system. All branded stationary could now be automatically replenished, increasing efficiency and saving time for Floom's florists. And, using predictive algorithms, Auto-Stock knew when stocks were running low for each florist. The right products were then sent to the right place at the right time.
In London, we designed two new boxes from the ground up, using our supplier network to negotiate lower MOQs and competitive pricing. Old design flaws were fixed, tape was replaced with a durable self-adhesive strip and we switched to soy-based inks. The result was two custom shipping boxes that were more sustainable, easier to assemble and stronger to ship.
Floom can continue to focus on business growth
Floom achieved two major results. First, an online inventory system that allows Lana and the team to focus on growth. It's a simpler, more efficient operation, and Floom and their florists still benefit from Auto-Stock today. Second, Floom now has packaging that’s tailored to their customers' needs, instead of a one-size-fits-all solution. And with two boxes — one small, one large — they used 7% fewer materials and cut costs by 15%.
Interested in our custom mailer boxes, shipping boxes, custom business cards, envelopes or customer packaging stickers? You can find them all here!