German rose buyers: can’t get no satisfaction!

[WillieeArmellini]

German rose buyers: can’t get no satisfaction!
Posted On 25 Aug 2016Comment: OffTag: auction, marketing, roses
red-roses-view-from-top-of-red-roses-a-bouquet-of-red-roses-there-is-a665AALSMEER, The Netherlands: The 2015 Royal FloraHolland customer survey on roses makes interesting reading. On the positive side, roses are the quintessential flower to present to someone you love. On the negative side, however, only half of the respondents declared being satisfied with the most recent purchase of roses.

How satisfied are consumers with roses? That is the key question one of the latest surveys of Royal FlorHolland tried to anwer. RFH set out to find out for which occasions roses are bought, whether people are willing to pay more for extra quality?

The 2015 European survey covered four countries – The Netherlands, Germany, France and the UK and aimed at exploring the image of roses and consumers’ purchasing behaviour. A total of 4,740 consumers participated , with at least 1,100 respondents per country. The survey included a number of general statements about cut flowers.

Many consumers agreed with the statement that cut flowers are often a spontaneous buy, especially in the Netherlands and Germany (approx. 70% agreed). Almost all consumers (65% to 80% per country) agreed with the statement that they are fascinated with how flowers change and develop; there is always something different to discover. In three of the four countries, the participants indicated that they respond to special offers (approx. 50%); this is less evident in France.

In the survey, the satisfaction and loyalty involved in purchasing roses was also measured. In answer to the question of general satisfaction with the most recent purchase of roses, Germans were the least satisfied. Only 49% of the Germans expressed being satisfied or very satisfied. In other countries, about three-quarters is satisfied or very satisfied with their last purchase.

The Net Promotor Score (NPS) is an instrument to chart loyalty by measuring the intention to recommend. People who easily recommend products are called promoters. People who do not easily recommend products are called detractors. By subtracting the share of detractors from the promoters, you obtain the NPS score. This is a bit lower in Germany than in the other countries. We still do not have an explanation for this. Further research is required.

Roses are a lovely present that suits many people and meets the expectations of taste of the recipient. You give roses to women, it is a less suitable present for men. And roses are a suitable present for all ages, except for young people under 30. The older the recipient, the more suitable roses are as a present.

Reasons for not buying roses for oneself include too expensive and/or not having any money. Or they feel that the vase life is too short (especially in Germany and France). Most consumers remember the last time that they bought flowers from a florist. They prefer going to a florist because the quality is better and the florist is a trained specialist. To save money and for ease of purchase, they go to the supermarket.

When consumers buy roses, colour, price, maturity and size of the flower are the most important aspects. The rose is an especially suitable gift for occasions associated with love and relationships, such as weddings, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

Product quality ranks as the number one influencing how much a consumer trusts the quality of batch of cut roses.

Rose buyers are less well informed about the care of roses. They are not familiar with several tips for extending the vase life of roses:

Trim the bottom of the stem off after several days,
Keep at least 5 cm of water in the vase,
Use the flower food,
Cut off the leaves, but leave the thorns
These and several other aspects about the care of roses were tested among consumers. German and French buyers are less aware that flower food extends the vase life (at most 50% knows this versus 70% and 80% in the UK and NL).

In the Netherlands and the UK, consumers are less aware that rose stems should be trimmed after a few days to increase vase life. In Germany and France, approx. 70% did that. In all four countries, the majority assumed that roses remain lovely at best for 7 days in a vase at home.

Would you like to know more about consumers who buy roses? The detailed report costs €500 and can be ordered from Customer Services. For rose suppliers who are members of Royal FloraHolland, the report is free of charge. Order here

http://www.floraculture.eu/2016/08/german-rose-buyers-cant-get-no-satisfaction/

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