PostNL introduces a new complete solution for webshops to sell fresh flowers and plants online in an easy way. After 'fashion' and 'food' became available via e-commerce, PostNL offers more webshops the opportunity to sell flowers and plants. Consumer orders are sent via the Flora@Home platform directly to the growers. Therefore, the webshop owner does not have to keep stock. PostNL takes care of the rest: packaging of the flowers and plants and delivery to the consumer.
Opportunity for webshops
In Europe, 30 to 35 billion euros are spent annually on the purchase of flowers and plants. Its online share is low, in most countries around two to four percent. This is expected to increase sharply in the coming years. At the moment there are only few webshops that are offering flowers and plants in combination with the existing assortment.
PostNL makes the Flora@Home platform available free of charge. For this reason, the webshop does not need a major investment to add the flowers and plants to the assortment. The webshop only requires adding an API link to its IT system to link the grower and the webshop.
Logistics process
When an order is made in the webshop, it is sent to the grower. The grower completes the order and ensures that the flowers and plants are delivered at PostNL in Aalsmeer where PostNL packs the order for transport in the Netherlands and abroad.
Initially, the Flora@Home platform was available only for webshops in the Benelux. But webshops can offer flowers and plants from the Benelux to several other European countries.
The platform is available from the end of June. On the website, webshops can already sign up.