A team at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences combined horticulture and agricultural economics to study floral consumer behavior. They surveyed more than 8,500 consumers to find out what people buy, how often and their motives. The researchers used cluster analysis and identified 13 distinct types of flower buyers.
Some named groups include a Valentine’s Day segment that is mostly male and prefers roses, anniversary-only givers, home-use shoppers who buy for themselves, and an "everything" cluster that buys for all occasions and spends the most. Open-ended answers were summarised with word clouds linking flowers to "beauty" and "smell" as well as "waste" and "expensive."
Buyers who had purchased flowers in the past year were more likely to report improved mood, reduced stress and better morale, with stronger effects for recent purchasers. The study also notes that flowers now sell in many retail locations beyond traditional florists.
Difficult words
- horticulture — the science of growing plants and flowers
- consumer — person who buys goods or servicesconsumers
- cluster analysis — method that groups similar people or items
- motive — reason why someone does somethingmotives
- retail — sale of goods to the general public
- florist — shop or person who sells cut flowersflorists
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever noticed a change in mood after receiving or buying flowers? Describe it.
- Where would you be most likely to buy flowers now, and why would you choose that place?
- Which buyer group from the article (for example, anniversary-only or home-use shoppers) is most like you? Explain.
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