Calculating the ROI of Artificial Flowers: Our Calculator Explained

"What do we really gain from switching to premium artificial flowers?" It's the question every CFO and facility manager rightly asks before an investment decision. A feeling ("they look good") isn't a business case. In this guide, we explain how our price calculator works, which parameters we use, and how you can calculate the ROI of a switch yourself – including hidden cost items that are overlooked in 80% of companies.

What is ROI in this context?

ROI (Return on Investment) in this case can be simply expressed: the annual savings divided by the one-time investment, multiplied by 100%. An investment of €10,000 that saves €8,000 per year has an ROI of 80% per year – or a payback period of 1.25 years.

For artificial flowers versus fresh flowers, the typical ROI is between 60% and 120% per year, with a payback period of 8 to 18 months. That is exceptionally favorable for a facility investment.

The four inputs of our calculator

1. Number of locations

How many offices, hotels, restaurants, or branches does your organization have? For multiple locations, a volume discount applies to the investment, and economies of scale increase.

2. Type of space and size

The calculator asks for the type of business (office, hotel, retail, restaurant, healthcare institution) and its size (small, medium, large). Based on this, the tool calculates a typical number of bouquets per location.

3. Current expenses on fresh flowers

The most important input. Many companies underestimate this figure by 25-35% because they only look at the direct delivery invoice and ignore hidden items (labor, waste, vases, incidental orders). In this guide, we explain how to calculate the full picture.

4. Ambition level

Do you want a basic setup (only reception and main meeting room) or a full rollout (every meeting room, canteen, lounge, lobby)? This determines both the one-time investment and the expected impact on customer experience and employee satisfaction.

The calculation step by step

Step 1: Investment

Based on the number of locations, space type, and ambition level, the calculator determines the one-time investment in bouquets and vases from the Botané collection. For a medium-sized office with 10 bouquets, this typically ranges between €4,500 and €7,500 including vases.

Step 2: Annual savings

The calculator compares your current fresh flower costs (input 3) with the annual maintenance costs of a Botané setup. The latter are substantially lower: only the business subscription for seasonal changes and any replacements. For a medium-sized office: €2,000 to €3,500 per year.

The saving is therefore: annual costs of fresh flowers minus annual costs of Botané setup. For a medium-sized office, typically €18,000 to €24,000 per year.

Step 3: Payback period

Investment divided by annual savings × 12 months = payback period in months. For the example: €6,000 / €21,000 × 12 = 3.4 months.

Step 4: 5-year overview

The calculator shows a table with cumulative costs over 5 years for both scenarios. This is the most convincing part for most decision makers – the visual gap between the two lines immediately clarifies what's at stake.

Example: medium-sized law firm

A law firm with 65 employees, 5 meeting rooms, a reception, and canteen – one location in Amsterdam.

Why the calculator calculates conservatively

We have deliberately set up the calculator on the cautious side. Three factors often make the actual ROI even higher than our figure:

• Inflation: fresh flowers have increased in price by 30-40% over the past 5 years. Our calculator uses current prices, not indexation.
• Quality improvement: artificial flowers always look perfect. Fresh flowers are on average 1-2 days a week "just yesterday" or "to be replaced tomorrow". This reduced appearance is difficult to quantify but real.
• CO₂ and sustainability claims: in CSRD reporting, artificial flowers count as almost zero-emission through our circular chain. Fresh flowers count as ~3.5 kg CO₂ per bouquet per week. For a medium-sized office, this saves 1.5 tons of CO₂ per year in your reporting – a measurable advantage for your ESG score.

Common mistakes in self-calculations

Companies that calculate their own ROI consistently make the same mistakes:

• Only looking at the delivery invoice and forgetting labor and waste
• Assumptions about lifespan that are too short (3 years instead of a realistic 5-8 years)
• Underestimation of replacement costs for fresh flowers due to peak moments (summer, Christmas, Valentine's Day)
• Not taking into account the real estate value of beautifully styled spaces for client visits

Frequently asked questions

Does the calculator also work for multi-location companies?

Yes. Just enter the number of locations and the calculator will automatically apply volume scale. For 10+ locations, you will receive a refined proposal from our account managers via hello@blooms.nl.

How accurate are the figures?

We have validated the calculator against 40+ customer cases. The deviation from actual savings averages within 10-15% – usually on the positive side (customers save more than predicted).

Will I get a quote based on the calculator?

The output of the calculator is an indication, not a quote. For a customized quote, we schedule a meeting or site visit via the workspace advisor.

Can the investment be spread?

Yes. Through the business subscription, you can replace the one-time investment with a fixed monthly fee – no initial outlay required.

Ready to calculate your own ROI?

Try our price calculator and see within 2 minutes what the switch means for your organization. Or contact us via hello@blooms.nl for personal advice and a customized quote.