Thanksgiving & Black Friday 2026: A Florist's Capacity and Pre-Sale Plan
How florists can handle Thanksgiving week (Thursday, Nov 26) and Black Friday (Nov 27): cap orders, set cutoffs, protect margins with higher flower costs and pre-sell Christmas.
Thanksgiving is on Thursday, November 26, 2026, and Black Friday is the next day. For a florist the plan is simple: cap your orders to real capacity, close pre-orders on a fixed date, price from today's costs and use Black Friday to pre-sell Christmas instead of discounting.
Know what you actually sell that week
Thanksgiving demand is mostly centerpieces, host gifts and a few last-minute bouquets. Black Friday is a different customer: price-driven and shopping online. Split your catalog into three clear groups: Thanksgiving centerpieces with a delivery date, ready-made gifts, and Christmas pre-order bundles. Fewer options mean faster building and fewer mistakes.
Cap orders and set cutoffs
Work backwards from the day before Thanksgiving. Count how many arrangements your team can build and deliver in one day, leave room for walk-ins, and turn that number into a cap for online orders. Then set a cutoff date and show it on your catalog, on your social profiles and in your order confirmation. Orders after the cutoff go to a waitlist or to the next available day.
Price from today's costs
Cost pressure is real this year. CNN, via KEYT, reported that about 85% of the cut flowers sold in the U.S. are imported. WLRN reported that imports through Miami rose 6% for Valentine's Day 2026 despite tariffs and higher costs. In July 2026, Colombian outlets also reported a new U.S. tariff on Colombian flowers; we could not confirm it is still in force, so check the current status with your wholesaler before you set prices.
The practical rule: do not reuse last year's prices. Take your latest invoice, add expected waste and labor, and apply your multiplier. Our guide on how to price flowers walks through the formula.
Use Black Friday to pre-sell Christmas
Instead of a percentage off, offer fixed-price Christmas bundles: a wreath, a centerpiece and a door arrangement, each with a chosen delivery week. You collect payment now, you buy exactly what you sold, and you smooth out the December rush.
Checklist for the week
- Set the order cap and the cutoff date, and publish both.
- Confirm your wholesaler's delivery days and ask about price changes in writing.
- Update catalog prices from your latest invoices.
- Schedule deliveries by zone and time window.
- Publish the Christmas pre-order bundles on Friday.
- Record what sold out first and what was left over, to plan next year.
To get an online catalog with a cart for free, start with FloristApp's Essential plan (up to 50 products). The point of sale and recipe-based inventory come with the Professional plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should florists run Black Friday discounts?
Blanket discounts usually shrink margins on your busiest week. A better option is a Christmas pre-order bundle at a fixed price, which brings cash in early and lets you buy only what you have already sold.
How many Thanksgiving orders should I accept?
Count how many arrangements your team can build and deliver in your busiest day, subtract walk-ins, and cap online orders at that number. Close the order form on a fixed cutoff date.
How do I protect margins when flower costs rise?
Recalculate prices from your latest invoice instead of last year's cost, include expected waste, and update your catalog before opening pre-orders.
Streamline your flower shop operations today
Join florists automating orders, custom bouquet building, in-store POS, and shrinkage tracking with FloristApp.