Buying Flowers at the Flower Market in Korea
There are a few flower markets in Korea. In Seoul, there are three main flower markets that you can go to and buy flowers directly from merchants. The three flower markets are the Yangjae Flower Market, The NamDaeMun Flower Market, and The Express Bus Terminal Flower Market.
Each of the flower markets are "known" to have different flowers and to specialize in different things. However, these "known specialities" are always subject to change because of the nature of the flower industry. But for now, the YangJae Flower Market mainly has flowers grown in Korea and an auction center, the Express Bus Terminal Flower Market is known to have a lot of exotic imported flowers and fancy materials, and The NamDaeMun Flower Market isn't really known for anything. But, there are still some beautiful flowers there for purchasing.
So, take your pick, you can go directly to any one of these flower markets and purchase from the exact same people I purchase my flowers from. Yes, that's right. Korea, unlike some other countries, allow for civilians to purchase flowers from the same places that businesses do. And it doesn't cost any extra money to go to a flower market in Korea. This means you can potentially buy all of the same flowers that all of the flower shops in Korea do. So, obviously, the prices of flowers on our online shop will be more expensive than the flowers you can buy at the flower Market.
Here are all of the reasons why the flowers we sell to you are more expensive than the flowers you can buy at the flower market.
Reason 1: Changing Prices of Flowers
The value of flowers, like any commodity, varies depending on the season, the demand, and the supply. That means you can go to the flower market today and find a great deal on beautiful roses. Maybe you can even buy 10 stems of roses for like $20, but the very next day, you can go and those same roses can cost $40 for 10. And then you decide to go next week and you find out that the roses cost just $10! Wow, what a deal!
The reason for the different prices are due to many things. For example, on any given day, the flower merchant may simply just want to leave as soon as possible and needs to get rid of the flowers that he or she currently has. If you can catch a merchant at that time, you basically hit the jackpot. Also, merchants at the flower markets are at the mercy of the farmers. The farmers are the ones who choose how much the initial cost of flowers will be. And the farmers are usually at the mercy of mother nature and the amount of resources they have at hand. So, the exact same flowers can cost different prices all throughout the year if you decide to buy your flowers at a Flower Market.
Reason 2: Quality of Flowers
The higher quality flowers are always more expensive. You may see a lot of low prices for certain flowers. I have seen a dozen roses on sale for $30 somewhere, but with flowers, you can never be certain if you will receive good quality ones. In the end, people will be thankful to have received a gift, but if they receive dead flowers, they may get the wrong message.
If you go to the flower market and just ask the merchant to sell you the cheapest flowers at the lowest cost; you can receive a great deal. But, there is a good chance the flowers will not be good and some of them will already be dying.
Reason 3: Cost of Materials
When you buy flowers from Flower Gift Korea or any other florist, you are also paying for the flower basket, the flower box, the floral foam used to hold the flowers, water tubes, tape, ribbons, wiring, styrofoam, the plastic bag, the personalized card, pins, etc.
You can actually purchase all of these extra materials at stores in the flower market.
Reason 4: Cost of Labour
Remember, when you purchase flowers at the flower market, none of them are trimmed. That means roses will have all of the thorns intact with a lot of leaves on the stem. Also, some flowers need to be trimmed and placed in different temperatures of water to make sure that they bloom correctly. Then you have to arrange the flowers together and place them in a basket. All of this takes time. And then you have to find someone to deliver the flowers for you and make sure that the flowers get to the destination in one piece and on time. And I didn't even mention the cost of tools used to make the actual Flower Gift; things like scissors, wire cutters, buckets to hold the flowers, and so on.
In the end, if you know flowers and have some experience making flower arrangements, and have some free time on your hand; it is definitely in your best interest to go to one of the flower markets and purchase the flowers and materials yourself. Also, it can make for a fun trip!
Here are a few 4 things to keep in mind when buying flowers at the Flower Market in Korea:
- Most flowers are sold in bunches of 10, some of them come in a bunches of 5, and a few of the bigger flowers (hydrangeas) are sold individually. A bunch in the Korean language is "?" and is pronounced "dahn". That's what you'll need to be asking for when you shop at the flower markets in Korea.
- Flowers arrive early in the morning on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so the freshest flowers are available then.
- Many of the merchants do not accept card payments, and the ones that do will add tax to the price they quote you.
- It is a free market, meaning the prices can change in a matter of minutes or even depending on the merchant. So, if you look like you know what you are doing, you can be quoted a fair price, but a lot of merchants charge more to certain people.
Regarding #4, I once bought some flowers from a particular merchant. I saw someone buy flowers for a certain price. I wanted to buy the exact same flowers, so I waited for the transaction to be finished. Then I quietly asked the merchant how much the flowers were and the merchant charged ME half of what the merchant charged the previous buyer. And the flowers were the exact same quality. I believe the reason why I was quoted lower was because the merchant recognized my face and knew I had an idea of what price the flowers should be.
So, going to the market can save you money, but it will take more time and effort for you to do so. Also, you may be paranoid about the whole paying different prices than other people for the same merchandise. So, if you are busy and are unable to go to the market, or you don't want to take a chance on being cheated by flower merchants, it may be in your best interest to buy your flowers online. Flower Gift Korea is a trustworthy Flowers and Gifts shop in Korea. Our flowers are not cheap, but you know what you are paying for. Also, if you aren't happy with your purchase, we'll give you a full refund. Check out our products for more information!