The Bouqs' flower e-commerce business won't be threatened by Amazon anytime soon

[ibimage==32618==Large==http://www.builtinla.com/company/bouqs-co==self==ibimage_align-center]

 

Amazon can deliver anything these days. Well anything, except for a profit. And Amazon’s willingness to forgo immediate profits for market share makes going up against the giant seem daunting or even suicidal. Combine that with every other brick-and-mortar store that is putting itself online, e-commerce would seem like a tough space to launch a new business. Yet against that rough terrain, enter The Bouqs, an e-commerce site that is transforming the most delicate of products, flowers.

 

“We are a combination of an e-commerce and supply chain company,” said John Tabis, founder and CEO.

 

The Bouqs, an online flower delivery service based in Marina Del Ray, recently wrapped up a $6 million Series A. The company seeks to transform an industry that has been slow to adapt to online e-commerce.

 

“If you buy products from a retailer these are close to three weeks old,” said Tabis. "But with us, the physical attributes of the flowers are different because they are sourced from farms directly, which leads to better economics for farms, consumers and a fresher product."

 

To maintain a flower business, a venture that is constantly wilting away, The Bouqs relies on the expertise of co-founder, COO and botanist JP Montúfar. The company has developed several proprietary flower cutting and preservation methods said Tabis.

 

“Generally it comes down to flower cutting. It becomes about the way you properly hydrate,” said Tabis.

 

However, supply chain perfection alone isn’t likely to be enough for this e-commerce company to secure its place. Amazon’s ever-persistent and all-encompassing ambitions have recently led it to the grocery delivery service - a perishables business, which in many ways is similar to The Bouqs. To fend off a threat from companies like Amazon, The Bouqs needed a strong second punch. 

 

Tabis said what puts the company further ahead is strong merchandizing and branding.  

 

“The way the we merchandise, the way the consumer experiences our product, is different and engenders loyalty,” said Tabis.

 

The Bouqs sports a highly stylized e-commerce site, several different delivery options and a commitment to a number of moral causes like sustainable and eco-friendly flowers. The company’s delivery services, especially create a unique touch. The company’s ‘Concierge Services’ offer ‘Regular Blooms,’ a scheduled delivery service, ‘Never Forget,’ an important date reminder service, and ‘Just Because,’ a service that sends flowers at random.

 

Tabis explained that these touches are what separate the company from any other e-commerce brand trying to put flowers online at low margins. Customers appreciate their commitment to these causes and the different delivery options, a part of The Bouqs brand that is difficult to replicate.

 

“This is why Amazon bought Zappos. There are a ton of companies selling shoes online,” said Tabis. “But Zappos created a brand, a customer experience that Amazon couldn’t easily replicate.”

 

Long past are the days when an e-commerce company could be built on low overhead, ease of use and online efficiency, all of those features are now just a starting point for a viable online business. The technology around building e-commerce websites in fact has been commoditized by service providers like Culver City-based turnkey e-commerce site Magento (bought by eBay). To be a differentiated online e-commerce business you have to champion customer experience and a unique product offering. This is exactly how The Bouqs is building its brand.

 

The Bouqs hopes to put its recent funding to expand its eight-person team and to implement additional enterprise resource planning technology. 

 

The company has deep local roots including previous funding from Los Angeles–based Siemer Ventures and a board flush with local entrepreneurs, including Brian Lee (co-founder of Legalzoom.com, ShoeDazzle.com and The Honest Company), Jason Nazar (co-founder & CEO of Docstoc) and John Powers (CFO of EdgeCast and previously eHarmony).