Most people don’t think much about what happens after they hit “buy.” The page refreshes, the order goes through, and whatever they clicked on will eventually show up. But the journey in between—especially when the product is alive, seasonal, or delicate—is where the actual business happens. That’s the part Konstantin is trying to solve. He and his wife started Fluffy Flower as a small home gardening brand focused on rare and specialty flower seeds. Two years in, they’ve found consistent traction through word of mouth, Meta ads, and detailed how-to content. But the next phase—shipping live plant cuttings across borders—is significantly more complex. “We’re working on rooted cuttings now. That’s much harder,” he says. What started as a passion project in Russia, and later moved with them to the Netherlands, is now a small, independent brand serving thousands of customers across France, Germany, and beyond.

“We grow everything ourselves, take all the photos, and test every single variety”

Fluffy Flower sells flower seeds, bulbs, and tubers directly to individuals online—no retail partners, no physical stores. Konstantin manages the operations, while his wife leads marketing and social. They also work with a part-time Meta ad specialist and a seasonal gardener. “We test everything we sell,” he explains. “People can contact us directly and ask about how to grow the flowers they bought.” Their materials are all original: no stock images, no recycled content. “Each flower has been grown by us. We know it works.” That attention to detail has helped them build trust with customers, especially those looking for unique varieties not available in standard garden centers. Ads and email are their main marketing channels. Meta drives traffic, while weekly emails keep customers engaged with updates, photos, and planting advice. “People read our emails,” he says. “They know we’re real.” With each growing season, their subscriber list expands—and returning customer rates are strong.

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“It’s seasonal, so we have to get it right while it’s live”

The seasonal nature of their catalog presents its own set of limitations. “Sales start in October or November and stop by June,” Konstantin says. “After that, people have already planted their flowers.” Each season they plan new varieties and update the catalog accordingly, but they don’t offer subscriptions or monthly drops. Their focus is on what’s ready to plant—and when. Looking ahead, their biggest test is live plants. “We’re starting a new project with rooted cuttings, but the logistics are difficult,” he says. Unlike seeds or tubers, which are shelf-stable, cuttings must be shipped quickly and carefully. They are working with larger dahlia growers in the Netherlands to multiply stock of rare and unique dahlia varieties and hope to ship them using new fulfillment setups - likely with DHL. “We’re still figuring it out. Delivery timing will be critical.” Until now, their setup has been manageable: a 300-square-meter test garden is enough to grow small batches, photograph them, and guide customers. But as they move into live production, they’re renting greenhouse space to begin controlled cultivation.

For now, their focus is on managing the upcoming fall campaign. They’re launching a new push across ads and email to support both the core product line and the pilot cutting project. Margins are modest, especially at their current scale, but Konstantin isn’t focused on short-term profit. “It’s not high-volume yet, but we’re growing,” he says. The goal is simple: add more unique varieties, build trust through hands-on testing, and scale carefully without losing the connection they’ve built with customers. “People know this is real. That’s what makes it work.”

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