The World Wide Web has had a significant impact on traditional florists, with the North American market experiencing a more than 20% decline in traditional, independently owned flower shops since 1998. Purchases from shops are slowly being overtaken by online flower delivery. Some independent florists have taken to having their own online store, where customers can order online as well as on the telephone.

Floral Wire Services play an intermediary role in the flower business, gathering orders on behalf of local retailers and then sending these via proprietary computer systems to florists for fulfillment. Floral Wire Services take a percentage of customers order value for orders provided through their websites and additional fees for the transmission of orders to local florists