Sending flowers to that special person can feel like spinning the wheel of fortune. You never know what you are going to get. Sort of like a box of chocolates. So, when it’s time to send flowers, should you order by phone? Through a national flower wire service? From the florist’s website? Through a mail-order company? In person?
As a florist, I am frequently asked for advice on ways to guarantee that a gift of flowers will be fresh, beautiful and truly special. So, let me share some of my secrets with you.
LOCAL OR LONG DISTANCE?
LOCAL — If the order is important (and what order isn’t?), I encourage customers to visit their neighborhood floral shop in person rather then using the phone or internet.
Why? Most florists have people-friendly personalities and will go out of their way to make your gift special. By working with the florist face-to-face you make a personal connection that’s to your advantage — and might result in an extra rose, an upgraded vase, or fluffier babies breath.
Also, the shop cooler is filled with arrangements so you can choose a “style” that suits the occasion. Some floral arrangements are designed in the traditional “classic style” while others are “high style” (modern, artistic visions that range from elaborate to minimalist). Ask yourself: ‘Would great-grandma prefer a basket of cheerful daisies beside her sick bed or twisted willow branches topped with bird of paradise?’ A personal visit helps you choose the right look.
You can also see which flowers are the freshest. Flowers are a natural product and sometimes suffer from a poor growing season or shipping delays. For instance, a recent shipment of red roses to our shop looked rather dull and lackluster. A gentleman on the phone insisted on a dozen red roses, ignoring my advice to consider the fresher, glowing yellow, pink or coral roses we had available. Yes, the red rose bouquet looked…okay. But if he had seen the rose selection in person, I think he would have chosen the more stunning colors.
And one last advantage: by placing your order at the shop you can fill out the floral card in person rather then reciting your message over the phone for the florist to rewrite. Believe me, you get extra kudos when the recipient sees your own handwriting on the card and knows that you didn’t just “phone it in.
LONG DISTANCE — If your gift of flowers is going to another city or state, you obviously cannot shop in person. National flower services are a tempting alternative and most offer fast, reliable service. They serve as a middleman between you and the distant floral shop that will fill the order. Their websites are easy to operate and show examples of their products. Most are a fine option for sending flowers long distance.
But if you want to skip the middleman, you can avoid transfer fees, additional costs and order substitutions by dealing directly with a floral shop in the recipient’s city. Simply browse online for a florist in that zip code and order directly through their business website or, better yet, by phone. Once again, you have the advantage of personal service, can quickly find out what is fresh and available, and discuss any unusual details.
For instance, a recent phone order to our shop from across the country included detailed instructions for us to stop at a grocery store for a can of chicken soup to include with the get well bouquet and then the exact spot on his porch (back of the house, third door to the right) where we were to leave the gift in case of rain. Try doing that with a national flower service.
As for those transfer fees and additional costs… Floral shops must pay hefty fees to be members of national flower services. After the service subtracts their transfer fee, the shop must take a percentage of each order to cover their membership costs. In the end, it is not unusual that a third to half of your overall payment will go to fees instead of flowers.
So, my best secret for sending a special floral arrangement is to deal locally and make a personal connection with the people who will be creating and delivering your gift. That’s the best way to know what you are getting. Oh, and maybe you should include a box of chocolates too.
