#5 – Use Local Florists
When searching the internet for a florist, include the name
of the city or delivery zip code with the word “flowers” or “florist”. This
will help narrow your results down to florists in the area the flowers will be
going. Find a florist that will actually take your order, make the flower
arrangement and deliver them.
#4 – Avoid Call Centers
There are many call center operations out there that act as
a middle man or broker to handle your flower order. Some are good and some are
bad, but you can avoid extra service charges if you deal directly with a local
florist. Prior to placing an order, confirm that the florist’s address is
actually in the area the flowers are to be delivered. For example, if you are
ordering flowers to be delivered in San Diego , CA , but the florist’s address is in New York , NY
#3 – Delivery Proximity
Many times you can save on the delivery charge if you search
for a florist that is located in the same zip code as the delivery address. There
is also a better chance that your flowers will be delivered more promptly,
especially for same day deliveries, if the florist is located close to the
delivery address. There are some exceptions to the rule. Some florists
with multiple delivery vehicles may actually be able to deliver more promptly
than one that is located close to the delivery address, but only has one
driver. For example, if a delivery driver is out on a far destination delivery
run, it may take the driver a long time before she returns for the next
delivery run. Whereas a florist with multiple drivers may have more flexibility
to alter routes and may be able to better accommodate your delivery requests.
Whenever you have a time delivery request, it’s always best to call the florist
and mention this at the beginning.
#2 – Online Reputation
Check what others are saying about the florist(s) you are
interested in using. There are many directories out there like Yelp, Google,
Yahoo, etc… where you can read what people are saying about their experiences
with them. This can be extremely helpful in making your decision. Search for
the name of the florist along with the word “reviews” and many results will
show up.
#1 – Unique Images
The number one complaint by consumers of florists is that
the arrangement they ordered looked nothing like the image of the product
represented on the website. If you can find a florist that uses unique images,
this will help you better gauge what the flowers will actually look like. It
will also give you a better feel for the florist’s style and quality of work. Many
of the stock images seen on many florist websites are very difficult to
replicate in “real life”. The arrangements in these photos are usually staged
to look perfect. Also, many of the flowers used in stock images are not always
available. The more substitutions made by the florist, the less chance the
arrangement will look like the picture. It is fairly easy to tell when a
florist is using their own photos for their products, be on the look out for
this. If you’re uncertain, then call the florist and ask if the flowers are
available in the picture of the product you are interested in. If not, find out
what flowers they actually have available, this way you know exactly what you
are paying for.
-Darrel
La Jolla Village Florist
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