From red sultry roses and white daisies to elegant orchids and yellow daffodils, there are hundreds of thousands of flower species that each have a vibrant life of their own. Not only do they possess their own beauty, uniqueness, and irresistible charm, but flowers have also been greatly romanticized in books and songs all throughout history.
Imagine how Beauty and the Beast would have turned out if Belle didn’t have a rose. Or brood about how much darker Shakespeare’s works would be if he hadn’t littered his writings with countless descriptions of the most stunning flowers.
Beyond the symbolic impact they’ve made on modern culture, we have flowers to thank for the countless stories, memories, and pieces of artwork they’ve inspired. They make for a gorgeous view, a wonderful home decoration, and perhaps best of all, a fantastic gift.
If you’ve ever had trouble deciding on what to give your friend or loved ones yet again, flowers are here to be your one-stop-shop solution. For one, flowers are adaptable to almost any occasion, whether it be Valentine’s Day, a birthday, or any fun event. Plus, they are just as fresh as they are beautiful and make for a timeless classic to gift.
Not convinced? Well, the numbers themselves don’t lie. In the US alone, almost $6.2 billion is spent every year on fresh flowers. That means about 10 million flowers are bought every day. In fact, not all these flowers are even bought in person.
To make your gift-giving job a little easier, you can buy your flowers online for the ultimate convenience. Believe it or not, but you can order same-day delivery and receive your flowers in the freshest condition possible every time. Plus, ordering online guarantees that the selection is always wide and priced at the most competitive numbers.
If you’re excited to potentially order online and light up someone’s day with stunning fresh flowers, let’s take a look at 7 important things to consider before you fully commit to ordering flowers online.
1. Delivery Area
Even though online florists provide an extremely accessible flower buying experience, not every florist can ensure delivery to every single part of the US. For example, if you or your giftee live in a more isolated part of the country, like in a remote area or a rural location, florists can’t guarantee that your flowers can be delivered in the best condition.
Not all florists have the same exact shipping capabilities. Some can deliver to more addresses than others, so it’s important to look at more than one online store. Before you officially place your order, be sure to confirm that the provider you want can actually send it over to your target address.
2. Delivery Speed
Gift giving is certainly no easy task. That’s why flowers always come in as the most reliable solution anytime you’re stuck on what to do. They make for an easy grab on a quick trip to your local florist or supermarket.
However, the situation might be a little different for ordering online. That’s because not all websites can provide fast last-minute flower deliveries. If you’re running out of time and need your bouquet to be shipped as soon as possible, ensure that your selected vendor can do same-day or next-day delivery.
3. Professional Affiliation
There are plenty of florists that are involved with a floral wire service such as FTD, Teleflora, and several others. These wire services are essentially established companies that work at the center of all the order exchanges and fulfillment between local florists and third-party sale agents.
Additionally, many other vendors are also affiliated with other industry groups and trade organizations, such as The Society of American Florists.
When it comes to picking out a vendor, it’s in your best interest to rank those that professionally affiliate with these floral wire services, groups, and organizations higher. That’s because they can signify a commitment to the craft, a level of professionalism, and heightened credibility.
4. Payment Options
Nowadays, there are far more options to pay for gifts than cash alone. That’s especially true for online purchases. While you can always use the most popular method of using a credit card to pay for your flowers, some flower delivery services have actually expanded the number of payment methods they can accept. How about that for inclusivity and convenience?
If you’d rather pay with PayPal, Bitcoin, or in whatever alternative way you prefer, you can scout out some of the flower vendors that can accommodate you the best.
5. Pricing
Without a doubt, pricing should be one of the top factors to consider when ordering flowers on the web. That’s where you may need to step in with a little research, because not every flower vendor will offer the same prices.
Some may be conveniently cheaper than others, but never sacrifice good quality for a low bargain. Don’t forget to factor in shipping costs as well! Some services may charge their shipping prices differently and have more expensive same-day or next-day delivery options while others don’t.
6. Service Guarantee
As expected, mistakes can inevitably happen. Maybe your flowers were damaged while shipping, lost some of their freshness, or were delivered a day later than expected. Whatever the issue is, some online florists are more accommodating with their service guarantees than others.
You’ll want to go with the former, as they tend to have money-back guarantees, consumer-friendly cancellations, generous refund policies, or other assurances that can put your mind to ease when it comes to quality, reliability, and service speed.
There is always a little bit of risk when it comes to ordering fresh flowers online, so picking the right service can mean a world of difference between a fantastic gifting experience and a series of headaches.
7. Customer Service
When it comes to ordering online, you might have questions that come up as you go along, whether it deals with shipping, concerns, or general recommendations. Quickly, you might discover that one of the biggest inconveniences you can run across is that it’s much easier to receive answers by directly asking a florist at your local shop.
However, this might not be as big of a problem as you might think. If your vendor of choice comes with stellar customer service that is available at most hours of the day, your question answers are just a simple phone call away. In that sense, getting your solutions might be easier online because you don’t even have to drive to a physical store!
