Don't Get Scammed!
Top 4 Flower Delivery
Sites Reviewed...
Thursday, August 28, 2008
By Marcus Detzer
Editor, Consumer Review Panel
Consumer's Guide to Sending Flowers
If you're planning on
sending flowers online, then
you'll want to invest a few minutes reading this...
Today, Internet flower delivery is safer and easier than ever. You don't have to waste gas driving across town to a florist - not to mention spending your valuable time waiting in line. You're busy, and you have better things to do!
You can order flowers online and have them hand-delivered to anyone, anywhere in the United States and Canada.
You may be surprised to find out these flower arrangements are just as good (and sometimes better) than the floral arrangements you'll find at your local florist shop.
In fact, you can even include a personalized note, a teddy bear, mylar balloons, chocolates or a beautiful gift basket with your flower delivery.
And, if you're worried about your flowers arriving in-time, 99% of online florists offer same-day or next-day delivery. The best sites for sending flowers back-up their delivery with a guarantee.
But, before you order from any flower delivery site, there are a few important things you MUST know....
That's why I put this site together to educate you and other consumers on how to get the freshest flowers at the lowest prices - delivered on-time.
Here's what I discovered...
Sites for Sending Flowers At A Glance
1st Pick - 1-800-Florals
2nd Pick - ProFlowers
3rd Pick - JustFlowers
4th Pick - FTD
1st Pick - 1-800-Florals Review
Send Flowers Online
Overall:
Value for Your
Money:
While you won't find any flowers or gifts under $30, 1-800-Florals features 57 stunning floral arrangements and gift baskets under $50, 83 between $50-$75 and 35 over $75.
What impressed me most is their flat $8.95 delivery charge for same-day or next-day delivery (depending on when you place your order.) Compare that to sites like FTD that charge up to $29.95 for delivery!
Flower &
Gift Selection:
If you're looking for premium-quality flowers, 1-800-Florals has 163 arrangements to choose from. On the other hand, if you're looking for Gift Baskets, you'll only find 12 very basic gift baskets here.
1-800-Florals sticks with what they do best - flowers!
Delivery Options:
Your flowers are delivered the same day by a local florist (in most areas in US/Canada) for orders placed before 1:00 PM in the recipient's time-zone. Otherwise; next day delivery is the norm.
Sunday delivery and delivery on legal holidays is generally NOT available, but they may be able to accommodate such request if you ask. 1-800-Florals also offers 2 to 3-day International delivery for 10 products.
Guarantee:
If you're looking for an online florist that stands behind what they sell, hands-down, 1-800-Florals is the best.
Not only do they give you a 100% satisfaction guarantee, but the mountain of testimonials from their customers is proof they're an honest, dependable business.
In fact, 1-800-Florals is the highest-rated online florist on Yahoo Shopping. They are rated 4.5 stars from 180 consumer reviews.
1-800-Florals says if you're not happy with the quality of their product (for any reason), simply contact them by phone or email and they'll cheerfully provide a replacement or make other arrangements.
Don't take my word for it... Visit their site and read their testimonials so you can feel confident they'll go the extra mile for you.
Customer Service:
If you have any questions or need help, 1-800-Florals makes it easy to contact them. You can reach them at their toll-free number or contact them via their "Comments/Inquiries" form on their web site.
The Bottom Line:
1-800-Florals (not to be confused with 1-800-Flowers) is an honest, dependable online florist with a local florist touch.
Their web site is a little difficult to maneuver and it looks like it was made in 1992... but... Their order page is secure and their customer service is top-notch.
They are based in Chicago and have been in business since 1923. They are located at 524 N. Cass Ave., Westmont, IL 60559.
When you send flowers using 1-800-Florals, you'll save money because same-day/next-day florist delivery is only $8.95. And, you're satisfaction is guaranteed or they'll replace your flowers or make other reasonable arrangements.
2nd Pick - ProFlowers Review
Flowers, Plants, Roses & Gifts
Overall:
Value for Your
Money:
ProFlowers has 68 flowers and gifts under $40, 33 between $40-$60, 17 between $60-80 and 16 over $80.
Because ProFlowers ships flowers direct from the growers, you save money. That's because your flowers are not handled by any middlemen.
You'll also find a few items on their site with free weekday delivery. Just click on the "Specials" link at the top of their page, then select "Free Delivery" for a full list.
Shipping rates are also very reasonable. You'll only pay $9.99-$14.99 for next-day delivery in most areas.
If you want the freshest flowers for your money, ProFlowers is an excellent choice. Because their flowers are shipped from the growers, your flowers don't spend extra time sitting in coolers or inside delivery trucks.
Flower &
Gift Selection:
You'll find over 134 reasonably-priced flowers and gifts at ProFlowers - including gift baskets and food.
The pictures on their site are also very large and vibrant, so you know exactly what you're getting.
Delivery Options:
If you want to send flowers with a personal touch, you're better off going with another florist. That's because your flowers are not hand-delivered by a local florist.
When you order from ProFlowers, your flowers are shipped next-day (in most areas) via UPS or FedEx.
If you (or your recipient) doesn't mind opening a big package and "assembling" the flowers, you'll be rewarded with fresh flowers that will last for a long time.
Monday delivery, Saturday delivery, Rush delivery and delivery to Alaska/Hawaii are extra.
Guarantee:
All flowers come with an unconditional 7-day freshness guarantee. If you're not 100% pleased for any reason, simply contact them for a replacement.
Plants come with an extended 14-day guarantee.
Customer Service:
ProFlowers is rated 3 out of 5 stars on Yahoo Shopping, which is good considering most online florists are rated two stars or less!
If you have questions or need help, you can reach them via email or by calling the toll-free number on their site.
The Bottom Line:
ProFlowers is a lot different from other online florists. That's because your flowers are shipped direct from the grower.This is good if you want fresh flowers that will last for a long time. The downside is your flowers aren't delivered by a local florist. They're delivered via UPS or FedEx, so they probably require some "assembly" after the package is opened.
Over 20 million bouquets have been sent through ProFlowers and they've been in business for over 10 years.
Their flowers are also priced VERY reasonably because you don't pay the extra mark-ups charged by most online florists.
3rd Pick - JustFlowers Review
Same-Day Florist Flower Delivery
Overall:
Value for Your
Money:
You'll find 345 flowers, gifts and plants under $50, 705 between $50-$100 and $135 over $100.
Local florist delivery starts at $7.99 and any applicable delivery fees are shown on the confirmation page before you place your order.
You won't find any flowers or gifts under $30, but if you're looking for the best selection, you'll find it at JustFlowers.
Flower &
Gift Selection:
Delivery Options:
Same-day delivery is usually available for orders placed before 3PM in the recipient's time-zone Monday-Friday. For Saturday and Sunday same-day delivery, orders must be placed before 1pm.
What's nice is when you reach their order page, it tells you the earliest available delivery option.
I was also impressed how detailed their Delivery Information page is. This is important, because you should know exactly what to expect when you send flowers using them.
Their site also states they'll contact you in-advance if a delivery reschedule is needed.
Orders can be canceled or re-scheduled as long as they're not en-route by calling the toll-free number on their site.
Guarantee:
Their guarantee isn't the best, but it's a guarantee nonetheless. JustFlowers will exchange flowers within 4 days of delivery if you're not happy for any reason. Compare this to the 7-day guarantee most other online florists guarantee.
JustFlowers will also give you $10 if your flowers are not delivered (or are attempted to be delivered) on the day requested (excluding bad weather or acts of God.) JustFlowers doesn't offer a refund for flowers delivered early.
Customer Service:
The Bottom Line:
If you're looking for a variety of flowers and gifts, you'll find something at JustFlowers. Their products are a little pricey, but you're guaranteed on-time delivery, or you'll get a $10 credit.Even though their web site isn't the prettiest and their pictures are kind of small, ordering from their site is quick, secure and easy.
4th Pick - FTD Review
Flower & Gift Basket Delivery
Overall:
Value for Your
Money:
While it's true you'll find over 110 cheap, low-priced flowers under $35... if you need flowers delivered fast, you'll pay up to $29.99 for rush delivery.
That said, FTD's flowers and gifts are spectacular. You'll also find hundreds of premium-quality flowers and gifts over $35.
Flower &
Gift Selection:
You'll find hundreds of flowers and gifts in every price range at FTD. They also have Designer collections, including Vera Wang flower arrangements , Tod Oldham flowers, Eco-Friendly gifts and a beautiful Silk Floral collection.
What you'll like most about FTD is their pictures are very large and vibrant. When you're shopping for flowers online, that's a good thing, don't you agree?
Delivery Options:
What doesn't make much sense to me is they charge you more for delivery for higher-priced floral arrangements. You'd think they'd offer a discount or throw in free shipping, right?
Standard (3-day) delivery is $5.99 to $18.99.
Same-Day, Next-Day and 2-Day delivery runs $12.99 to $29.99.
And, Saturday delivery is always $29.99.
Guarantee:
Their guarantee is simply stated - "Fresh, beautiful flowers and plants that will last at least 7 days."
Canceling or changing your order also appears to be easy. You can track the status of your order online and cancel your order as long as it is not on its way to be delivered.
FTD also says defective flowers will be replaced to your satisfaction, and unopened, non-perishable gifts can be returned for any reason for a full refund (excluding shipping) within 30 days.
Customer Service:
Well, on Yahoo Shopping they are rated 1 1/2 stars out of 5 stars, from 148 ratings. Ouch!
Common complaints include: waiting on hold for a long time to reach customer service, having flowers delivered several days after they were supposed to arrive, and so on...
A few bad reviews is not a bad thing IF a company goes out of it's way to resolve a reasonable complaint. But, when hundreds of reviews turn up saying the same thing, there's a problem.
Because I'm sure for every 1 person who writes a negative review, there are 10 others that would've - but never got around to it.
The Bottom Line:
FTD is well-known, but it's not the best.
You'll find a variety of flowers and gifts and they offer a 7-Day freshness guarantee.
If you need flowers delivered ASAP, you'll pay a premium price for it - up to $29.99.
I suppose if you find something on FTD's site that you can't live with out, it's worth a shot ordering it. But, if excellent customer service, and fast, affordable delivery are important to you... don't gamble on FTD.
Send Flowers Today Using One of These Sites...
1-800-Florals (1st Pick)
ProFlowers (2nd Pick)
JustFlowers (3rd Pick)
FTD (4th Pick)