Where are the Flowers I ordered?   $%#@!

When it comes to ordering flowers, online the floral shops seem to have it all when it comes to selection. The bouquets online are always magnificently displayed and seem to offer the convenience that you are looking for:  price, description,  availability,  and even additional items to add. That all sounds good and more often then not works out well for the consumer.

You can go through the gauntlet of big brand flower shops online and find just about anything you want in an arrangement and have it delivered anywhere in the USA or internationally. But when flower shops fail to deliver an order for a customer, there is hell to pay!

I’ve scoured the complaints on some of the consumer sites and you would think these online floral site don’t have a clue as to how to run a floral business.

With the web anyone can post a complaint and let the retailer no exactly how they feel about a particular service. If you fail to deliver consumers will know about it and your business reputation will take a hit for it.

Responsible retailers will find a way to correct a mistake if they are smart; after all for many online businesses word of mouth marketing is crucial to success.  Research also suggest that many consumers often make purchases based on the recommendation of a friend or peer.

The reviews on my site seemed to back this up:

“Sad in Seattle” with this totally unreliable online florist! Their glitzy Web site promises a good product with reliable delivery, which did NOT happen. SAVE your money, aggravation and disappointment and shop elsewhere!! FromYouFlowers will NOT supply your needs or care when they haven’t. I would have liked to see this review BEFORE ever shopping with them via credit card, which by the way, they charged IMMEDIATELY, and will not refund”

link to review

There is no short supply of bad experiences when it comes to customer flower delivery mishaps. Flower delivery is not a perfect science and mistakes do happen. What’s important is that they are corrected. That’s the least they can do for you.

Online flower shops still thrive because they usually get it right the first time. Sometimes there is a mistake made buy the person ordering the bouquet, submitting inaccurate information. But if an online  flower shop does make a mistake they will here about it for sure from the customer and they will let everyone else know.

Hopefully “Sad in Seattle” has seen some effort by the flower shop to make amends. If not her comments will echo loudly through the echo chamber of the web.

Note to online flower shops: Be prepared!

We all need advice and we seek it out when necessary. There is nothing better than knowing where to turn to for advice. Advice is also best received when it comes from a trusted an experienced source.

Local florist are always on hand to answer question and give advice when you buy flowers. A florist knowledge is always indispensable for the floral connoisseur.

True to the nature of the web - as the information portal it has come to be – learning a little more about your bouquet of Calla Lilies or how to care for fresh cut roses isn’t to hard to find online.

Yet there is another venue you can turn to at http://Flower.lifetips.com from online floral retailer FTD.com and LifeTips.com.

FTD.com is an Internet and telephone marketer of flowers and specialty gifts and LifeTips offers tip for consumers on  multiple subjects by experts writers in their respective field. 

Sample Flower tip from Flower.LifeTips.com:

Making Cut Flowers Last Longer

To extend the life of your fresh cut flowers, take them out of their vase and trim their stems every couple of days. Then, replace the vase water with fresh warm water.

You can find hundreds more on their site. The one element that you will not find on Flower.LifeTips.com is video.  Video would be a great supplement to some of the tips to illustrate the content you are reading. But perhaps it’s in the works.

How often do you seek out advice and tips for your floral arrangements?

Did anyone notice that December 12 was National Poinsettia Day? The day was declared in honor of the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett on December 12, 1851 by an Act of Congress.  How can we overlook the man who introduced us to what is now the most popular flower during Christmas.

Joel Roberts Poinsett was born on March 2nd, 1779 in Charleston, South Carolina. As a young person he was well educated, fluent in many languages (French, Spanish, Italian, and German) and studied medicine, law, and military science. Poinsett also traveled extensively to Europe and Asia as a young man.

Poinsett served the U.S. in numerous capacities from diplomat to being a member of U.S. House of Representatives.  He was appointed as the first United States Ambassador to Mexico from 1825 – 1829 by President Madison. It was during this time that he visited the area of southern Mexico called Taxco del Alarcon and discovered what was later to become known as the poinsettia. (The Aztecs referred to the winter-blooming plant as cuetlaxochitl; its Latin name is Euphorbia pulcherrima or “the most beautiful Euphorbia.”)

Poinsett, also an avid amateur botanist, sent samples of the plant home to the States and by 1836 the plant was most widely known as the “poinsettia.”

Today poinsettias represent over 85 percent of the potted plant sales during the holiday season. While California is the top poinsettia producing state, poinsettias are commercially grown in all 50 states. If you can’t find a real poinsettia plant there are many retail outlets that sale faux poinsettias.

Joel has introduced us to more than just a colorful plant, but a traditional holiday decorative symbol. And over the holidays the floral industry generates over $220 million dollars during the holiday season.

I’m not sure what else can be done on National Poinsettia Day other than buy poinsettias. Is anyone even paying attention?

Of course there is an NCCA Bowl game in San Diego named the Poinsettia Bowl. But shouldn’t they at least play that on Dec 12?