Sympathy gift delivery question

[1greatcity]

An old friend lost a loved one. There will be no open ceremony. I would like to have flowers or a gift basket delivered to his home.
However, I’m concerned that he may not be home, or could be asleep, when the gift arrives. Does the delivery person just leave the gift on the porch? Do they make a second attempt at another time? I’m afraid of not only the gift possibly being stolen, but also it “going bad” in warm weather. How can this be avoided?

[reebo]

This can’t be an uncommon concern. Call the businesses you’re thinking of using and ask them how they handle it.

[KathrynAragon]

I agree - different businesses do deliveries different ways.

Also, many companies can give you a window of time on a particular day that they will deliver items so ask for that as well.

Good luck!

[Gerania]

Many years ago I delivered flowers for or on Valentines Day. Two days. I got very explicit information about deliveries.

When I've sent flowers to someone far away, I call their local florist.

[Avalon08]

Originally Posted by Gerania

Many years ago I delivered flowers for or on Valentines Day. Two days. I got very explicit information about deliveries.

When I've sent flowers to someone far away, I call their local florist.

Me too! I don't trust FTD, where you have no idea which florist is fulfilling the order and they have no incentive to use their freshest or best flowers. I say this after having gotten flowers from afar that were half-dead. Of course, the florists figure you're not going to call the sender and complain. But I did call the florist and complain! (They sent another one.)

Anyway, I just a few weeks ago ordered flowers for a friend in NJ who was quarantined because of Covid. Wanted her to have something pretty to look at. I asked my cousin, who lives in the same resort town, for a recommendation. Told me that so-and-so was the best florist on the island. I called them directly rather than order online, and I picked the $100 "Deluxe" version of a bouquet pictured on their site called Sangria Nights. Supposedly the Deluxe meant more flowers, not size of bouquet. My friend was super-excited and emotional when she got them. However, she sent me a pic and it definitely is not as pretty or even have the same flowers as the website photo. I know flowers are seasonal and there's no guarantee it'll match exactly, but still. I don't know how you get around this problem.