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I'm baffled by the fact that this even needs to be debated. Do you want the flowers DELIVERED, or not?
Who -- unless it was a planned visit anyway -- personally delivers -- or takes flowers to a person home or business?
You COULD just leave them outside to be discovered -- so you could "drop them off" but then of course they might die, wilt or be stolen. What are you going to do set them down, ring the bell and leave?
I would do this too...$20 for delivery is a lot when there are flower stores all over....I am not a cheapo but I wouldn't pay $20 either..
$20 is a lot, but it's what these corporate chains like FTD are charging. That's how they make their money, they get to be a household name, and you place the order with them and a local florist delivers it and they keep most of that $20.
OK so yeah I'm a cheapo. But I was getting ready to send flowers to someone and I picked a $25 bouquet and even threw in a card ($2), and then I get to the final screen and it starts talking about delivery charge, Saturday charge, care and handling and we're up another $20!!! Are you kidding! I don't think so, Tim!
Am I just out of the loop or is that crazy. I'm just going to deliver them myself!
But if I tell the person why I'm doing it myself, does that make me sound bad, like yeah I was too cheap to do it the normal way, you're not important enough to me for me to spend $20 on the standard delivery charge. - ?
I had the same experience. After choosing my order, personalizing the card, filling out all of the billing and shipping information, they spring all of these extra charges on you at the last page. Of course, they're hoping you'll just bite the bullet and order it anyway because you've committed so much time to the order. Not me, no way. It's not that I'm cheap, it's just a shady business practice, and I wouldn't give a dime to a company that operates like that.
I do what flyonpa does and order from a local florist near my recipient. The price is comparable and the quality is much higher.
It would be a more personal gesture to bring them yourself rather than having them delivered. I can't imagine anyone would think you were just being cheap for doing so. Unless of course you went out of your way to explain that you were only doing it yourself for that reason. But why on earth would you do that?
If you want to be frugal this is what I do- once a year I buy the FTD gold pass (think that's the name.) It lasts a year and provides free delivery. I make the $ back on the three plants/flowers I send every year at Xmas & the rest of the year its a gimme. You are still overpaying for flowers but will be regardless when you use any of those national flower services.
It might be cheaper to go to a nursery, buy a small plant & see if they can simply wrap the container with the colored foil. Or go to a decent grocery store & buy the three set mix/match flower sets & see if they can stuff them in a vase for you. Either of those costs less but I don't feel its cheap since you at least see that you are buying them something nice. I agree with whoever mentioned up thread that they are suspicious of the national florists since I imagine 9 out of 10 times no one sees what they have sent. An no recipient is going to announce 'thanks for the flowers but boy were they in sorry shape."
I also have no problem sending the flowers without a vase since most everyone has vases lying around & won't take offense to boxed flowers.
Yes, I would definitely call a local florist rather than one of the large national flower delivery websites. Otherwise, pick up a bouquet from the grocery store -- they're as cheap as $5 around here, but you can get a big, really nice bouquet for $15 or $20 -- and throw in a Dollar Tree vase. I don't see how anyone would find it tacky that you're delivering them yourself. Someone who feels that way doesn't deserve to have flowers purchased for them anyway.
For what it's worth, pay attention when you order flowers online to whether the flowers with be DELIVERED or SHIPPED. While receiving flowers is always awesome, having to take them out of the box, cut an inch off the bottom of each flower, trim the leaves from each stem, and arrange them yourself in the vase pretty much completely ruins the experience. And for what you're paying for those flowers, at the very least you should get the benefit of a professionally prepared arrangement. I've told my husband that I'd rather not get flowers than get boxed flowers.
My husband and I live far away from all of our family, so I send flowers often. You will ALWAYS get more value for your money by finding a local florist with good reviews and ordering the flowers directly. They care about their reputation and will make it right if something is wrong. And you still have the ability to call and describe what you're looking for and how much you want to pay. Plus, once you have them on the phone, a little flattery can go a long way..."While I've never used your services before, I asked around at my wife's office and they said that you are the best florist in town. They said that they can always tell when flowers came from your shop because the arrangements are so much more beautiful than from anywhere else. I'm so glad my wife finally gets to be able to brag that she got flowers from your shop." They'll make sure that her arrangement is gorgeous.
Edited to add: If you're ordering flowers for a funeral, always call the funeral home or place of service and find out where the family is getting their flowers done. Then when you order you can ask that your arrangement be complimentary to theirs. You'll often get a bigger arrangement because they've already ordered lots of those flowers and they want all of the family's flowers to stand out from the rest, and yours will contain the preferred flowers of the family.
Yes, I would definitely call a local florist rather than one of the large national flower delivery websites. Otherwise, pick up a bouquet from the grocery store -- they're as cheap as $5 around here, but you can get a big, really nice bouquet for $15 or $20 -- and throw in a Dollar Tree vase. I don't see how anyone would find it tacky that you're delivering them yourself. Someone who feels that way doesn't deserve to have flowers purchased for them anyway.
i agree to this i prefer local florist than the big company that deliver flowers i once ordered for my mom and some parts petals are torn its disappointing, some local shop also do delivery and found their flowers last longer specially if they are grower you can ask for fresh picked flowers
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