Flower Delivery Company Suggestions

I've used 1-800-FLOWERS with success.
However, I am more likely to go with a local shop in the recipients town.
Look for O. with great reviews online in her zip code.
(ANY reputable florist will replace or refund sub-par delivered product--not just the huge chains. The flowers should last about a week.)

Just google 'florist and name of town'. Local options will pop up. I think national companies like 1-800-flowers calls local florists, so you're paying a middle man.

I send a lot of flowers and here's what I do.....as I never use FTD or on-line services as they take too big of a cut....

Google or mapquest the town of recipient, and search for local florists within the vicinity, less than 2 miles. Call them directly and ask if they are the type of floral shop that you can physically walk into and buy flowers. If they say yes, then you know you have a real, local florist who cares about their business name.

Then I always ask what's fresh and do they have any specials and I give them a budget, plus delivery, be prepared to dictate what you want on the card, and let their floral designers arrange something stunning.

You can peruse pictures for colors and arrangements, flowers versus foliage, etc so you can give them idea of the sort of style you have in mind.

In this case specifically request flowers only, no vase and you should be able to get a lovely bouquet :)

I grew up in a flower shop and I still help out in a friend's shop and do weddings from time to time. So I am both an expert and biased. I will tell you for an absolute fact that Teleflora takes a huge chunk of the money you spend. They not only charge you fees, they charge the florist monthly fees and then take out about 20% of the value of the order on top of that. So you may pay $100, but that includes about $15 in tax and fees, $10 in delivery charge that Teleflora may or may not tell you will be deducted from the total, and $20 for Teleflora. So the florist actually has $55 to work with. If you see a picture online of a $100 arrangement, you are expecting a $100 arrangement, but the florist is only getting paid for a $55 arrangement. Local florists HATE this. Every floral designer (myself included) wants to make beautiful arrangements that make people happy. But if we made a $100 arrangement like the picture shows, we would be out of business in a heartbeat. Like any other perishable product, flower shops work on a tight margin and can't afford to give product away. Each arrangement comes with a "recipe," but that photo online shows every flower perfectly open and the biggest, most perfect version of each flower. Sometimes the recipe is just off as well. Florists do their best to put everything in the recipe in the vase, but it rarely looks like the picture sticking to the recipe and the budget. If you call a shop directly, they are getting more like $80 of that 100, and they are willing to add the flowers that are needed to make it look like the p icture. Or even better, let the designers do what they do best and just give them a general budget and description.

In your shoes, I would call up a local florist and say that you would like a loose wrapped bouquet of sunflowers, daisies, and maybe gerebera daisies and you would like it delivered for a total of, say $50 (with tax and delivery). If they say they can't do it, ask for suggestions. Daisies and sunflowers are not expensive flowers, that should be do-able. Larger cities often have minimum delivery charges of around $50-60, but I seem to remember that Spokane prices are a bit lower so you should be fine.

Proflowers delivers flowers in bunches straight from the grower. You basically get what florists get from the wholesaler. This means you get a great price, but they won't be cleaned, processed (professional florists use several different water treatments to assist in longevity), or arranged. That can be fine. Since they are shipped in the mail instead of designed and delivered, many people have complaints when they arrive either frozen or wilted due to the conditions during delivery. Basically, it's a gamble, but probably the cheapest option.

You will get the nicest product from a local florist, and they will appreciate your business! Plus, you are supporting a local artist who is likely very passionate about their work instead of a nameless corporate call center.

Having sent flowers and received flowers from 1-800 number businesses, I don't recommend them. I've received flowers (from Proflowers) that were pretty much dead. People I've sent flowers to have gotten bouquets much smaller than what I believed they would be getting. Call a floral shop in your mom's community and order from them. You will be much more likely to get what you ordered and much more likely that she will receive a bouquet that is good quality. Plus, you will probably get a smaller delivery cost and you will be supporting what is probably a small business.

L., I had to send flowers for a funeral recently. I went on Google and put florist and the city name/state in the search bar. Then looked at websites checking out what they offered. I did not have good experience with 1800flowers. The flowers were Wilted and vase broken. Plus very expensive. So while mine was probably not the norm it was enough to keep me from doing it again.

I didn't read ahead so I don't know if I am repeating anything.

I have family in the floral industry and I worked with them for several years. We were suppliers to flower shops and the company is still doing very well. I was the NC sales rep. The biggies are FTD and Teleflora.

IF you go through one of your local florists and they call a local florist in the town where you need the flowers delivered, you will incur a wiring fee and delivery fee with your purchase. Those charges alone can sometimes run up to $20 per transaction.

That said, I do send flowers often and I have a certain florist in each town I work with specifically. By using them directly, you can avoid the wiring fees but you still can't avoid the taxes and delivery fees.

Some places have a minimum order for delivery so keep that in mind. I've never spent less than $60 when I want to send something relatively small and this includes the taxes and fees.

Flowers are beautiful and also expensive. You cannot expect to get a quality delivery for cheap. You will get what you pay for unless you end up with a florist that is not ethical and they take good money and send an arrangement that is worth 1/2 the price.

I think you might need to rethink your budget or be ready to add the special fees to your budget as it is.

I have not used the 1800 flowers or Pro flowers. I've heard pros and cons about both. Just remember if you go with someone like this, they are the middleman and you might be able to save money if you work directly with a well known florist in the area.

One thing to do is when someone receives flowers from you and they call to thank you and so on... ask for a picture of what was delivered so you know what you got for the money you spent.

Another option is... the local grocer/Super Target, etc. Do you know someone who can go to your local grocer flower shop and buy flowers for you and deliver them? I buy flowers from my grocers florist that are beautiful and good quality. A very nice assorted bunch of flowers (no vase) runs $20 and up and last over a week. You can also choose per stem as well and each stem runs about $2.00 and up. I've seen stems that were $15 each for something more exotic.

I hope this helps you with some ideas on how to get some flowers to your mom in the most economical way.

Please don't call that 1 800 flowers number. I have received flowers from this kind of delivery service and they die within days or they are on their last legs when I get them. Instead, google her town and flower shops. Pick a LOCAL florist near her and order from them. You can call them on the phone and talk it through.

You and your mom will be a lot happier.

I agree to call a local floral shop in her town, make sure they are a storefront and not just a broker-type service. You want a real business that wants the publicity of their truck in front of your mother's house for others to see. You want your money to go into flowers, not the fees. And do ask what's fresh or on special - I think that's a great idea. Tell them that your mother has a lot of vases already, so you can ask for something different, or ask for a potted plant vs. cut flowers, something that will last. (That's why your mother has all those vases - they're no good after 10 days when the flowers have died. But a living plant will last for years. So that's an option.)

In this age of debit cards and on line purchases, you can use any local merchant. They'll be much more interested in your mother's future business than an 800 number service.

Just Google florists on her city and read some reviews and pick a local florist. You'll get more bang for your buck and wi ll support a small local business. I've done this for a number of cities far away from me and have never been disappointed.

I put up on a group facebook page that I was giving away our trampoline to whomever was first to come and get it. Several days later, I got flowers delivered from the family who said their grandkids were THRILLED and it was so nice of me to give it to them since they were expensive to buy and mine was practically brand new. SO NICE!!!!

All that to say the flowers were from ProFlowers. They were all different colored roses and came in the box delivered by FedEx. They lasted WAY longer than local flowers my husband gets me. Good luck.

I used Proflowers.com for the first time this year to send my mother flowers for her birthday. I sent a bouquet of tulips and they were absolutely gorgeous. They lasted a long time, as well. The flowers come delivered boxed and you can choose whether to include a vase (my mom didn't need any more vases). I found the pricing reasonable for the quality. I'll use them again.

I used Proflowers for the first time last month to send flowers to my mom and she said they were absolutely gorgeous. And had lots of buds so they lasted a long time.

i've always used FTD, simply because i love the hermes logo. i've also tried 1-800-FLOWERS. i've never had the issues others have had, they've delivered on time and the arrangements have been beautiful.
but oooooo, i get so butthurt at all the extra charges. why can't they just be honest about the pricing on the original page instead of shocking you so nastily when you check out?
i'm totally absconding with the lovely Mum4ever's brilliant suggestion in the future!
khairete
S.

I've sent flowers many times and am usually disappointed. Recently, I tried Red Envelope and was very pleased. Not only were the flowers beautiful, the packaging was amazing.

I've used FTD (horrible each time) and 800 flowers once, had to replace them. Proflowers is awesome. If you look online you might find a 15%off coupon. The thing about using a middle man is they guarantee the freshness so if the flowers or so so or dead in a day, then they will replace them.

Hi L.

i've used Teleflora a few times and so far so good....

Also, a number years ago, hubbie sent me flowers thru Kabloom and they were really nice....

good luck