Know Thy Florist

It’s pretty much our biggest commandment in the floral industry.

What it means is: Is your Florist REAL? Or are they just an Order Gatherer?

Let’s face it, Online Shopping is popular for a reason! But that doesn’t mean you can’t still shop local, while online.

Online Order Gatherers are: companies that create a website for the sole purpose of accepting and processing e-commerce orders from unwitting customers who believe them to be local florists.

How Does an Order Gatherer Operate?:

• Create a Business Name that sounds like a legit flower shop
• Invest in slick e-commerce website
• Post pictures of pretty arrangements (many of them computer generated/edited)
• Price at ridiculously LOW prices
• Take order, and then find a florist in your area who also hasn’t figured out how order gatherers operate
• “Sell” the order to said local florist at 20-30% less than the sale amount (ie. what you paid)
  • Usually while bargaining over price with the local florist to get the most flowers out of them at the lowest price so they can keep as much as possible as ‘commission’
• Blame the local florist when it all goes up in flames

End result: TEARS for EVERYONE! Except the Order Gatherer. They’re pretty pleased with themselves.

Sounds harsh, right? It is, though! Why order from someone if you lose every single time. And it’s not just YOU who loses. It’s You, the person your sending to, AND the small, local business who tried to fill the order that loses as well.

When considering buying from an Online Order Gatherer, know:
The prices are meant to be your biggest temptation.
But you get what you pay for. Not what you are promised.

Then how do you AVOID Order Gatherers?
Glad you asked! Things to look for when ordering flowers online:

• Ad Icons: MOST Order Gatherers will pay to be at the top of the search (see below). So always make sure to research those who are paying for ads (they MAY be local, but much of the time, they are not).
  
• Compare your results with official web listings and look for:
  • Location; are they physically located in your area, or the area you are sending to
  • Phone numbers with local area codes
  • Social Media Presence
    • What are they doing in your area
    • Are the posts generic & streamlined, or do they have actual, meaningful content?

Local shops LOVE showing people they are local! Truly! We are just as invested in the community as you are, and we WANT people to know that we care.

Going through a local florist means you can ensure there is an actual person on the other end of your order who cares about it just as much as you do. That florist will also be able to swiftly address any of your concerns, assist you with specific details or flowers, and know exactly what selections are available to you.

For instance, if we receive an online order that we can’t fill 100% as shown, we call you to update you on your order.
THIS WAY, the End Result becomes: SMILES for EVERYONE, PERIOD.
Which is much better, don’t you think?

When supporting your local businesses through their online shops, you can have greater assurance that:

• The person you spoke to will design your flowers
• Should you have any concerns with your flowers, that person will be available to speak to, and most likely remember your order as well
• You are dealing with an actual trained floral designer
• Your designer has a thorough knowledge of flower varieties, characteristics, and availability, able to guide you to the best option to suit your occasion/needs
• your community benefits; local shops consistently give back to their community by being a member of that community, a fellow consumer, as well as donating time, goods, and finances
• money goes back into YOUR local economy
• they are accountable… Cause they walk by you on the street, or run into you at the grocery store, or go to the same gym.

By following these tips, you can get in those PJ’s, pour that glass of wine, and rest easy knowing that you are shopping wisely, supporting local, AND receiving an amazing product.