Since the advent of the popularity of the Internet, online flower delivery businesses have benefited like no other, with some of them even branching into the multi million-dollar benchmark. But do we really know all there’s to know about the Internet flower delivery business? Lets take a look; we know that they allow you to place orders online after browsing through and making your selection in an online catalogue. We make our selections and are told that the order will be delivered within a stipulated time period. What then?? How do these flowers get to our homes?? The services are basically divided into three categories, local florists, Brokers and courier.
Local Florist
Local florists offer services through their websites in the geographical areas where their company is physically located or functions out of. These flowers are generally ‘hand delivered’ by the company personnel. This method is rather advantageous because it gives the consumer the benefit of knowing which flowers are available for a same day delivery. They generally charge a delivery fee other than the cost of the flowers.
Order Broker
These are third party agents who display arrangements on their websites and then transfer the order to affiliated local florists for hand delivery. You are required to pay an additional service fee as well as the local delivery charges, which are included in the price tag next to the image you see. The problem with these Order Brokers is that the buyer can end up disappointed many a times because what he has received is distinctly different from what he saw online, as each florist has a different style of arranging the same flowers.
Courier
Courier delivered flowers, also known as ‘Growers Direct’ or ‘Flowers by post’, are assembled in bunches at the farm or the warehouse of the importer, packed into cardboard boxes and then shipped directly to the recipient via overnight delivery methods such as Fed-ex etc. The benefit of this system is that the flowers tend to be fresher as they are shipped directly from the farm. Buyers are responsible for unpacking, cleaning and arranging the flowers as they see fit.
The peak period for online flower delivery are Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Mother’s day. Flowers tend to be more expensive on these days and also when they fall short on stocks. Most of these websites accept payment via Visa, Mastercard and Amex. Some local florists also accept cash on delivery.
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