Having flowers around your home is a great way to improve the look of any space and add a subtle and pleasant scent, too. There are also health benefits of flowers in the house that make them a worthwhile addition.
While heading down to the local florist or grocery store is how some people do it, it is becoming more and more popular to order flowers from an online florist. Many have fresh flowers for sale and can get your flowers delivered very quickly.
But before you head online to buy some flowers, there are a few things you should know and keep in mind, and this article is going to take a closer look at them.
Ensure the Store is Reputable
The first tip to keep in mind is to make sure the store is reputable. There are plenty of low-quality options out there that disguise themselves as reputable and leave most of their customers unhappy.
It can be hard to judge a site based on things like their claims or web design alone, so find an online florist with experience. They should have been in operation for a while and have a good track record of delivering high-quality flowers. If they have a ton of happy customers, that should give you a little bit of confidence.
Be sure to look at their reviews, and perform a little research to learn all you can know about them. Going on their site is great, but also consider third-party resources to get the true picture of the quality of their flowers and how they operate.
Know the Shipping/Delivery Times
Next, you need to ensure you are aware of the shipping and/or delivery times. When you buy flowers in person, you get them instantly. But when you buy online, it often takes a couple of days (though same-day shipping may be available in some cases). Be sure to order the flowers in advance enough, so they arrive by the time you want to deliver them to the gift recipient or show them off in your home.
The last thing you want is for them to arrive late. Do your best to learn about the average shipping times, but always err on the side of caution, as many of these times may only be estimates. Also, it is important to know that them being busier might lead to potential delays. So if you are buying flowers around Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, it’s a good idea to be early instead of late.
Beware of Extra Fees and Costs
While many reputable online florists will be completely open about their costs and pricing, some will try to hide them or tack on extra fees for different things. This could be a hiked-up shipping cost, a service fee, flower preparation fees, or other extras.
Always read the fine print and know exactly what you are responsible for paying and how much you will be charged in full for the flowers. Most will have their policies and fees fully listed on the site, but don’t hesitate to reach out to the company directly to ensure their costs and what they charge you for.
Make Sure the Online Florist Offers Great Customer Service
You also want to make sure that the customer service is strong within the company too. If you reach out, you should receive a quick response, and they should always be happy to help. Good customer service ensures you can always keep tabs on your order, be able to ask questions and receive helpful answers and report problems without having to play email or telephone tag.
Also, a 24-hour customer service team or at least one that answers you back outside of business hours is a good idea. You never know when you may need assistance, a problem dealt with or a question answered, so always keep this in mind. Bad customer service is often the sign of a subpar company, so watch out for that.
A good way to learn about a company’s customer service is to reach out before you become a customer or read what previous customers have had to say.
Not Every Site is Priced the Same
If you simply visit a single online florist, don’t automatically assume that every other option will have the same flowers and share a similar price. Each option could be completely different from the next, and you never want to leave a better deal on the table somewhere else, so do your homework.
Also, the quality of the flowers may differ greatly, so check out customer reviews and see how happy people have been with flowers from various sources. Some cheaper flowers may have enticing prices, but if they are low-quality and hardly last a day, they may not be worth it.
As a result, don’t simply go for the cheapest option all the time. You need to find the best value, a company that provides high-quality and fresh flowers, without a hugely inflated cost or extra fees.
Make Sure You Know How to Care for the Flowers
Of course, you also need to be sure you know how to keep the flowers you get delivered alive. The online florist can do everything in their power to ship you the freshest and best flowers, but it is ultimately up to you to care for them. The florist can only do so much to keep your flowers healthy.
Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to keep flowers alive longer and ensure they look great. This includes using cold water, trimming them before putting them in water, adding flower food, and even choosing the right vase. Also, if you buy flowers and want to use them to create your own centerpiece of arrangement, make sure that you know how to arrange flowers in a way that looks great.
If you keep these tips in mind, you can be sure that any flowers you order online look great and are high-quality.
