Channel 3's Barbara Gauthier
recently tested four online flower services.
She ordered four Valentine-themed bouquets online and sent
them to four television stations in Greensboro, Grand Rapids,
Washington D.C. and Knoxville.
Her budget was approximately $50 each.
First up, a "Valentine Magic" bouquet from 1-800
Flowers. It looked pretty online.
The cost was $59.99, slightly higher than our budget, but
okay.
But what we didn't anticipate was the shipping costs, which
brought the total to a whopping $73.98.
The bouquet was pretty, but not worth $73.98, according
to Greensboro florist, Tammy Yow who said, "You have
about $30 worth of flowers. There were little things that
could have been done to make it a little more valuable as
far as flowers."
Next up, FTD and their "Lasting Romance" bouquet.
It lists for $49.99 but with service charges came to $63.98.
We sent it to a station in Grand Rapids. The bouquet was
pretty and the flowers fresh, but on the small size.
"It's a little smaller kind of an arrangement. It looks
like we got a bunch of roses, carnations and mixed greens,"
said WZZM consumer reporter Lambrini Lukidis.
From Teleflora, we ordered the "Pink Blush" bouquet.
The online description listed all pink flowers including
roses, carnations, alstroemeria and a pink vase. With shipping
and tax, it came to $62.94.
The arrangement, which we sent to WUSA-TV in Washington,
DC was beautiful, but looked nothing like what we ordered
online. No pink vase and mainly white flowers with pink
accents.
Finally, from Proflowers, we ordered 2 dozen assorted roses
for $39.97. With add-ons including vase, fuel charge, a
Monday delivery charge, service fee and tax, that brought
the price all the way up to a staggering $75.24.
We sent our bank-breaking bouquet to Knoxville where a local
florist gave it a good assessment, "I think for 2 dozen
roses $75 is a fair price. I just think they could look
better overall than they look. But the price is okay for
that amount of roses."
So how can you get your money's worth when sending flowers
long distance?
First, try your local florist first. Often times they have
a network of trusted florists in other cities. Those referrals
are important to florists, so they aim to please. Plus your
florist knows what you like. And sometimes, you can avoid
those pricey service charges.
If you do go with a service, ask for specifics. What flowers
will they use? Will they substitute for availability? What
are their charges?
Be clear on what the flowers will be used for. Is it for
a centerpiece on a table? This will affect how your arrangement
is put together.
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