Buying flowers, traditionally an in-person pursuit, is yet another thing you can do online now. While many people still find boundless joy in the simple activity of going to a florist or a fresh flowers market and browsing through the available options before making a selection, one cannot deny the convenience of being able to shop for flowers online. This comes in handy especially when you want to send a gift to someone who lives far away or you want to have flowers delivered in time for an occasion but can’t make it there yourself.
When you’re shopping for flowers online, there is a bit of guesswork involved. Sure, we all know what most flowers look like, and you will have a fairly good idea of what you decide to buy on the basis of photographs, but there is a sense of deep satisfaction that comes with being able to directly look at and touch the blooms you’re buying. Since you cannot do that online, here are some tips for buying flowers online. These will make sure you’re happy with the purchase, as is the person you’re sending them to.
Start by browsing the different vendors. You’ll probably want to pick one that is closest to your destination address. This will help in getting the flowers delivered on time, and will also make sure that they’re as fresh as they can possibly be. Search on the Internet on the basis of the destination area code.
When you’re purchasing something online, it’s essential you do a thorough evaluation of the costs involved. Needless to say, buying flowers online and having them delivered is going to cost more than purchasing them in person and taking them along yourself. If you’re given a specific quote, check whether it includes the services charges, the delivery charges and if there are any additional charges for the packaging or container. Since you will be paying via a debit/ credit card, it is essential to know exactly how much you’re spending before you authorize the transaction.
Choose to have in-season flowers delivered. The flowers need to be locally grown and in-season with respect to the destination, and not your location (important if you’re ordering for an overseas or other long-distance delivery). Importing and then delivering out-of-season blooms will add a whopping surcharge to your overall bill.
Before you confirm an order, check with the team as to how the flowers will be delivered. For most local deliveries, florists usually send the flowers either placed in a vase or as an arranged bouquet so that they can easily be rearranged into a water-filled container or can be displayed without any fuss. For long-distance deliveries, and if you’re ordering directly from someone who grows and sells them, you’ll probably have to choose to have them delivered in a box. Check the options available and the costs associated with each before you make the payment.
Don’t order at the last minute. There is a lot to be taken into consideration such as how long it will take for the order to be shipped, how many days from the date of shipping it will take to be delivered, whether there are any holidays in the time you want your order to be delivered and more. Also, most people forget to calculate the number of days it takes for an order to be processed and the payment to be verified. You need to give the flower company enough time to get everything ready for the delivery. Specify the day you need the delivery made, so that even if you place the order well in advance, the company delivers only when you want it to. You can always call them a few days before the intended date to reconfirm.
