Online flower delivery
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Online flower delivery services are websites that allow consumers to order flowers and related items by browsing an online catalogue. They are often delivered to a third party, the recipient of the gift.
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[edit] Types of service
Services are broadly divided into three categories: Local Florist, Order Broker and Courier.
[edit] Local florist
Local florist websites offer arrangements and bouquets for direct delivery in the geographic area physically serviced by their companies' own vans and personnel. This service is also known as 'hand delivered' and has the advantage of presenting shoppers with the precise items available for delivery on a same-day basis. Local delivery charges are generally displayed as separate fee from the price of each product.
This usually saves money and is fresher because the local florist knows what is available seasonally in their area and will not charge a wire fee. Local florists can be found using search engines like yahoo local or google and typing in the towns name for delivery. You can order online but you can also pick something out and talk to the actual florist on the phone about it. Additionally, if you have more questions or changes to make to your order you will not be going through a third party and will be able to call the local florist directly.
[edit] Order broker
Order brokers are third-party agents that display arrangement and bouquet product images and then transfer orders to affiliated local florists for fulfillment and hand delivery. Order broker customers pay additional service fees as well as local delivery charges, which are generally included in the price displayed with each product. The advantage of this service is the consolidation of purchases for delivery to multiple locations through a single website.
Most local florists also offer order brokering services for national and international delivery
These companies main concern is making money and their employees do not know much about flowers but are merely telemarketers. This ends us costing the consumer more money than if they had ordered locally. This is because they offer products that might not be available in the local area or are more expensive and charge a fee on top of that.
[edit] Courier delivery
Courier delivered flowers (also sometimes called Grower Direct or Flowers By Post) are assembled into bunches at the farm or in the warehouse of an importer or distributor; they are then placed in cardboard boxes and shipped direct to the recipient via overnight couriers. The advantage of such a service is that because the flowers are shipped from the farm/importer they can be fresher although temperature fluctuations en-route and shipping conditions may negate the benefit. Recipients are responsible to unpack, clean, condition and arrange courier delivered flowers. Flowers need to be conditioned after the shipping process and if the recipient does not know how to do this they will die. Florists condition flowers before delivering them and have quality control checks that warehouse workers do not.
[edit] Peak periods
Christmas, 25th Dec; Valentines Day, 14th Feb; and Mother's Day, 2nd Sunday of May are when demand of services is the highest. Ordering from a local florist directly and if possible early will ensure delivery at these times. Online services often deliver by mail rather than hand and cannot promise delivery dates.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- Staby, George and Reid, Michael. "Improving the Cold Chain for Cut Flowers and Potted Plants" California Cut Flower Commission, December 2005.
- Westbrook, Mary. "Up The Supply Chain" Floral Management - Society of American Florists, September 2005, p 18.
