Sending Flowers

Why send flowers?

Sending flowers is guaranteed to put a smile on any recipient's face (men included, so the research says!). Flowers are the perfect gift to wreck a bad day, celebrate achievements, send good wishes & show empathy for a situation. Flowers do the talking when words are not enough. There is almost no occasion when sending flowers is inappropriate and sometimes can produce the most impact, when there isn't one.

Buying flowers online

The frequency with which people buy flowers varies enormously, and for most, they will order from a local florist with whom they are familiar, or one that is recommended. There are times though, when the recipient is in another town, state or overseas. The sender has a lot more choice these days, as your keyboard now provides you with an endless variety of florists and flower relay companies, 24/7. Anyone can own a florist in Australia and many other places in the world, as the industry is largely unregulated. So the biggest problem is picking a florist who you can trust to send flowers - on the right day, per your request and to the standard that has been promised.

Choosing an online florist

Make sure there are contact details available on the site - no telephone numbers, contact names or evidence of a physical address / location are a cause for worry.
Ensure the site is secure. A small yellow padlock should appear in the bottom right hand corner or to the right of the URL once credit card information is requested.
Check whether delivery and handling is included so there are no surprises. Free delivery is very rarely that - the cost is almost always absorbed into the flower price.
Check whether prices shown include any other additional taxes, and whether there is a credit card charge.
Read the fine print to ensure the flowers you have selected can indeed be delivered to that town and / or country.

Ordering flowers online

Order flowers that are appropriate for the occasion and practical. A flower arrangement is better for hospital delivery than a bouquet which requires a receptacle of some kind, which may not be available. Or sending a very large arrangement to someone in a nursing home where space is very limited - big is not always better.
Think about what the recipient would like rather than what you prefer yourself.
Send flower types that are appropriate if applicable - like low-allergy flowers it the person suffers from hay fever; or perhaps fragrant flowers for someone who's sight is impaired.
Give more detail rather than too little. The recipients phone numbers are especially important. They many never be used, but very necessary if their is a query or problem.
Orders for time specific events such as funerals, should be placed well ahead of time, to ensure they arrive on the due time and date.
If you pick a budget bouquet or arrangement, refrain from asking for expensive flowers to be included. The florist will make it up to value with requested flowers if she / he can, but may be much smaller in size due to the higher stem value of the flowers.
Retain a record of your order or receipt number when using an automated ordering system, to facilitate any subsequent enquiry or amendment you may have.
Keep in mind the different time zones for different countries, so there is adequate time for your order to be processed and delivered.
Check the availability of the flowers ordered and delivery zones if applicable.
For overseas orders, check which currency is being used. Currency converters are usually available on reputable sites. The final amount that appears on your credit card statement may not be exactly the same due to currency fluctuations and international transaction fees.
Give extra information or basic preferences if you can. It helps the florist create your floral gift if you state a particular colour is preferred, or that it is for a younger / older person, man / teenager or for sympathy. Florists are very creative people and they do their best to keep the customer happy, if at all possible. A happy customer comes back for more flowers!

Choosing which flowers to send

For a lady:
Very few women hate flowers, and despite some protests, will be most appreciative of receiving them, especially when sent 'out of the blue'. Match flowers to their personality or preferences, if you know what they are. Flowers are a wonderful gift for the 'hard-to-buy' for woman too. Very often, the thought behind sending them has more value than the cost.

For a man:
A fair number of men like receiving flowers. Some are more passionate about it than others, but even a single rose can evoke quite a reaction. Roses are quite commonly sent to men on Valentine's day and anniversaries. Masculine flowers tend to be arranged in a structural way, in primary colours rather than pastel, and quite often using chunky flowers like Australian natives and tropical blooms.

For the office:
Plants as well as arrangements make good corporate gifts that can be shared by all in the office environment. They add a personal touch in what can be a staid, sterile zone.

For teenagers/children:
A bright arrangement of gerberas would be great for a young female teenager, but boys would definitely prefer the idea of a chocolate bouquet. These are good for younger kids too, and other options for them (and big kids) are cookie bouquets and balloon flowers in topiary form.

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FLOWER CRAFTS