Where Can I Buy Flowers On The World Wide Web?
Flowers top the list of the “most popular product purchased online.” Even though electronics, books, toys and wines are also purchased via the internet, it seems that reliable flower delivery has spread like wildfire. The Society of American Florists reports that the industry made roughly $20.1 billion last year and that there are about 22,751 local shops operating in the US. Even though online sellers have flourished, many of these local shops continue to do well because they pair up with the national giants to service their local markets.
There are numerous occasions to buy flowers, the most obvious being Valentine’s Day and Birthdays. However, never underestimate the power of an unexpected delivery! To really impress someone, send an arrangement to acknowledge a job promotion or to express sympathy during a difficult time. For family members, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving and Easter are popular times too. It’s customary to send flowers gifts of to newlyweds to wish them well. Of course, there are also flower faux pas to be aware of.
For instance, it’s not customary to send flowers to Muslims following a family member’s death. In Asian culture, white blooms are given only during mournful and unhappy occasions. In the US, it’s customary to send the flowers in arrangements of one dozen, but in some European countries an even number is considered inappropriate. Also, Asians have superstitions about receiving four blooms (which signifies “death”) and many countries are superstitious about the number thirteen.
Did you know there are secret meanings associated with flowers? To make a thoughtful arrangement, you can have one created to make your thoughtfulness clear by writing a message defining each meaning. The most commonly known meanings are in the different color roses. For instance, red roses mean “love, respect and courage,” white roses mean “reverence, purity, innocence, secrecy,” yellow roses mean “joy, gladness, freedom and friendship,” red and white roses are equated with “unity,” while pink and orange roses mean “gratitude, appreciation, admiration and sympathy.” For a romantic bouquet, try adding blue Irises and red Tulips, which symbolize “a lover’s embrace.” A Daisy stands for “loyalty in love” and similarly, a white Carnation also means “faithfulness.”
Web Mystery Shoppers International Inc. recently ran a study rating online flower sellers like Proflowers, FTD, 1st In Flowers and Urban Florist. Seventy-three percent of the mystery shoppers said the shipping costs were “hidden” and once discovered, they found that 30% of the retailers had such high shipping prices that they wouldn’t even consider purchasing. Often prices are not in fact higher online, but consumers are left feeling dissatisfied when they have to enter their personal credit card information before receiving the total cost including shipping. Additionally, error rates ranged from 20-34% while trying to book a delivery, so web responsiveness is another area where the top online flower shops need to improve. Despite all this, fresh blooms are one of the top online sales, yet for some people, the occasion is worth the trip to the local flower shop.
