Nothing says ‘Happy Birthday’ or ‘I love you’ like a bunch of beautiful flowers.
Regardless of the occasion, freshly cut flowers are always a hit.
However, not all of us have the time or inclination to visit our local florist and order a bouquet, which is when online flower delivery services come into play.
The best flower delivery services
Whether you’re sending a bouquet of bold blooms to the main lady in your life on Mother’s Day, flowers to your girlfriend on Valentine’s Day or ‘get well soon’ flowers to those feeling a little under the weather, choosing the best flower delivery service is a must – especially if you want your floral creation to reach the recipient on time!
How to choose the best flower delivery service
To ensure you choose the best flower delivery service, it’s important to take a few pointers into consideration.
These include opting for a reliable and reputable company.
In addition to this, you should choose a florist and delivery service that is local to the recipient – especially if they live overseas.
You may also wish to choose a provider that is able to offer a fast track delivery option, depending on when you wish for the blooms to arrive.
Similarly, if you need to stick to a budget, opt for a company that doesn’t add additional charges at check out.
What to look out for
To make sure you pick a good flower delivery service, it’s important to choose a company that has good reviews, offers a variety of delivery options, as well as a number of flower origins.
You may also want to choose a flower delivery service that is flexible about cancellations, doesn’t feature high delivery costs, and which has a next day delivery option.
Furthermore, you may want to opt for one with insurance – just in case the blooms become damaged in transit.
Reviews
Don’t settle for the first delivery service you find!
To ensure you choose the best flower delivery service, it’s important to shop around.
A handy tip involves reading reviews.
To search for reviews, simply type in the name of the delivery service you intend to use into your search engine.
Your search results will likely present you with an array of reviews written first-hand.
You will also see a star rating, which will help you to choose a service that best suits your needs.
Speak to an adviser
If you’re unsure of how long a particular service takes or whether they deliver to a certain location, it’s always best to speak to an adviser.
You can do this via email, through online chat or by picking up the phone.
It’s a good idea to do this in advance, as this will ensure you (and those receiving the flowers) avoid disappointment.
Order in plenty of time
To guarantee the best flower delivery service, order in plenty of time, taking note of bank holidays and cut off times.
When a site says ‘next day delivery’ this usually means you have to place your order before a certain time.
If this is not stipulated on the website, it’s best to check prior to ordering so as to ensure that your blooms arrive on time.
Be aware of hidden fees
If you wish to fast track your order, you may be required to pay for special delivery or next day delivery.
This can often cost a fair bit more than standard delivery, although it does guarantee that your blooms will arrive on time.
If you’re on a budget, check the delivery prices before placing an order!
Check delivery locations
If you’re gifting a loved one who lives further afield, be sure to check the delivery company deliver to your chosen location.
Do this before placing the order to save both time and hassle.
For speed, you may wish to choose a company that is local to the address of the recipient.
International flower delivery
When sending flowers internationally, it’s important to take note of the delivery options available to different countries.
For example, sending flowers to the USA and Canada often qualify for next day flower delivery, while blooms sent to the likes of Asia will likely take longer due to the vast time zone differences.
Check the season
If you’re intent on choosing a particular type of flower, it’s wise to check they’re in season first.
This will save on cost and time, as it means the florist won’t be outsourcing the blooms in question.
Flowers also tend to be more expensive if you’re ordering out of season as they are trickier to source.
Delivery details
The best flower delivery services will allow you to add a note to your delivery order.
This is always a good idea, especially if you prefer to opt for a particular time or live at an address that is tricky to find.
This can be a simple note to explain how to get to the destination, who to leave the delivery with if the recipient isn’t there when the order arrives, or a code for a building or an office address.
Confirmation and tracking
If you wish to track your order, you can do this via the delivery company’s online tracking system or through the mail service they use.
The best flower delivery services will also send several confirmation emails to indicate your order’s journey, including an order confirmation email, an email to indicate that the order has been despatched, and one to show that your order has arrived.
Payment methods
Most sites, and especially the best flower delivery services, will accept all major credit cards, including other payment methods, such as PayPal.
Before placing your order, it’s a good idea to check what is accepted.
For example, it you need to pay by PayPal or using a particular type of credit card, check this method is accepted beforehand, rather than waiting until the final stages of check out when you’ve taken the time to enter all of your details.