Well, in case you missed it, it’s Mother’s Day THIS WEEKEND people! And whilst things are heating up to be another busy year, we are still accepting orders.

Yesterday the Australia Flower Association warned customers to be sure who is supplying their Mother’s Day flowers after the an increase in the amount of complaints stemming from online orders. This is particularly the case where a company is set up to look like a local florist, but it simply an ‘order gatherer’. Whilst some companies are honest and upfront about the structure and purpose of their business, others are using somewhat underhanded tricks and techniques, and increase their marketing reach to ensure they are attracting a large share of the business, without following through on customer orders, and effectively managing customer expectations or resolving complaints. Instead, hidden commissions and fees make it impossible for the executing florists to adequately fulfill the order. In addition to tha,t orders were sent out incorrectly, or not at all, and were reported to be poor value for money.

An order gatherer exclusively has an online presence- there is no bricks and mortar store, although many have been found to be claiming to be based in a particular suburb at a particular address, although no florist exists there at all. This is not a problem that is exclusive to florists, many industries have similar bodies collecting orders in a similar way.

What is the result? Whilst the order gatherer makes a tidy profit from you, an ever increasing percentage of the market is left UNHAPPY, blaming the small business who executes the order, which is often undervalue. In some cases undisclosed commission rates of up to 65%  were inbuilt in the products being ordered. This obviously misleads the consumers who would expect to get the full value from their order.

“The Association is warning consumers prior to Mother’s Day to ensure they can make their flower purchasing decisions from an informed position”, said Mr Holborn, The Flower Association Executive Officer.

So what do you do to avoid getting stung? Order from your local florist. That may sound simple, and if you know the email address, go straight there…. BUT some sneaky businesses also buy domain names close to the name of reputable businesses or using a suburb name + florist to intentionally confuse customers. Walk into the shop and speak to your customer service member.

Our regular customers know that we are a small business. Florist with Flowers is a single site florist providing a fabulous selection of fresh cut flowers, indoor plants and gift ware. You can come in store and select the item you want to send, knowing that it will arrive looking as you had imagined. You can also order online knowing that we will fulfill the order as envisaged. And where you leave us to be creative, you can be assured a high quality product will be produced using premium fresh cut flowers.

Florist with Flowers do also provide assistance with relay services, and we will guide you in how to best get something lovely delivered to your loved one interstate or overseas when we can not fulfill the order ourselves. This includes sticking to simple colour schemes where the florist is free to use what is the season’s best in their location, or by sending one variety of flowers en masse. This takes the risk out of cheap filler flowers being used or unnecessary substitutions, and still makes a statement by ‘wow’-ing the recipient with a full and generous display.

We pride ourselves on offering a variety of products at different price points to suit each and every mum, and budget. Our Mother’s Day menu this year features gift ideas from $45 that can be delivered. We will also have a selection of cash and carry items available in store over the weekend.

Fwf x

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