As a consumer, when you want to order flowers online, it may be difficult to choose which online florist to go to.
If you visit www.productreview.com.au, you will see,
- lots of complaints about online florists
- some very good comments and some very bad comments on the same online florist, it shows the variance of quality of their local florist network. It also demonstrates the management and operation control capability of the online florist.
I will try to explain different types of "Online Florist" below.
1. "Technology" Online Florist
These are the companies who are,
- great on "Web technology" who design attractive Web Sites, with beautiful pictures, to attract customer attention,
- have the web page design to make you think that they are in the same suburb as your recipient,
- spend money on web design to ensure their company is shown on top of the page when "Search" in Google, and
- spend money on advertising.
Some companies will establish more than one Web Site, under different brand names, targeting for different kind of customers. Some companies have many web sites, targeting individual suburbs.
These companies usually say they can deliver flower to all areas, but from their web site, they either has no address or an address remote from City.
After getting your order, they will pass your order to a "Florist Network" company. The "Florist Network" company will then pass the order to the local florist.
These Online florists are remote from the actual production florist and has little control on the flower quality and delivery time. These Online florists' major activities is to manage their Web Sites to attract orders. In short, these are operated by web experts and most likely not florists themselves, have no knowledge of flowers, and could not care less for flowers.
In terms of cost, as an example, when a customer pays $60 for a bunch of flowers,
- $10 will be paid to the "Florist Network",
- $10 will be paid to the local florist's delivery man,
- $8 will be paid to the "technology" Online Florist,
- leaving $32 for the local florist to prepare the actual "Flower".
In other words, you are paying $60 for a flower arrangement with an actual value of $32. That is, about 30% of your spending is going to the middlemen!!!
2. "Bidding" Online Florist
They are similar to the "Technology" Online florist, but instead of selling their order to Florist Network, they will issue emails to list of florists to ask them to "Bid" for the order. I expect they will pass the order to the cheapest bid, hence maximize their profit!!!
These companies appear as normal Online Florist on their Web Site and they don't tell customers how they work.
3. Online Network Florist
They are similar to "technology" Online Florists, but they also manage a florist network of their own. The quality depends on these online florists' management capability and cost management.
Some Online florist will use "home florist" instead of local retail florist to control cost, but a "home florist" may not have the capabilities and resources of a retail florist, hence may not have certain flower types requested by the customer (we have seen complaints from senders that the recipient get flowers different from what they ordered), or the freshness of flower is doubted.
4. Florist Network
The well known Florist networks are also having their online ordering web sites. Famous Florist Network usually have established good control process to control flower quality and delivery of their local florist.
As in the cost example in (1) above, they will absorb the $8 they paid to the Online florist, hence the local florist still only get $32 for the flower value.
5. Local Online florist
These are the local florists who accept orders online. These florists usually limit their delivery areas to within about 15km from their shop. They have the control of the whole Operation process, hence their service is predictable.
In conclusion, if you want to order flower, you should try to find a"Real" Local Online florist located within 15 km from your recipient (don't be cheated by the suburbs name which appears on the web page). In this case, if you order a flower of $60, your recipient will get a flower of value of $50, instead of $32 !!!
N.B.
Regal Flower Shop is a retail florist in Kingsford. We take your order, arrange the flower and deliver it to the recipient. We manage the whole process, the flower quality and customer service, hence ensure your spending is value for money. It means for the same price you pay, your recipient will get bigger and better flowers.
We covers all suburbs within 30km from Sydney city. If your recipients is over 30km from City, we shall pass the order to Petals Network, but we shall increase the flower value by an amount to ensure flower of similar quality is made by the appointed local florist.
