You want to send flowers to Aunt Sally in Newark or your sister Susan in San Antonio. You decide to look up a local florist there, hoping to get more personal service or even save a few bucks by avoiding the "middleman." Normally, a simple call to directory information or an online search would be all it takes, but in the case of florists, the results could be deceiving.
Many of the online resources are overcrowded with national marketers and wire services rather than the real local florists you're seeking. Some companies have built hundreds or even thousands of web pages referencing various cities across the country just to show up in so-called "local" searches across the country. Others are simply paying to be on top. This makes life difficult, as it is very hard to tell the difference between a genuine family flower shop and a national fictitious "florist" with local phone numbers which are actually forwarded out of state.
While these deceptive phone listings have officially been banned in many states as intentionally misleading, the laws are all too often not enforced. As a result, fictitious florist phone listings have become commonplace, especially with the growth of online yellow pages. Flowers With Gifted Elegance of Randolph, NJ and All American Flowers of Mount Laurel, NJ are two of several telemarketing companies employing this tactic to make money while providing a disservice to unsuspecting consumers. By purchasing local phone listings under many different names, they hope to lead customers into using their services.
The strategy first surfaced in the mid-nineties. States such as Virginia and Delaware recognized the threat and took action. Other states have followed, but the practice continues today relatively unhindered. Companies in New Jersey, Wisconsin, and the state of Washington purchase phone numbers all over the country, and place those numbers in local white and yellow pages. The listings usually have the name 'Flowers Of (Town or City)' or 'Flowers in (Town/City)', with a local area code and phone number but either no address or a bogus address. Consumer groups agree it's misleading at best and usually a ploy to con people into ordering. In the end, customers may face unnecessary extra charges, poor quality, or both. Here's how it works and what you can do to avoid it.
<b>The Phone Listing Scam</b>
Take a quick trip over to whitepages.com. Do a search for business type "florist springfield," and don't even both entering any city or state. You'll see that about five of the first listings are for "Florist in Springfield" or "Florist of Springfield" in Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Missouri. They all display local phone numbers, but none of them list an address, a common indication of a deceptive listing. To find out more, we called each of the numbers. Four were answered by a recording referring to "Our Flowers with Gifted Elegance." The fifth was answered by a similar operation which refused to provide a physical address and claimed it didn't allow 'walk-in' customers. In short, all five were bogus. The problem isn't limited to Springfield. One florist we interviewed knew of at least seventeen misleading florist listings in its local yellow pages.
According to customers, the real disservice isn't the false listing; it's the poor service. These companies often charge between $8.99 and $14.99 for taking each order and redirecting it to a real local florist. The service fee is on top of the flowers and local delivery, or worse yet is deducted from them without the customer's knowledge. The Better Business Bureau report on Flowers with Gifted Elegance, at bbb.org, notes an unsatisfactory record due to unanswered complaints. A search at RipOffReport.com reveals the number of complaints, including reports by people who's flowers were never delivered.
<b>Avoid Being a Victim</b>
There may be no easy way to recover from being a victim of this kind of advertising deception, but avoiding it is fairly easy.
- Trust your hometown florist. Most are seasoned professionals who can deliver your gift almost anywhere, know the better flower shops in other areas, stand behind their service, and guarantee your satisfaction. In the unlikely event any problem does arise, you'll be glad you're working with a reputable local business that wants your continued patronage.
- If you shop online, choose a nationwide florist that proudly displays a toll-free phone number, contact address, customer satisfaction policy, and industry credentials. Check for a secure order form with "https" in the address, and consider placing your first order by phone to ensure customer service people are easy to reach.
- Get advice from friends, neighbors, or business associates. They're often the best source for choosing the right florist.
- If you do search for local florists online or in phone books, be sure to avoid those with generic names that include the town or that can't give you the address and directions to their local store.
The vast majority of florists are hard-working, family-owned businesses dedicated to serving you. So, you can send flowers with confidence when you turn to the local florists you know and nationwide florists you trust. Most can deliver your bouquet around the corner or across the country, within 24 hours or less. No wonder, flower delivery is still one of the most reliable and popular ways to show you care. Still, like any industry, the flower business has its share of 'bad apples.' So, think twice before you play Russian Roulette with the phone book. Count on your local hometown florist and the established nationwide florists online.
Courtesy of <a href="http://www.flowers-delivery-florists.com/">Flowers Delivery Florists</a>, an online guide for fresh flowers, florists online, and floral information resources.
Permission is granted to republish this article in its entirety on the Internet, as long as the link and credit above are included.
Tampilkan postingan dengan label flowers. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label flowers. Tampilkan semua postingan
Senin, 22 Maret 2010
Senin, 08 Maret 2010
Discount Roses by Next Day Air
<b>Sending Roses and Saving Money with Overnight Flowers Shippers</b>
<p>
Sending beautiful roses at a significant discount is easier than ever, thanks to a variety of direct-ship flowers sources on the Internet. These innovative flower companies import the best rose varieties and colors fresh from growers around the world. Then, they deliver them by overnight air direct to your special someone. The result is often fresher, longer lasting flowers, all at substantial savings. While overnight flowers arrive unarranged and don't offer the finished touch of a local florist delivery, they're fast becoming an extremely popular and reliable alternative for budget-conscious flower-lovers. We set out to test three of the better sources for flowers by overnight air, placing orders for one dozen red roses at hallmark.com, flowers-delivery-florists.com, and proflowers.com. All three orders arrived as promised on the morning of the appropriate day. All three were well packaged with quality roses that opened nicely and lasted the better part of the week. Which one was the best? You decide. Here is what we found.
<b>Hallmark</b>
When the Hallmark flowers arrived some people thought they looked a little unimpressive due to a dark color and tight buds. They hadn't opened much yet, but when they did two days later they had a pretty shape. The heads were firm, indicating healthy blooms and good hydration, and they lasted all week. Including a vase and shipping, our purchase came to $60.94. The vase was metal and didn't appeal to everyone in our office but served surprisingly well for displaying the roses. The bouquet included a couple of sprigs of Babies' Breath that didn't add much. The purchase also credited us with 500 Gold Crown points that we'll probably never use. Ordering was easy with a choice of available gift cards displayed online. The flowers arrived with a packet of flower food, and the whole box was decked out in an eye-catching purple color scheme. On the whole, this was a great product, even if it did come at a premium price.
Total Cost: $60.94 Delivered
Summary: The highest price, a stylish vase, the most attractive packaging, and roses that arrived a bit tight but lasted all week.
<b>Flowers Delivery Florists</b>
The roses from flowers-delivery-florists.com were quickly hailed as the office favorite due to their vibrant red color and large blossoms. At only $40.90 total, they were also the best bargain of the bunch. The stems were thick and sturdy, indicating healthy, well-developed flowers. After a few days the roses were still going strong, although one bloom may have been damaged in shipping as it was beginning to drop petals. Cliché Babies' Breath was not included. Instead, there was some tasteful foliage to complement the flowers. While basic, the free glass vase made displaying the flowers quick and convenient. The packaging was nice, and the roses were the only ones to come with cold packs to help preserve them during shipping. This bouquet was an eye-catcher for five to six days. So, at 30% less than the first order, it was definitely our pick for the best overall value.
Total Cost: $40.90 Delivered
Summary: The lowest price, best blossom size, and most impressive flowers upon arrival, still lasting most of the week.
<b>Proflowers</b>
The roses from Proflowers arrived before noon, which made us glad we didn't spend the extra money for "guaranteed morning delivery." The flowers themselves were pretty, with ample fluffy white Babies' Breath included. The price was reasonable at $44.97 delivered, but the roses arrived without any container, which made us wish we had spent the extra $9.99 for a vase. The flower heads seemed a little soft. After two days they looked fine, but by the end of the week they were in the poorest condition. Ordering was easy, although we didn't like the fact that our total purchase amount was not clearly displayed until the end of the process. The light green packaging was compelling, and flower food was included. On the whole, the Proflowers roses were definitely good quality but just not quite as nice as the other two.
Total Cost: $44.97 Delivered (vase not included)
Summary: A quality product at a reasonable price that was very satisfactory but not the most economical or long lasting.
<b>Conclusion</b>
While our test is just a one-time sampling, it dramatizes how easy and inexpensive it is to send a message of love, congratulations, or thanks with roses. All three sources performed exceedingly well, delivering superior flowers on time and without a hitch. The stems had to be cut and dropped in water, but that was relatively easy, and all the bouquets were beautiful for at least five days. Hallmark's flowers were particularly long lasting, as they arrived with tighter buds, but <a href="http://www.flowers-delivery-florists.com">Flowers Delivery Florists</a> was our favorite due to its strikingly vibrant flowers and particularly low price. All three online services offer a wide selection of bouquets, vases, and delivery options. So, check them out. Regardless of which you choose, you're sure to find the perfect gift for someone you love.
<i>This article was written by John E. Williams, a writer and flowers lover in Chicago, Illinois and may be republished in its entirety on the Internet as long as this credit and the link above are included.
</i>
<p>
Sending beautiful roses at a significant discount is easier than ever, thanks to a variety of direct-ship flowers sources on the Internet. These innovative flower companies import the best rose varieties and colors fresh from growers around the world. Then, they deliver them by overnight air direct to your special someone. The result is often fresher, longer lasting flowers, all at substantial savings. While overnight flowers arrive unarranged and don't offer the finished touch of a local florist delivery, they're fast becoming an extremely popular and reliable alternative for budget-conscious flower-lovers. We set out to test three of the better sources for flowers by overnight air, placing orders for one dozen red roses at hallmark.com, flowers-delivery-florists.com, and proflowers.com. All three orders arrived as promised on the morning of the appropriate day. All three were well packaged with quality roses that opened nicely and lasted the better part of the week. Which one was the best? You decide. Here is what we found.
<b>Hallmark</b>
When the Hallmark flowers arrived some people thought they looked a little unimpressive due to a dark color and tight buds. They hadn't opened much yet, but when they did two days later they had a pretty shape. The heads were firm, indicating healthy blooms and good hydration, and they lasted all week. Including a vase and shipping, our purchase came to $60.94. The vase was metal and didn't appeal to everyone in our office but served surprisingly well for displaying the roses. The bouquet included a couple of sprigs of Babies' Breath that didn't add much. The purchase also credited us with 500 Gold Crown points that we'll probably never use. Ordering was easy with a choice of available gift cards displayed online. The flowers arrived with a packet of flower food, and the whole box was decked out in an eye-catching purple color scheme. On the whole, this was a great product, even if it did come at a premium price.
Total Cost: $60.94 Delivered
Summary: The highest price, a stylish vase, the most attractive packaging, and roses that arrived a bit tight but lasted all week.
<b>Flowers Delivery Florists</b>
The roses from flowers-delivery-florists.com were quickly hailed as the office favorite due to their vibrant red color and large blossoms. At only $40.90 total, they were also the best bargain of the bunch. The stems were thick and sturdy, indicating healthy, well-developed flowers. After a few days the roses were still going strong, although one bloom may have been damaged in shipping as it was beginning to drop petals. Cliché Babies' Breath was not included. Instead, there was some tasteful foliage to complement the flowers. While basic, the free glass vase made displaying the flowers quick and convenient. The packaging was nice, and the roses were the only ones to come with cold packs to help preserve them during shipping. This bouquet was an eye-catcher for five to six days. So, at 30% less than the first order, it was definitely our pick for the best overall value.
Total Cost: $40.90 Delivered
Summary: The lowest price, best blossom size, and most impressive flowers upon arrival, still lasting most of the week.
<b>Proflowers</b>
The roses from Proflowers arrived before noon, which made us glad we didn't spend the extra money for "guaranteed morning delivery." The flowers themselves were pretty, with ample fluffy white Babies' Breath included. The price was reasonable at $44.97 delivered, but the roses arrived without any container, which made us wish we had spent the extra $9.99 for a vase. The flower heads seemed a little soft. After two days they looked fine, but by the end of the week they were in the poorest condition. Ordering was easy, although we didn't like the fact that our total purchase amount was not clearly displayed until the end of the process. The light green packaging was compelling, and flower food was included. On the whole, the Proflowers roses were definitely good quality but just not quite as nice as the other two.
Total Cost: $44.97 Delivered (vase not included)
Summary: A quality product at a reasonable price that was very satisfactory but not the most economical or long lasting.
<b>Conclusion</b>
While our test is just a one-time sampling, it dramatizes how easy and inexpensive it is to send a message of love, congratulations, or thanks with roses. All three sources performed exceedingly well, delivering superior flowers on time and without a hitch. The stems had to be cut and dropped in water, but that was relatively easy, and all the bouquets were beautiful for at least five days. Hallmark's flowers were particularly long lasting, as they arrived with tighter buds, but <a href="http://www.flowers-delivery-florists.com">Flowers Delivery Florists</a> was our favorite due to its strikingly vibrant flowers and particularly low price. All three online services offer a wide selection of bouquets, vases, and delivery options. So, check them out. Regardless of which you choose, you're sure to find the perfect gift for someone you love.
<i>This article was written by John E. Williams, a writer and flowers lover in Chicago, Illinois and may be republished in its entirety on the Internet as long as this credit and the link above are included.
</i>
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