Christmas Flowers Shopping Tips

If you're looking to send a beautiful holiday bouquet, arrangement, centerpiece or plant this Christmas season, here are a few tips to help you get precisely what you want at the best price possible. 

Know what you're actually buying. 

Online catalogs of floral designs can be confusing. Be sure to not only assess the photos, but read the fine print for details about:

The overall dimensions of the arrangement. Petite designs can appear to be large since they may fill a photo without giving a size reference. Grand designs can also appear small, so look for the width and height in the description to get a better idea of the actual presentation size.

The orientation of the flowers.  If you are looking to send a centerpiece, be sure the design indicates the flowers are oriented 'all around'.  Three-sided (sometimes indicated as one-sided) are more suitable to be displayed against walls, on buffets or on sideboards.

Who will make the flower arrangement? Some online companies present photos of professional arrangements but ship the flowers in boxes for the recipient to clean and assemble into a design him/herself. If your friend, family member or business associate enjoys arranging flowers, this type of gift may be a perfect choice. Otherwise, choose a professionally designed, hand-delivered arrangement that arrives ready to enjoy and avoid products that say 'hand-tied' and 'for your loved one to assemble in their own special way'. 

Substitution. Despite what you read on substitution policies by national floral marketers, substitution is very common, especially on the days nearest a holiday. If you are a shopper who wants to know exactly what will be delivered, call or place your online order with a local florist who will be making the delivery. The florist will be able to tell you what's freshest and available at the best prices of the season.    

Will your order be transferred to a different florist to make and deliver? It's getting tough and tougher to tell who the real local florists are online. Wire service affiliates are using inviting ads to portray their call center businesses as local, family owned flower shops. The deception and fraud can pad more than 35% in hidden charges to your total bill.  Tips about how to avoid being scammed by phony florists.    

Service Charges & Delivery Charges. When comparing prices, make sure you include all the fees. Some national floral companies include a local delivery charge in with the flower price and assess an additional service or handling fee, which they retain. Local florists do not charge service fees or handling charges on local deliveries but they do charge for delivering your flowers.  When you add up all the fees, you will generally find that local florists offer much more favorable prices than national wire service affiliates.

Be sure to order early, even if you don't want your flowers delivered until December 24. Your local florist will then reserve your special container choice, hold your favorite ribbon or make sure their growers have select flowers to be hand delivered in perfect time for the holiday. 

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