Ok, I need to rant about floral marketing. I realize this is not the most pressing issue of our times, but something needs to be said! I have elderly relatives who either have everything they need & have asked us to not send "stuff", or if we do send stuff, send things that will eventually go away, so they don't have to find space to put it, or eventually have to dust it!
They are all on restricted diets, either post heart surgery- no salt, fat,etc, or gastric woes, no nuts, sugar, fresh fruit. That kind of narrows it down to floral arrangements.
The presentations make me crazy! Often they have an arrangement shown with a price. The arrangements usually has a vase in the photo, but when you click for details, it will say just the bouquet or add another $10 bucks for a vase. Why not just say the price with the vase as shown?? The add ons don't stop there. Of course there is shipping, usually another $10 or more bucks, plus tax, and often an additional fee for "handling". That $19.99 bouquet is gonna cost you $35.99 when all is said & done.
The web sites are set up in layers..... so the above FTD example, shown above, says right there in Black & white *MAKE EASTER SHINE*. Sounds good to me. I'm sending it to Mom.
But once you get into the layers, (oooh! this one actually does include the vase shown)...of the shopping cart- it tells me the earliest delivery date is......
2 days AFTER Easter-- April 6th. So instead of making Easter shine, the header should have said, SHINE EASTER ON & SEND FLOWERS 2 DAYS LATE-- AFTER THE ACTUAL HOLIDAY!!!
That is called bait & switch. Clearly they were marketing the flowers for Easter, just did not mention they would not be available for Easter, right about the same time they are asking for your credit card number.
So I bailed from their web site. Stop wasting my time!!!
I thought about calling them, but screw it, if they are going to mess with me like that, I'm going to a different florist. Besides, that arrangement arrives in a box as well.
Some assembly required. Shipping & handling not included.
The other florist had a "Growers choice" special.... they put together whatever flowers into a dazzling display. The Vase was "free" but they added a few bucks for additional shipping cost.
Sure enough, that $19.99 special wound up costing me $35.99 but at least they will get it there
by April 1. Interesting date.... Who do they think they are fooling???
3 comments:
you need a new stategery for sending gifts. if they don't like stuff that they have to dust, maybe you can send them gift certificates for a dinner out or a haircut or a manicure or a movie. ask them if they have a favorite charity you can donate to in their name. are they living on fixed incomes? maybe a gift certificate from the local supermarket would be appreciated.
Never thought of getting my parents a grocery store gift card. They'd probably love it.
Love that arrangement at the bottom...very New Orleans. :-)
It's a thing growing up there, you HAVE to love those three colors together.
Hi Nonnie~ One relative that might work for, 2 of the 3 are quite confined in a care facility, and going anywhere is not happening, their space is very small, and not looking like any of those ideas would work (plus they have more $ than me to donate to charity).
But one Grandma is an avid reader, & we've given her book store gift certificates, that she loves.
WriteC~ I've never been to NOLA, but I love the French Iris flowers & the colors are not usually blended together, so they are unique.
Anyway, guess I just needed to vent my floral frustrations, as I wrangled with a few goofy web sites, to place some orders this morning.
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