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How to Choose the Right UK Flower Delivery Service

UK Flower Delivery Services image

Introduction

Flowers have always made a fantastic, versatile gift for almost any occasion. While flowers continue to grow in popularity as a timeless gift idea, one of the major changes that has affected the flower delivery market is the rise in online flower delivery services. Whilst in the past, customers would have to use the services of a traditional high-street florist to send the perfect bouquet, the internet has opened up access to this market to both new companies and also to large high-street chains and department stores. What’s more, by making flower delivery simple, quick and straightforward, flowers remain the ultimate last-minute gift regardless of  where you are in the country.

This buying guide gives an idea of what to expect from our reviews and what particular features are important when choosing the right service in this constantly changing environment.

Traditional Florist v. Online Flower Delivery

While many of our readers will be familiar with the way regular, ‘high street’ florists work, many may not have used an online flower delivery service to deliver bouquets to their loved ones. While traditional florists still have their place within this market, many customers are turning to online services to find the perfect floral gift, seeing significant advantages to using these services. Aside from the fact that customers can send bouquets all over the country without having to actually go to the florist, there are a number of advantages to using online services. Customers can enjoy a far greater amount of choice far more customisability than is available in a traditional florist, with the ability to alter existing bouquets or make a totally unique design with considerable ease. Similarly, customers can isolate the bouquets that best fit their needs (in terms of price, content or style) easily, meaning they can find the perfect bouquet quickly, each and every time.

Our Reviews: Key Features

Getting the best deal can be difficult, especially when faced with so much choice. Our reviews aim to give our readers the advantage by comparing all of the available services based on quality, price, value for money, variety and level of service to ensure they choose the best provider each time. This buying guide will consider each of the points of comparison focused on in our reviews, highlighting what we’re looking for in each case, so as to ensure you always get the best bouquet, at the best price!

  • Variety & Choice:
    In recent times there has been an explosion in the number of ways flowers can be arranged when they are being sent to a loved one by courier. Sites that provide the full range of potential options, including vase-bouquets, water balls, traditional hand-tied bouquets, baskets and more, allowing customers to choose which style is appropriate for their bouquet. There are also sites that offer a wide range of seasonal blooms in a full range of colors, as well as a number of quality ‘grades’ for each flower. By finding a site that offers customers the opportunity to customise their bouquet and make changes to reflect the season or preferences of the recipient, the overall bouquet will be far more appealing in every way.

  • Quality:
    Quality is an important consideration in any gift, but this is especially important when ordering online, as customers can’t actually see the finished product before they make their purchase. Whilst we have picked out the best UK online florists currently available, you should always look out for the service that offers the best quality product at the lowest possible price. Many services offer guarantees on the lifespan of their blooms (most for at least seven days, but occasionally longer) and money-back guarantees in the event that you're not happy with the bouquet when it is delivered.

  • Special Offers & Promotions:
    Shopping around to get the best deal is all about taking advantage of special offers as they arise with different sites in our listings in this category. All of the sites we have reviewed in this category offer different promotional offers throughout the year, especially to coincide with important calendar occasions such as St. Valentines Day, Mothering Sunday or Christmas. As well as providing customers with an opportunity to pick up a great bouquet at a fantastic price, many of these promotional offers help to provide inspiration for a particular gift, especially for those customers that don’t know exactly what they are looking to order each time.

  • Delivery Cost & Efficiency:
    Flowers make the ideal gift, not least because they’re quick to order and can often be delivered the same day, or at the very least, the next day. Although most sites offer a number of delivery options (including same day, next day, weekend and before 1pm guaranteed delivery), users should take care to find out how much the delivery charge will be for any particular bouquet and factor this into the price before they reach the checkout. We have included the cost of ‘standard’, ‘same day’ and ‘next day’ delivery in our reviews for each service where appropriate, to help our readers compare the cost of each option. It’s also worth noting that many sites offer free delivery on bouquets over a certain price threshold, so look out for similar offers as you’re shopping around for the perfect bouquet.

  • Value for Money / Price:
    Unlike other factors, which can be fairly constant from one service to another, the cost of order bouquets from the various services included in this category can vary considerably. Bouquets range in price from around £20 to over £200 depending on the option chosen, meaning that customers really do have the opportunity to find something to suit their taste and budget. What is good about online services (as opposed to traditional high street florists) is that, as costs are reduced, customers can take advantage of reduced prices and some great deals across the board. Similarly, customers can upgrade their bouquet to make it extra special by adding additional flowers or ‘add on’ gifts for a few extra pounds. In order to make sure our readers have an accurate point of comparison in terms of price for services in this category, we have included in our reviews the price of a dozen red roses and a standard mixed bouquet to help when comparing sites.

  • Ease of Use / Navigation
    One of the most important considerations when reviewing online flower delivery services is how easy it is to navigate around the site and choose the perfect gift. Many sites offer customers the opportunity to filter bouquets by price, colour or style or use a search function to find bouquets containing a particular flower. Most sites categorise their offerings by occasion, making it even more straightforward to find the perfect bouquet for your loved one.

  • Customer Support
    Aside from simply providing beautiful bouquets, customers should also look out for sites that offer a number of customer support features to help solve any problems that may occur. Many sites offer customer service helplines or live-chat, as well as FAQs to help make it easier to choose the perfect arrangement or address any issues with quality or delivery. Finally, many sites offer customers a guarantee of quality or lifespan, giving them reassurance that their gift will arrive on time and in perfect condition, each and every time.

The Bottom Line

With most online flower delivery services offering customers the same core service, this category is all about getting the best deal on the perfect bouquet. All of our reviews consider each of the most popular options, drawing comparisons on the basis of price, quality, variety and customer service to help you find the best deal. Although those sites that appear higher in our listings tend to offer the best all round service, it’s often worth checking out more than one site in our listings each time you wish to order flowers to find the cheapest option and benefit from the range of promotional deals on offer.

 

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