Four Reasons to Shop Local This Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s season is upon us, and significant others around the country are flocking to the internet to shop for flowers. With so many options available, it can be easy to place an order on the first site that pops up. But are these sites local florists, or something bigger? And does it really matter which one you choose?
In this blog, we’ll tell you how to spot the difference and give you four reasons why ordering from a local flower shop is better for you and better for your community!
Four Reasons to Shop Local This Valentine’s Day:
1. Local florists offer the same thing, but better.
Big box sites such as “1-866 Florals” or “ToMeFlowers” (not their real names, but you know who we mean) are known as “order gatherers,” meaning they collect orders and send them to florists near your recipient. If you place an order through a site like this, your order is handled by a local florist, who will get a percentage of the sale in return for making and delivering the product. Wire out services aren’t inherently bad – most florists will do the same thing when a customer calls to place an order in a different part of the country. But order gatherers are often automated and select a florist nearby without vetting them for quality. When you wire out an order by calling your own local florist, they’ll do the research to make sure your order is being fulfilled by another quality local florist, and then both shops will get a percentage of the sale. It’s a win for you, and a win for local businesses!
2. You have greater control over what you’re receiving.
Just like local flower shops, order gathering sites typically offer a seasonal selection of vases and gifts. This seems great, but a local florist may not have the exact same products that were pictured on the order gatherer’s website. When this is the case, the florist who receives the wire out order will either need to substitute the item for something they have in stock or reject the order outright. For some vases or gifts, a substitution is fine! But if you fell in love with a very specific design or product, odds are you’ll be a little disappointed.
Now, let’s say you fall in love with an arrangement from your local florist that comes in an adorable but very specific vase. If they are unable to give you that exact vase, they’ll work with you to find an alternative that you’ll love just as much, even if your order is headed to another florist for fulfillment. This way, you’ll know exactly what you’re receiving, even if some changes are needed.
3. You know who is making your order.
When you order through an order gathering site, all communication, receipts, and delivery info comes from that site and not through the florist fulfilling the order. When you order from your local florist, you know exactly who is making your flowers and how to contact them if you have a question, run into an issue, or want to leave a compliment! You can also select a florist that you trust in terms of quality and customer service, which you won’t get to do with an order gathering site.
4. Investing in your community.
When you order from your local florist, they get 100% of the profits from your sale, keeping the money in your community. When you wire out through your local florist, both they and the fulfilling florist receive the profits – supporting two local communities at once!
Ordering for Valentine’s Day
Now that you know the benefits of buying locally, we hope the choice is easy!
If you’re in the West Chester, PA area, check out our selection of Valentine’s floral features. We offer a variety of price points and color schemes to please Valentines everywhere!
Not local to us and like what you see? We offer wire out services to have florists in your area create similar designs, and both local shops will share the profit. It’s a win for local businesses!
