My daughter decided that Mommy needs flowers for the big day this weekend. Since we no longer have a decent florist in our area, I decided to shop online.
I heard an ad on the radio for ProFlowers.com. I went to the website on Tuesday, picked out a $30 arrangement (clicked on the radio microphone, typed code word "100") and placed an order.
Check out the "extras" on the invoice:
Two Dozen Assorted Roses for Mom with FREE Vase & Chocolates $29.98
Mother's Day Card $0.99
Care & Handling $1.99
Guaranteed May 7 delivery $4.99
Standard Express Delivery $12.99
Grand Total: $50.94
Next year, she's getting a subscription to GRM.
andrave
New Reader
5/7/09 12:40 p.m.
I wish you would have asked first... I placed an order from proflowers.com YEARS ago and depsite repeatedly being asked to be taken off their mailling list, I get spammed over and over from them, I've gotten mailings from them, and they even call me with automated greetings reminding me to send flowers on certain holidays. Again, I've asked over and over to be taken off their list but to no avail. They are the king of spam.
Also of note is that most of these online places simply place your order at a local florist... which you of course you are perfectly capable of doing, and almost certainly for less.
My local florist places them in a ProFlowers box and ships them UPS? Didn't realize that.
I used Proflowers for Valentines Day this year, same experience as above you get sucked in by a "good" deal and get hammered with extras.
I'll remember to call the locals again next year.
I used proflowers once about two weeks ago. Fairly happy with the service and she liked the flowers. I'm not looking forward to all the spam though. Wish I'd read this first.
Kramer
Reader
5/7/09 2:23 p.m.
I went to my local florist, who is kind of expensive. But one day, she bent over, totally exposing her fun bags. Then, she stooped down and exposed her dental-floss thong. Best day of buying flowers ever!
Then I noticed her man-hands. Junior even gave up his curiosity after that.
Yes, you have to be careful about the add-ons, but I did two dozen roses for Mom, and two dozen for Mom-in-law with Pro Flowers for $35 bucks a piece - delivered to their respective doorsteps. Factoring in the mother's day pricing jack-up, that's less than I would pay locally for cash and carry.
I've used them in the past and the recipients have been very happy with the quality of the product (which I understand is somewhat dependent upon the local florist assigned).
Plus, mom-in-law is a rabid liberal whacko, so I get extra bonus points because Pro Flowers apparently advertises on Air America...
bludroptop wrote:
Plus, mom-in-law is a rabid liberal whacko, so I get extra bonus points because Pro Flowers apparently advertises on Air America...
They advertise on Hannity, too. The talk-radio target audience must love mail-order flowers.
I saw their commercial today on TV for the first time; never heard of them before. They make a big deal about how long their particular flowers last. I was wondering.. what sort of bizarre growth hormone/age retardant do they use on those things?
andrave
New Reader
5/7/09 4:04 p.m.
I've found you can buy flowers from krogers for $19 a dozen and UPS them yourself for $7 if mom lives too far away.
but you know all she really wants is a damn phone call or a dinner out....
I bought my mom potted rhododendrons. I knew it was what she really wanted.
I sent my Mom & my Wife flowers yesterday by using FTD on-line.
Order to delivery was within two hours, both recipiants were very happy with the quality, & the $49.95 base came to $70 net.
So both Pro Flowers & FTD tack $20 on to the order but I think the flowers will get better treatment being delivered by a florist & it's classier if that matters.
Oh, and I got some airline miles thrown in...sweet!!!
I would have preferred if they just said "$20" delivery, rather than this bullE36 M3:
Care & Handling $1.99
Guaranteed May 7 delivery $4.99
Standard Express Delivery $12.99
and the "card" wasn't worth an extra .99
I have had a very bad experience with ProFlowers. In advance of Valentine's Day, they were running regular TV adds for half-off bouquets, subject to putting in a promo code word. But when you went to their site, the promo code did not work. I still placed two orders for Valentine's Day deliveries (even though they were charging an additional $9.99 delivery charge on top of their aleady exhorbitant delivery charge to have their Valentine's Day offerings delivered on Valentine's Day). Then, late on the afternoon of Valentine's day, I got an e-mail that said they were unable to deliver the flowers to one of the proposed recipients and wanted me to pick another day for delivery (but wihotut any offer to refund of the extra charge for special Valentine's Day delivery). And then on the afternoon of the 15th (almost a full day after Valentine's Day) I got a voicemail telling me that the other delivery also had not been made on Valentine's Day and asking me to call back and pick another delivery date (again without any offer to refund the additional delivery charge for delivery on Valentine's Day). What a bait and switch and rip off. I almost never pan a vendor or service, but this one definitely deserves it.
My local florist of choice went out of business during the financial collapse of 2008. Since then, I've used proflowers once or twice a year and never really had any issues with them. The upcharge for guaranteed holiday delivery seems reasonable to me, and all the charges were very clearly spelled out on the website. Their product is good and the delivery is pretty dependable.
I've used them a couple of times without any trouble. I used a dump email that I never check so the spam isn't a problem.
Lately I'm been going to Sam's because they sell bulk flowers. The wife got 80 blossoms this year for Valentines. Vases we have in quantity and I can do a pretty fair job at cutting and arranging them. Total cost, $12.
ProFlowers only gets used when I need to mail them somewhere.
Roadside vender, $10, happy wife.
I walked into Meijer on the way home. $10 for a nice selection of planted Cala lillys (Her favorite).
They're in bloom now, and will be planted in the spring and bloom again later.
I was in and out of the store in less than 5 minutes.
I've ordered from ProFlowers a couple times including for Valentines Day this year. Never had a problem.
I've gotten screws by FTD a couple times. And the Florists delivery charges are ridiculously expensive.
Did you guys notice that this thread is from 2009?