same day flower delivery

Is Your Local Florist Really "Local?"

At localflorist.com they are indeed local. But this is perhaps not true with all local florists as the following article from the Federal Trade Commission aptly illustrates. We are not only your local flower shop connection on the Internet thanks to our national network of local florists and floral gift shops, we offer an up-to-date and highly accurate florists directory that is your key to flower delivery services online through a local florist and not marketing firms. When you use our friendly search interface to locate a florist or to arrange same day flower delivery, you will notice how easy, convenient and affordable ordering fresh flowers is on localflorist.com. Online flower delivery is our area of expertise and we are passionate about everything to do with flowers, floral gifts and floral designs.

same day flower delivery

" Flowers are a great way to celebrate any occasion such as a birthday or a wedding, cheer up a sick friend, or simply brighten someone's day. Flower delivery from your local florist is just a phone call away, or so you think. Some unscrupulous telemarketing firms are posing as local florists, charging you higher fees and taking business away from legitimate florists in your city.

same day flower delivery

Here is how the deception works. A telemarketing company takes out a bogus listing in the white pages of your telephone directory. The company may use your town's name in its advertisement to make you believe it is local. Or, the name of a legitimate local florist may be listed with a different local phone number. For example, "Greenville Florists." When you call this number, you are unknowingly forwarded to an out-of-town telemarketing operation. The telemarketer takes your order and credit card information for payment, and forwards your order to an area florist. The telemarketing firm pockets a processing fee and usually a percentage of the sale as well. You will never realize you have been scammed until you get higher than expected charges from an out-of-town company on your credit card statement, or learn that the flowers were
not delivered as ordered, or were never delivered at all.

same day flower delivery

How to Protect Yourself

Please follow these tips before you initiate your next flower delivery:

• Ask your neighbors, family, friends, and co-workers for recommendations.
  
  
• Deal only with flower shops that list a street address with their phone number in your white or yellow pages. If you are asking directory assistance for a phone number, also ask for the street number and address. If there isn't one, consider doing business with another florist who is properly listed.
  
  
• Check out the florist you are considering with the local Better Business Bureau and Consumer Protection office in your area. Or, if you are ordering flowers from a local shop in another city or state, contact the Consumer Protection office in that area. Ask if the office has any unresolved consumer complaints on file. Also ask them to
  verify the street address.
  
  
• Ask the florist to itemize the charges. In addition to the price of the floral arrangement, most florists charge a nominal delivery fee and local taxes if you live in the same state. Just to make sure that the florist you are dealing with has a brick-and-mortar flower shop and is not a telemarketing operation, ask the florist for directions to the shop and information about the shopping center in which he or she is located. If they hesitate, provide vague answers or refuse, consider this a red flag and do not place the order.