Valentine's Day being the biggest day for the entire floral industry, as a Florist Owner and Manager for the past 12 years, I can't help but recognize the same patterns and issues that raise up during this Holiday. In this blog, I want to answer a few most important questions concerning Valentine's Day.
Question 1: When should you order Valentine's Day Flowers?
The Answer: Right Now. I see the same story happening, year after year, after year. That is when hundreds of people are trying to get through our telephone line right on Valentine's Day, while we normally stop answering the phone and suspend all our order accepting systems a couple of days prior to Valentine's Day.
Question 2: Why my (or someone I know) Valentine's Flowers were never delivered?
The Answer. Because you probably placed your order too late, and/or probably tried to save money on your order. No matter how much planning Florists do and try to full fill all the requests, they have to go by the delivery areas and the price of the arrangement is often a priority. With only 8 hours per Valentine's Day, Good Business Owner won't be trying to waste extra hour on delivering one $50.00 arrangement that he/she just received through some wire service, while there are 20 others, $100.00 or more each, placed by his direct customers, are waiting to be delivered in opposite direction.
Question 3: Okay so Florists are busy on Valentine's Day. So why can't they just hire some more Drivers and Designers to deliver my flowers?
The Answer. It doesn't matter how many people Florists would hire, and how many flowers they order for Valentine's Day. It will still be systems suspended, telephones not answered, businesses closed before the last few arrangements were delivered, lines at the counter are all the way to the door, and the last stem sold for incredible price by about 7PM.
Question 4. Speaking of price. I understand, supply and demand, but I ordered flowers from the same florist before, and they were not just less pricey, but also much better looking and stayed longer. With higher price, shouldn't I at last get better value?
The Answer. Florists don't grow flowers. They order them from the Whole Sellers. They do go by the quality and the market price on the flowers. Unlike most of customers, Florists do plan ahead, and order their Valentine's flowers months prior to Valentine's Day. Once Growers receive orders, they start growing flowers. In our shop, we usually have premium roses delivered from Equador. Less expensive roses are coming from Columbia. Holland tulips are coming from Holland, etc. To keep up with extreme demand for Valentine's day, growers know how to bring up the most amount of flowers in such a short amount of time. And they have to do what they have to do, to keep up with demand. For instance, some flowers are being cut 10-7 days prior to Valentines, and kept in big coolers in boxes, they then get shipped via air freight from overseas to the US. Flower shops receive their flowers in boxes 5-3 days prior to Valentine's Day. They need that time to process the flowers and start making arrangements that need to be delivered on 13th and 14th of February. If flowers being cut prematurely and stressed out during shipment, they won't be the same quality and they won't stay fresh as long as they normally would. Flower shops have no way of knowing when and how flowers were treated, all they can do is to make the most beautiful arrangement they can for the price you paid.
Question 5. Once I called to some Flower Shop on 15th, next day after Valentine's. I had to stay on line for almost an hour just waiting to talk to someone. I tried a couple of other shops, it was the same thing. With Valentine's day being over, what is going on with florists a few day after?
The Answer. February 15th is usually as busy, as February 12th and 13th for the flower shops. Not just we are still busy delivering Valentine's flowers for all who wasn't able to place their order on 13th and 14th. But as our floral fairies were working days and nights start 4-3 days prior to Valentine's, some time 20 hours per 24 hour time, majority of them had to take a break just to at last get some much needed sleep. Florists still have majority of people working day after Valentine's. But they just still so many times busier than on some regular day.
Question 6. It sure seems like there's a lot of stress at the flower shops on Valentine's. Should I even try to order my flowers?
The Answer: Yes. You totally should. Even if you decide to come over and pick up your flowers yourself, make sure to place your order at last a week prior to the Holiday. Never try to lie and order for 8AM pick up, if planning to come over at 5PM. And always pre-pay when ordering for pick-up. Order Premium flowers, and don't sweat the small stuff: think just how how many people put so much work, for you to have your flowers. Be happy and enjoy your floral gift. After all, Valentine's day is only coming once per year! :)
