If you can choose bouquets yourself and don’t mind a limited selection, our undercover shoppers found that supermarket and warehouse club prices were, on average, 40 to 75 percent lower than those at florists. Street vendors’ prices were about 10 percent lower than that. Yet another option is to buy from a wholesaler that opens to the general public, which offers incredible variety and savings.
There are also online wholesalers that ship blooms directly from farms (usually in South America). For example, Sami Sacha Flowers sells stems either à la carte or in assemble-yourself-bouquet boxes ($75-$95 for 50 flowers that go well together). Whole Blossoms operates the same way but has larger flower recipe kits (65 to 500 stems) aimed at DIY brides or lavish dinner party hosts.
If you need flowers for a wedding or other occasion, want them delivered, or seek a custom arrangement, you’ll probably want a retail florist. Among florists we found big price differences: For one dozen long-stem red roses, prices ranged from $25 to $102; for stargazer lilies, prices ranged from $35 to $125 for 10 stems.
We also turned up big differences in shop services. For example, for the quality of advice provided, some shops were rated “superior” by 65 percent or fewer of their surveyed customers, while others received such favorable scores from 95 percent or more.
If you need flowers delivered outside the Bay Area, we strongly advise dealing directly with a florist you trust—either one in the recipient’s area or one located here that will coordinate the transaction with a pro in another locale. Most online floral companies will do this too, but using a local florist gives you more control.
Many companies that pose online as local florists are really just order-taking services that deliver big headaches.
Many survey respondents complain about florists who deliver late, use old or lousy flowers, or create arrangements far smaller and much different than the photos online or in catalogs. Ask your recipient to send you a snapshot of what’s delivered to make sure they got what you paid for.
When ordering flowers for delivery, pay by credit card. If the florist screws up and won’t make things right, you can contest the charge with your credit card company.
