Disappointed by Interflora - be warned! (photos)

scottishminnie

I had a similar experience with Interflora recently - well actually it isn't quite the same as some of my flowers didn't appear at all.

A family member died unexpectedly in Canada and I arranged to send flowers to the family (2 sets to different family members, 2 different addresses) I ordered them through Interflora for delivery to the family in Toronto. I didn't order specifically from the "sympathy" section as I thought they were overpriced but chose a Florists Seasonal Bouquet instead.

The first thing that happened was that, next day, I got an email from a florist in the suburb where my family stay querying the fact that the flowers were "obviously due to a bereavement" and that I may wish to reselect from the "sympathy related tributes". My message for the family would indeed have made that obvious as I referred to their loss.

I replied that I wished to send the bouquet I had originally selected and requested confirmation this would be done on the date (next again day) I requested. I had no further contact from them.

One set of flowers were delivered (a day later than requested) and the bouquet bore no resemblence whatsoever to that ordered. Fortunately for me my aunt had flown out and was with my family and I was in contact with her. She took a photo of the flowers and emailed it back to me. For a cost of almost £60 I've seen better on a garage forecourt for £5. I'm embarrassed that anyone would think I'd sent these they would wonder why I'd bothered.

I'm now in an ongoing complaint with Interflora on 2 counts -
the first is the pathetic specimen that was delivered in place of what I ordered and the second was the other bouquet which I paid for and was never delivered at all.

I'm utterly disgusted and the really cynical part of me thinks that customers sending flowers after a bereavement are an easy target - especially if you are sending them overseas. After all you are hardly going to phone up your grieving relatives to check they got your flowers which I suspect is what the florists are counting on. Equally someone receiving flowers under these circumstances is hardly going to mention to the sender that they were of apalling quality so it's an easy scam all round.

alisonmeyers

hmm interflora complaint thread (entirely justified IMHO, those flowers are shockingly poor) and a poster pops up with highly selective marketing language, flattering mentions of their local IF franchise... and it's their first EVER post?

methinks i smell a rat

could they BE more obvious :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

So sorry to read about your experience, scottishminnie - I really do hope your complaint is treated respectfully and you get the reimbursement/compensation you deserve.

I know that no delivery service is without it's problems, but I have read good things about http://www.bunches.co.uk/ and may try them next time I want to send flowers. Or if it's suitable, chocolate might be a good alternative - I've successfully used Thorntons delivery in the past, and my sister sent me a lovely chocolate hamper through Hotel Chocolat (http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/).

chewynut

Umm, no, actually. I work for GreenThumb Lawn Services. If I was going to bother 'advertising' for any franchise, it'd be them since they get a lot of unfair stick on this site.

Perhaps I was a little overenthusiastic but I was impressed in the way any twenty year old would be the first time they manage to get their mother something she actually likes. That was the first time I ever placed an order for anything by myself (I'm deaf so I don't use the phone a lot), and it exceeded my expectations when it arrived.

I'm new so I can't post links. The news article I read can be found by Googling 'Daily Mail Mothers Day Flowers'. Am I wrong to be impressed with my tulips after reading the article and comments?

All I did was ring up Interflora. The first question I asked was if they delivered in my area, and then if they did customised bunches of flowers. The guy I spoke to was perfectly lovely and said tulips were no problem. It looks like I didn't order any Mothers' Day flowers, just a bunch of tulips that happened to be delivered on Mothers' Day.

I'd include a pic of the tulips but they're looking a bit sorry for themselves now. The petals have started falling off but they've lasted a week so I'm happy. This is still the board to praise companies, right?

Edit: Sorry, I missed the comment about the e-mail. I gave them my e-mail address when I ordered and so far I've had two e-mails from them. One on Sunday morning.

Order Number: xxxxx

"[SIZE=-1]I am delighted to advise that your Interflora order is on its way today. [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
I hope that we're able to help you make your recipient's day a special one.

As deliveries take place throughout the working day I'm unable to confirm the exact time we'll be delivering your gift but, rest assured, it's in safe hands.

Many thanks for choosing Interflora."[/SIZE]

There's a whole load of advertising in the same e-mail but frankly I'm happy just to get a confirmation. The second e-mail is a 'Thanks for your order, here's 10% off' e-mail that says We'd like to offer you 10% off* your next order, to help you make someone else's day, when you use code TREAT18 before 30th April. "

[Deleted User]

Thanks for getting back to the thread, chewynut. I think a lot of people (including myself) were sceptical because a) pretty much everyone here has had a bad experience with Interflora and b) threads like this often attract posts such as your own that look suspiciously like 'damage limitation' on the part of the Company being discussed.

I'm happy that your experience was such a positive one, and while I still don't understand the £40 price tag or the fact that Interflora took a customised order, it is good to hear about something that went so well. Particularly since i have sent several Interflora bouquets to relatives in the past, but after my recent experience I have been worried about the quality of the flowers they actually received!

chewynut

You're welcome. I had a bit of a shock when I came back!

I asked the Interflora guy if they could do me a bunch of tulips which he had no problem with. I asked what sort of thing I'd get and it was he who said it was best to spend £30-£40 to get a really decent bunch. I went for £40 since I didn't get my mum anything for her birthday (looong story). The Interflora franchise near me is a tiny little shop in the middle of a former mining village. I can't imagine they were overwhelmed that day since most people my way aren't the sort of people to buy their mothers flowers. More like fags and booze. Maybe that's the difference, not being in a city?

Foggster

chewynut wrote: »

You're welcome. I had a bit of a shock when I came back!

I asked the Interflora guy if they could do me a bunch of tulips which he had no problem with. I asked what sort of thing I'd get and it was he who said it was best to spend £30-£40 to get a really decent bunch. I went for £40 since I didn't get my mum anything for her birthday (looong story). The Interflora franchise near me is a tiny little shop in the middle of a former mining village. I can't imagine they were overwhelmed that day since most people my way aren't the sort of people to buy their mothers flowers. More like fags and booze. Maybe that's the difference, not being in a city?

I have to agree that we have always had positive experiences with interflora but I honestly do believe it comes down to the florist who is supplying. I also live quite rurally and have a very limited number of shops that could supply interflora so 9/10 I will know the person delivering the bouquet!

However, this doesnt distract from the poor after sales that people appear to be getting.

angnbern

chewynut are you in sutton-in-ashfield? i ask this because of your discription of where you live in your last post!!!!!!!!

aliasojo

scottishminnie wrote: »

....... the really cynical part of me thinks that customers sending flowers after a bereavement are an easy target - especially if you are sending them overseas. After all you are hardly going to phone up your grieving relatives to check they got your flowers which I suspect is what the florists are counting on. Equally someone receiving flowers under these circumstances is hardly going to mention to the sender that they were of apalling quality so it's an easy scam all round.

I agree. Similar issue with me here.....I got an acceptable result but a month later, I checked my credit card statement and found they had charged me more than the original price at checkout and that stated on my confirmation email. I couldn't face any more hassle so I let it go.


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3050378

peachyprice

scottishminnie wrote: »

I had a similar experience with Interflora recently - well actually it isn't quite the same as some of my flowers didn't appear at all.

A family member died unexpectedly in Canada and I arranged to send flowers to the family (2 sets to different family members, 2 different addresses) I ordered them through Interflora for delivery to the family in Toronto. I didn't order specifically from the "sympathy" section as I thought they were overpriced but chose a Florists Seasonal Bouquet instead.

The first thing that happened was that, next day, I got an email from a florist in the suburb where my family stay querying the fact that the flowers were "obviously due to a bereavement" and that I may wish to reselect from the "sympathy related tributes". My message for the family would indeed have made that obvious as I referred to their loss.

I replied that I wished to send the bouquet I had originally selected and requested confirmation this would be done on the date (next again day) I requested. I had no further contact from them.

One set of flowers were delivered (a day later than requested) and the bouquet bore no resemblence whatsoever to that ordered. Fortunately for me my aunt had flown out and was with my family and I was in contact with her. She took a photo of the flowers and emailed it back to me. For a cost of almost £60 I've seen better on a garage forecourt for £5. I'm embarrassed that anyone would think I'd sent these they would wonder why I'd bothered.

I'm now in an ongoing complaint with Interflora on 2 counts -
the first is the pathetic specimen that was delivered in place of what I ordered and the second was the other bouquet which I paid for and was never delivered at all.

I'm utterly disgusted and the really cynical part of me thinks that customers sending flowers after a bereavement are an easy target - especially if you are sending them overseas. After all you are hardly going to phone up your grieving relatives to check they got your flowers which I suspect is what the florists are counting on. Equally someone receiving flowers under these circumstances is hardly going to mention to the sender that they were of apalling quality so it's an easy scam all round.

Same thing happened to my Mum, she ordered flowers while living in Australia for a funeral here. It was for my dad's mum, so she ordered 2 wreaths, one from my parents and one from by brother, she ordered the largest wreaths and spent AUD$400(about £250).

They delivered the tiniest little wreaths a little bigger than the size of a side plate, they were much smaller than those she ordered, the wrong colour and they were wilted. She was so emabrassed that my dad's family would think she'd sent the smallest wreath possible, especially as she hadn't.

They told her the flowers had been sent from Australia that's why they wilted, what a load of bull, everyone knows Interflora just put the order through to a local florist.

She got a full refund in the end. But I think you're right, they think no-one will complain about funeral flowers and that if you're in a different country you won't find out they've sent crap.