Scent-SationalFlowers.Com, FTD Did not supply goods Internet

When you place an ordered for a florist delivered arrangement, whether from this broker or from FTD.com, all those companies do is forward it to a local florist for fulfillment.

The local florists may refuse to fill incoming orders for a variety of reasons:
- They are already fully booked and cannot take any more deliveries for the date you requested.
- They do not have the item or something similar in stock.
- The broker (FTD or one of its agents) did not charge sufficient funds to make and deliver the item.

Each local florist is independently owned and operated, selects its own inventory and sets its own prices.

The following text, which explains the relationship between any order gatherer and the local independent florists they use, is copied from floristdetective.com/wst_page18.html :

"When a gatherer/broker accepts your order over the web or via a Yellow Page ad, the company can provide little guarantee that your selection will be filled exactly 'as sold' if it is being transferred to a local florist for fulfillment. Many sites feature licensed wire service images and only hope that they can find a local affiliate that has the item, or something close to it, in current inventory.

The gatherers don't truly know if the amount charged the consumer is adequate to meet the customary price of the local flower shop - including delivery charges - since they are simply brokering the order.

Consumer may have chosen a flower arrangement based on the vase displayed or a specific flower type featured, yet many orders are transferred to local florists with vague descriptions and/or instructions stating 'fill as similar as possible' - leaving both a disappointed sender and recipient.

The average 'service fee' of $10.00 USD, a privilege fee charged just for forwarding orders to local florists, boosts the cost to consumers, giving the appearance that florist-delivered flowers are higher priced than they need be."

That page includes an example of a complaint similar to yours that occured as a result of an attempted purchase from the main FTD.com site.

The current wire service system is inherently flawed. Ordering direct from the local florist that will actually deliver your arrangement avoids these problems entirely - and saves you money.

The order was placed with plenty of notice. If FTD does not want to take the heat for poor service, then FTD should do a much better job at screening those who it allows to use its name.

Sorry sir, but you were fooled, like so many other consumers, into believing you were purchasing from a company that had control over local florists. They're the ones that make all same-day deliveries purchased through the vaious .com's.

The website you attempted to purchase from is actually owned and operated by Marlborough Florist of Marlborough, CT and not FTD. FTD hosts their site, allows them to use the FTD logo, and permits then to omit any information that identifies the company's location as being in Connecticut.

You said "I called, with the assistance of my co-workers, different florists in the area; however it was impossible to get flowers ordered and delivered on Valentine's Day." All this company, or FTD.com or Teleflora.com or any other national order gatherer can do is attempt to forward your order to those same local florists who already told you there were fully booked. They'll tell all the .com's that same thing.

You were smart to try calling local florists first. Next time, call a little earlier so they can schedule that special delivery just for you.

There are many good florists in the Peoria area that would love to send your "scentimets" with style.