Flower Delivery - Everything you need to know about same day flower delivery and more!

Hey there, flower enthusiast! Let's dive into the wonderful world of flower delivery – it's not as simple as it seems, and it's high time we give it the attention it truly deserves. There are a few facets of flower delivery that are worth their own spotlight: Daily Flower Delivery, Loose Stem Flower Delivery, and the exciting world of Weddings and Event Flowers Delivery.  In this post, I am going to focus on Daily Flower Deliveries.

Now, about daily flower delivery – it's the heartbeat of our floral world and kind of the unsung hero of the industry. There are lots of things to discuss about daily flower delivery, but let's get down to brass tax first…Most flower shops have a delivery fee, and we totally get it – no one likes a delivery charge. But have you ever heard the saying, "there's no such thing as a free puppy"? Well, it applies here too. Even if a shop offers you "Free Flower Delivery," you're probably footing the bill in other ways. Some shops might inflate bouquet prices, slap on a transaction fee, or even sell lower-quality blooms at premium rates.

We know, delivery fees can be a downer. But, it's a sign of transparency in pricing. Wondering how they calculate that fee? Well, according to the industry's best practices, 50% should cover the salaries of our trusty delivery drivers, about 10% should be put towards maintaining delivery vehicles, roughly 15% should be used for fuel, 15% should be used to cover the cost of the vehicle payments and traditionally about 10% should be  for profit. However, in today's world, it's a bit trickier. Skyrocketing vehicle prices, soaring interest rates, and those pesky fuel costs are making it challenging. So, most flower shops are having to reallocate that 10% profit to help cover these escalating expenses. In essence, daily flower delivery isn't exactly a goldmine, especially in today's world.

So as someone buying a bouquet or daily flowers, is paying for delivery worth the cost?  I think that there are a few thoughts to consider here.  First off, the convenience factor.  Do you want to drive all the way in to the flower shop, pick the flowers up and then drive them to the person they are intended for.  Maybe the flower shop is on the way home and you live by the recipient.  Okay, that is not super inconvenient.  However, maybe they live across town or you need them delivered to a certain location at a certain time.  It's usually much easier for the flower shop to accommodate this scenario than yourself! 

Secondly, do you have the logistical capability to transport the flowers you are sending.  This may seem like I am muddying the waters a bit, but hear me out.  I can't count how many times I have had people pickup flowers and then question how they are supposed to transport them.  Vase flower arrangements are gorgeous and people like them big and eye catching.  However, its tough to transport those arrangements if you don’t have the proper equipment.  So here is a great way to DIY a transport system for flower delivery: Bring a box and a box cutter when you pick up your bouquet.

1. Draw an 'X' on the box, slightly wider than the vase's broadest point.
2. Cut along the 'X' lines.
3. Push the flaps down into the box.
4. Place the vase in the newly created hole.
5. Secure the box on your car's front seat, and fasten it with the seatbelt, being careful not to crush the arrangement. Sometimes, just using the lap belt around the box will do the trick!

--> Don't forget to bring a box; flower shops often lack storage space for extra boxes and often do not keep them around!

 Check out our Two Minute Tuesday Video Tutorial on how to do this!

 DIY Flower Bouquet Transport System

Another DIY option is to grab a pre-made flower delivery box from your local flower shop. They work similarly to the method outlined above.

And for the more adventurous flower aficionados, consider removing the bouquet from the vase temporarily. When you remove the flowers, hold them tightly and secure the stems with sturdy rubber bands. Upon arrival, simply cut the rubber bands and place the bouquet back into the vase. Just remember to replace the water!

For those seeking same-day flower delivery, you can opt for flowers not in a vase, often referred to as a 'Hand-tied' bouquet or a 'Posey.' These are easy to transport and usually come beautifully wrapped with tissue paper and ribbons. In colder climates, they can be fully wrapped in paper for protection against the freezing temperatures which can instantly kill a bouquet! Keep in mind that these bouquets are out of water, so if it's going to be more than 45 minutes until delivery, ask the florist to wrap them in a way that allows them to be stored in a vase until it's time to present them.

How do the pros do it?  We have tried several different flower delivery systems.  We have settled on a combination of the 'Seminole Flower Delivery System' and plastic crates.  This is not the most popular delivery system on the market, in my opinion due to its higher price tag.  However, I feel like it is the most versitile delivery system and also helps save on space in your delivery vehicle.  With this system we can pin any shape or sized flower arrangement in to our vehicle or crate securely.  After getting this system installed in our first delivery van we loved it so much we wanted to be able to use it when transporting flowers by hand.  So we purchased more of the system, used a table saw and cut it to fit snuggly into plastic crates.  We then zip tied it to the plastic crates to help ensure its fit.  Now we are able to carry or cart several flower arrangements in one crate which we can then pin in place in our delivery vehicles.  We can't say enough good things about this system.  Its only limitation has to do with transporting tall arrangements, which is not so much a flaw, but simply something its not designed to do without other supports in place. 

Floral adventures await!

Seminole System: https://www.seminoleds.com/