People send flowers for a variety of reasons and occasions. And here at Oleander, we’ve got your back for all of them! We’re often asked though if we send, or can arrange for flowers to be sent, outside of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) or even internationally. And the answer is no. Let us explain why:
It’s logistically and economically impossible for our drivers to deliver Oleander arrangements to customers outside of the GTA. And we certainly are not putting bouquets on planes headed for international travel. So, in order for customers to send flowers to loved ones further away, many florists have historically used a wire out service, such as FTD, BloomNet or Teleflora.
The problem with using one of these services though, is that whilst convenient for the customer, they essentially act as a broker, farming out your order to a florist local to the recipient, and charging a hefty fee for the privilege. And guess what, that fee gets passed on to you, the customer. The wire service also charges the florist (both the one taking the order, and the one fulfilling the order) a large fee just to be able to use that service, which, you guessed it, again gets passed directly to the customer. This means that suddenly, your budget is now significantly reduced with none of it having been spent on actual flowers yet. There is also often a requirement to advertise cookie-cutter floral designs on the shop’s website. Designs that are not necessarily the florist’s style and include flowers that may not be in stock at the fulfilling florist’s end.
Well can’t Oleander just contact a local florist on the customer’s behalf? Well, again, in order for us to offer this service, we would have to include an additional service charge on the order, again taking money away from the actual flower budget. The other important reason that we don’t offer these services, is that since we’re not the ones making the arrangement, we have absolutely no control over the quality of the flowers, or the design. We also have no idea of the range of products in stock. If there’s an issue, with design or delivery, we don’t know about it and therefore cannot resolve it.
So, here’s what to do instead:
Google a flower shop local to your intended recipient. Pick a couple and read their online reviews. Either order online through their website or call them directly to place an order. Not only does this give you more control over the content and style of the design, but it allows you to spend 100% of your budget on that arrangement. You can also be confident that you are supporting a local independent business rather than an agent who neither knows, nor cares one jot, about you, the customer, or indeed the recipient. If you order directly from a local florist, any concern you have about your order will be immediately addressed by them and remedied sooner. Working with a local flower shop also means that you’ll receive excellent recommendations that are customized to your particular style, needs, and budget. And if they don’t have a specific flower you’re looking for, they’ll be able to suggest alternatives they have in stock rather than just replacing it with a flower you may not like.
The other great thing about finding a good local florist, is that you have the ability to establish a relationship for the future - you can be sure you’ll have someone who knows precisely what you need when you need it! Thinking local not only helps you cut down on costs, it can also help the whole community in the long run.
Here at Oleander, we’re in business because we love flowers. We love designing and creating beautiful arrangements and we want our customers to get the best value for money, the best service, and the freshest, best-quality flowers possible. It’s because of our commitment to this that we do not offer a wire out service, nor do we place orders with other flower shops on behalf of a customer. You can place an order with us for fresh or dried arrangements for delivery within the GTA here.