To be annoyed that my sister has sent me postal flowers and....

[Overseasmom100]

Every year for my birthday my sister sends me postal flowers from a high street shop and every year they turn up either half dead, or nothing like the pictures online. Every time she ends up complaining and every year makes me feel bad shes wasted her money usually £35-40.

Last week she said I'll send you some flowers and we had a conversation that not to bother as they arent great usually...and a card would be lovely etc...

So today a box turns up flowers stuffed inside...mainly dried up and very poor in fact I dont think they will last 2 days. I thank her by text... she asks if they were lovely and for photos...I send her photos ...she goes all funny and annoyed that they arent good...and so it starts again...this has been going on for ar least 5 years.

@Overseasmom100

She doesnt listen....it's annoted me all day sounds dreadfully ungrateful of me but what a waste. Thing is where we live is a lovely florist...she knows that. I said you would be better off ordering from them as you know they would be perfect.

Last week I said please donot send me any flowers in the post (high street clothes shop who do flowers in a box) I stressed the fact...she agreed.

Every single year!!!

How odd... It seems such an utter waste.

With fresh cut flowers, you need to get them from market to reciipient with as little time in between.

I bought ''Snowdrops in the green'' and they got delayed in the post, and looked very dried out.
Darkness {postal service} is not good for plants either.

I think the Company should be contacted.

Clearly the flowers are left hanging about too long.

I had a quick google.... Clearly not M&S , but the next company I googled had loads of bad reviews for flowers on trust pilot.

82% BAD one star reviews. out of 341

Loads of very disappointed buyers and recipients.

Wonder if that was the company?

They need to up their game.

She's making your birthday all about her.

That's really shitty of her.

Next year just find a picture of how the flowers are meant to look and use that.

@CorianderBee

It's probably because she complains and they refund her the money. So it's like she got you a present but didn't have to actually spend anything...

This

Are you sure they're dead. We had letter box flowers from dh's grandma and we put them in water thinking they were pretty much dead. And in a day or so were blooming and gorgeous. Lasted three weeks in total

That’s a good point @Bells3032 During the first lockdown I sent flowers to an elderly relative who has early stage Alzheimer’s. They called me outraged that I’d used a company who had sent basically dead flowers. Then I got a sheepish phone call a few days later to say they’d turned out beautifully after coming out of bud

Next year when she mentions birthday just say Any chance of some fresh flowers this year rather than the dead ones you normally buy

You are making a mountain out of a mole hill - it is annoying but you have asked her not to, next time just say thanks and refuse to engage with a back and forth.

I disagree. There's too much politeness in the world of gift giving that leads to an awful lot of waste of money and resources.

No-one is ever honest about whether or not they like a gift or if there were any problems, and the cycle where people spend time they don't have and money they can't afford on things nobody wants continues.

Yet when somebody tries to say something to improve the situation, in this case, a local supplier, that sells a better product, probably for less money, no-one listens.

Flowers can be a cop out by someone who has not thought of a better present, or not remembered the present at all and these can be sent quickly.

Next year ask for something specific - a box of Thorntons, some M&S pigs so there is not get out for her to buy flowers.

Put some letterbox flowers in my basket during work earlier for DH to order (not for me!). Came back to the page this afternoon and they had gone up by nearly £6!
Tried M and S instead and there was very limited choice to be delivered next week. They don't tell you the avaliable delivery dates for your chosen bouquet till you've added a gift message and delivery address. Even though it said named and next day delivery beforehand. Took several attempts.

Should say Bloom and Wild letterbox flowers in that first sentence!

I like these ones velaflowers.co.uk/
Heard about them on MN
Ethical, seasonal and as low waste as the florists industry gets probably.

Don’t buy her flowers for her birthday instead buy her chocolate and maybe she will buy you the same.

Order her some flowers for her birthday from the same place. See how she likes it.

Forward them unopened?

@Overseasmom100 what happened in the end? I'm frustrated for you!!

Bloom and Wild are fabulous. They do look poor when they first arrive as they are in bud. Cut the stems, put in water and they become beautiful and last for ages.

@annaek8 Spammer reported.

Personally I wouldn't use a company that needs to spam for custom.

I’m currently looking at a vase of Bloom & Wild flowers that are two weeks old. They look fantastic. I change the water every few days.

Your sister is using this as a way to ruin your day.

I have had good flowers from high street shops mentioned on most occasions , just once an issue which they rectified , pretty unlucky to get bad ones every year

@Chunkymenrock

Bloom and Wild are fabulous. They do look poor when they first arrive as they are in bud. Cut the stems, put in water and they become beautiful and last for ages.

I had completely the opposite experience with B&W. Received flowers that looked half dead on arrival and didn't perk up. Complained and for a replacement which were better but still not great. Died very quickly.