AIBU To Feel Ripped off by a florist?

[Blankfluff]

My partner had arranged to collect my Valentine’s Day flowers on Saturday morning, which he’d ordered and paid £80 for earlier that week for collection.

However, when he went to collect them, he couldn’t believe what he was presented with. He complained at the time that he didn’t believe the bouquet was worth anywhere near what he’d paid for, others in the store collecting flowers agreed with him but the florists dealing with the collection just gave him a snooty response and carried on serving other customers. He called me to explain, but I had assumed he’d been dramatic, however, when he presented me with them, I was equally shocked, I can’t have thought these would be more than £40 from a good florist or maybe £25 from M&S.

Looking to get some other opinions, would you be happy with these flowers for £80? Personally, I think he should have been offered a partial refund if he wasn’t happy, or that they could have added a little to the bouquet to fill it out a tad. But equally very happy to be told this is what flowers cost and we should adjust our expectations accordingly

YABU - this is good value for money
YANBU - they have had his pants down

That is just shocking, what a rip off

That’s the problem with sending flowers direct. Some unscrupulous florists know full well that the recipient is unlikely to raise an issue with the sender.
One that I use sends you a short video of the finished arrangement before dispatch, so you know exactly what’s going to arrive.

You're much more likely to get a poor bouquet from a mail order warehouse than a high street florist. I've had M&S's delivery partner damage an arrangement ordered for a bereaved friend and damage the replacement sent out a couple of days later Not what you want and I won't risk using them again. Waitrose no longer have an online florist and haven't done for a couple of years.

If you usually use Interflora you'll get more for your money contacting a florist close to the recipient instead as there's no third party taking a cut.

OP - what was the outcome?

Waitrose do lovely bunches between £5 & £10, and I have to say far outweigh those florist ones. They would have gone straight in the bin. Yes. It's a waste....but the money has already been wasted, and I wouldn't want the constant reminder.

The value as they were bought around valentine's day is about right. The roses would have cost at least £6 plus each from a florist, as the wholesale price rises significantly when there's huge demand.. eucalyptus expensive also. However, these roses were in very poor condition, I'm really surprised that the florist gave them to your husband in that state. It's not worth risking their reputation to do it ... I would go back and complain and give them an opportunity to make amends. If nothing is offered, then a bad review is all you can do .

As he had already had hada snooty response from the florist, I’m not hopeful, but await OP’s update!

Thank you so much for all the comments, they were very helpful indeed. Rightly or wrongly we decided against complaining and chose to take this as a poor experience and vow not to use the florist in question again. Far too British I’m sure. However, this morning I was presented with a replacement bouquet from a different florist at less then 1/2 the price of the last. I’m sure you’ll all agree they’re 50 times better and have at least restored faith that pride in the craft is absolutely not lost

Those look so much better - and hugely better price as well. I hope, if you didn't complain, you have at least given them a review which reflects how bad they were - including the refusal to refund or replace @Blankfluff ?

I will be posting a review this week, I wanted to make sure I was writing it with an element of diplomacy not just annoyance and emotion. Very pleased with the new flowers, just perfect for early spring

They are gorgeous.
Include photos in the review.
A picture paints a picture a thousand words couldn't.
Picture, price, noting huge disappointment .

Rightly or wrongly we decided against complaining and chose to take this as a poor experience and vow not to use the florist in question again

Why would it be "rightly"?

I always think what a shame it is when people choose to accept appalling service or products.

Who does that help? Not you apart from the 5 mins it takes to write an email about it, not the business when it loses customers, or other customers who waste their money.

@Blankfluff ah the new ones are lovely !!! I showed my H the previous ones, he did say he simply wouldn’t have left the shop with them at that price - but then he works in tour management and is very used to complaining and enjoys it !!

Those original flowers were shocking.

People shout about respecting and supporting small businesses but there’s no denying that some are absolutely shit at what they do.

I agree, I saw a lovely bunch of tulips in there the other day. Not sure how much they were but certainly nothing like £80!

Agreed, there was a thread about small businesses not that long ago where people were describing how bad some of them are.

Of course, some are amazing.

This florist however...is not.

Would very much address the shop owner or publicly shame them for this because that is absolutely obscene. Very poor business thought, you won't keep customers behaving like that!

I would also have been annoyed and I'm sure it was embarrassing for your husband too.

I think the second bunch still looks a bit pathetic for £40 though!

You haven't given the original florist a chance to put things right and the new bouquet is different flowers.

The lilies and alstromeria aren't open yet.

They are dreadful and look very amateur

those roses are open as well so won’t last long - would be no more than £15 marks

dreadful dreadful dreadful - I think they got mixed up

You could of had hydrangeas with many other flowers and beauty of teacup roses for that and plenty more

im aghast

They are ok but also a bit lopsided - you should have multitude of roses for £40

I’m confused - did you get the original 80 back

they were in horrendous condition