How to Tell If an Online Florist Makes Your Flowers Itself
An online florist makes your flowers itself when it names a studio with a street address, says plainly that its own florists make every order, and shows you a photo of your actual arrangement before delivery. If any of those three is missing, ask before you order.
Most flowers ordered online go to someone you can't reach in person. A birthday in another city, a new baby two states away, a thank you to a client you've never met. You choose from a photograph, pay, and trust that what turns up looks like what you chose. Whether it does depends less on the website than on who actually makes the flowers, and where.
Why does it matter who makes the flowers?
The florist who makes your arrangement decides the stems, the scale and the finish. When the business that took your order also designs it, the photograph you chose is a design that studio works to every day. When an order is passed on, someone else builds it from a description, with whatever they have on the bench.
That gap is the whole job here. You're not buying a picture. You're asking a florist to stand in for you at someone's front door, and you want to know who that is.
What should you check before you order?
Five checks take a couple of minutes and answer the question for almost any florist. Each one is something a florist that makes its own flowers can show you without being asked twice.
- A studio with a street address. Look for a named studio or workroom you could visit, not only a phone number and a list of suburbs.
- A plain sentence about who makes the order. "Made by our own florists" is a claim a florist can stand behind. Silence on the question is worth a follow-up email.
- A photo before delivery. A photo of your actual arrangement, sent before it leaves, is only possible when the florist that made it is the one sending it.
- Delivery to suburbs, not a shop in every suburb. A florist delivers to many suburbs from a few studios. A page that suggests a local shop in each suburb deserves a closer read.
- A guarantee that names what it covers. Look for specifics: on time, as pictured, how long it stays fresh, and what happens if it doesn't.
| What to check | What a florist that makes its own flowers shows you | Worth asking about |
|---|---|---|
| Where it's made | A named studio with a street address | Only a phone number and a suburb list |
| Who makes it | A clear statement that its own florists make every order | No answer to the question on the site |
| Proof before delivery | A photo of your actual arrangement | A stock image as the only reference |
| Local wording | Delivers to suburbs from named studios | Suggests a shop located in every suburb |
| If it goes wrong | A guarantee that names what it covers | General promises with no detail |
How does Fig & Bloom answer those checks?
Fig & Bloom makes every arrangement in its own studios, with its own florists, and never passes an order to a third party. Kellie Brown and Dan Groch founded the business in Melbourne in 2015, and the studios are in Fairfield in Melbourne, Camperdown in Sydney and Bowen Hills in Brisbane.
- Studios: 274 Wingrove Street, Fairfield VIC; 62-64 Australia Street, Camperdown NSW; 31 Jeays Street, Bowen Hills QLD. Hours and directions are on the store finder.
- Photo before delivery: every arrangement is photographed in the studio, and you're sent the photo of your actual flowers before they leave.
- Triple Guarantee: on time, as pictured, and fresh for seven days. If we miss on any of the three, we make it right.
- Where we deliver: same-day hand delivery to more than 1,000 suburbs across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, from those three studios. We describe the places we deliver to. We don't claim a shop in each of them.
The answers to the questions people ask most often, in full, are on our FAQ page. Independent reviews are on ProductReview.com.au.
Which arrangement shows the studio's work best?
Choose a design the studio makes every day, in the size that suits the room it's going to. A signature design is the fairest test of a florist, because the photograph you chose is the one the florists work to.
Osaka
From $139. Soft pink and white, made in the studio and photographed before it leaves.
What should the card say when you can't be there?
Write as if you were handing the flowers over yourself. One true line does more than a long message, and it should sound like you.
- "Wish I was there to give you these in person. Happy birthday."
- "Thinking of you from Sydney. Call me when you're settled."
- "Thank you for everything this year. These are from all of us."
More lines for different moments are in what to write on a flower card.
What should you do next?
Run the five checks on any florist you're considering. If you're ordering with us, this is the order of things.
- Choose your design and size, and enter the delivery address.
- Pick a delivery date. Order before 1pm local time, Monday to Saturday, for same-day hand delivery in Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane.
- Write the card message at checkout.
- Watch for the photo of your actual arrangement before it leaves the studio.
- If anything isn't right, contact us and the Triple Guarantee applies.
Questions about an order: hello@figandbloom.com · 1300 447 934
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if an online florist makes the flowers itself?
Look for a named studio with a street address, a plain statement that the florist makes every order itself, and a photo of your actual arrangement before delivery. If a site lists a shop in every suburb but no studio address, ask before you order.
Is Fig & Bloom a real florist or an order-relay website?
Fig & Bloom is a real florist. Every arrangement is made by our own florists in our own studios in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and we never pass your order to a third party.
Where are Fig & Bloom's flowers made?
In three studios: 274 Wingrove Street, Fairfield in Melbourne; 62-64 Australia Street, Camperdown in Sydney; and 31 Jeays Street, Bowen Hills in Brisbane.
Will I see the flowers before they are delivered?
Yes. We photograph every arrangement in the studio and send you the photo of your actual flowers before they leave for delivery.
What happens if the flowers are not what I ordered?
Our Triple Guarantee covers it: on time, as pictured, and fresh for seven days. If we miss on any of the three, we make it right.
Can Fig & Bloom deliver outside Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane?
Yes. Same-day hand delivery covers more than 1,000 suburbs across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane when you order before 1pm local time, Monday to Saturday. Beyond those cities, including Adelaide, Canberra, the Gold Coast, Geelong and Wollongong, we send from one of our studios with StarTrack next day delivery.
