The clocks have changed, the first daffodils are flowering and you can still gorge on hot cross buns. What better time to buy flowers for someone you love? But what if the flowers you ordered online weren’t even in bud?
That’s exactly what happened to Gabriel when he ordered a bucket of irises from Interflora…
Buying flowers online for your loved ones
Gabriel: ‘It’s January 2015 and it’s the 19-year anniversary of being with my partner, Amanda – a suitable occasion to warrant the sending of flowers, I thought. I have never been one for the conventional bouquet and so when scouring companies online, such as Interflora, I look for its more interesting and unusual offerings.
‘On this particular occasion, I chose to send my present – the ‘Iris Planted Tin‘ – to Amanda’s work address. As I was unable to see my chosen floral arrangement in person, I was therefore reliant on the website visuals and online description provided by Interflora.
‘The irises took my fancy due to them being a living plantation of perhaps 15 in number, and in a rather fetching country kitchen-style rustic tin bucket with a big blue bow. A great addition, I thought, to my partner’s windowsill at work where it would suitably impress as well as brighten up the office for her and colleagues.
‘The big day arrived – a confirmation of delivery via email and text was received. Yet imagine my dismay when I got a call from Amanda saying: ‘Thanks for the, er… package… did you mean to send me a bucket of moss!?’
‘Maybe it was stupid of me to assume that when buying living flowers they might not have flowered yet. But nowhere did it say on the description ‘Irises may not be visible to the naked eye’.
‘Luckily, after 19 years, Amanda has maintained a sense of humour and she managed to curb the mirth of her colleagues and appreciate the potential of what might emerge from this strange yellow bucket of moss.
‘I, however, was not so amused and emailed Interflora with my frustration at the description of the Iris Bucket. I was then very pleased to receive a call almost instantly from its customer care team, who promptly apologised and offered a full refund for the inconvenience.’
What does Interflora have to say?
We got in touch with Interflora, which told us:
‘Each year, Interflora proudly delivers millions of beautiful arrangements to our customers’ delight. Occasionally plants may be delivered in bud form to ensure the recipient can enjoy them for longer.
‘We investigated this specific issue and found that the gift received in this case was an isolated incident and not a true representation of our product. We thank the customer for bringing this to our attention and giving us the opportunity to resolve their complaint. We apologise for any disappointment and wish to take this opportunity to remind customers that all our products are backed by the Interflora Promise and come with a Seven Day Freshness Guarantee.’
It’s worth remembering your rights when you buy goods online – they must be as described, of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. If they’re not, the retailer is in breach of contract and you have a claim under the Sale of Goods Act.
Has something you’ve ordered ever arrived in a completely different state to how it was described online?