Great Falls Floral & Gifts

Review: I have never filed a complaint before, but feel I must after dealing with this company. I ordered flowers as a gift. I live in same state as recipient but different town and try to support independent businesses. When recipient sent me a picture of them, they looked NOTHING like the photo on website. Photo on website depicted a very full, lush bouquet of 11-12 carnations, 5-6 roses, holly, baby's breath and greenery. What was received was 8 carnations, 1 stem of freesia, 3 daisies, 2 pine cones and and a few pine boughs, thrown in a vase. (no artistic value to design whatsoever) When I called and spoke with owner, I was given one excuse after another. "Just so busy this time of year", "wrong bouquet was sent to recipient", "extra carnations were substituted for roses" (8 carnations are not "extra" when 11-12 are pictured,) "our website clearly states that substitutions may be made" Here is a quote from site about substitutions "Care is taken to maintain the style, theme and color scheme of the arrangement, using flowers of equal value." I do not think 2 pine cones are of "equal value" to 5 or 6 roses! Aren't roses and baby's breath, kind of a staple of a floral business? How can you "run out?" When I asked for a refund, I was told that they could only refund 1/2 of the price I paid, minus the 15.00 delivery charge. (Website states delivery charge is $10.00) The recipients home is 7.8 miles from seller, according to Google maps. I felt the owner was extremely rude and somewhat condescending by saying, "we are just so busy this time of year" If you are coming into a "busy time of year" then perhaps more staff should be hired to help to insure your customers receive what is ordered. I understand mistakes can be made (we are all human) but when they are, as a business owner, I feel you should do whatever you can to rectify the situation, including a FULL refund, if requested. I wish I could send you photos of what was ordered and what was received, so you could judge for yourselves. BUYER BEWAREDesired Settlement: I would like a FULL refund with 15.00 delivery charge included.

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Revdex.com:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

When I called Great Falls Floral to complain, I did originally agree to them sending another bouquet (nothing was said about "picking up" the other one,) but after I got off the phone and talked to my husband, we both agreed that we were already embarrassed enough by this fiasco and decided that we just wanted our money back.( I was not told that they had received a new shipment of flowers that morning and was worried the next bouquet would be just as bad as first.) Within 10 minutes, I called back and asked for a full refund and was told that I would receive 1/2 of what I had paid for the bouquet. That was the "best they could do." After arguing that I wanted a full refund and being told there was no way she would give me a full refund, I figured 1/2 was better then nothing. (After filing this complaint on the 21st, I did receive a credit of 23.98 and emailed you that I had received it.) After talking to a friend, she told me to take pictures of what should have been received and what was actually received into the local floral shops and see if they thought the "substitutions" were acceptable. I visited with 3 different florists and all 3 were appalled at the difference. One even offered to send recipient a new bouquet free of charge, because she felt so bad about the bouquet that was sent. I was told by all 3, that I should file a complaint with BB and also to contact [redacted] directly and to send them the picture. After having all 3 florists tell me that what was received was unacceptable, and I agreed, it was then that I filed this complaint. All 3 stated that I should have received a FULL refund.

If you look at the "recipe of arrangement" that was sent to you in her response, compared to the picture of what was actually received, you will see that not only are the roses missing, there are no white carnations, no holly, or baby's breath. Don't even get me started about the bow. The only thing that was “right” about this arrangement was the red carnations, although if you look at pictures you can clearly see that they both contain 8 red carnations so I don’t see how she can claim that extra carnations were use as a substitute for the roses. Two pine cones do not make up for the missing roses, white carnations, baby's breath and holly! I could go on and on but I think the picture I sent with original complaint "speaks a thousand words" I will send original picture with this email also and again you can see for yourself.

Also on the page that GF floral sent you that has handwritten "Refunded 23.98" it states that the subtotal is 8.97 and the delivery charge is 15.00 but on the website (I will include screenshot) it clearly states that the delivery charge is 10.00!

This whole situation has been extremely embarrassing for me as the sender of this bouquet. Never again will I order flowers from this business and have warned all of my friends locally as well as in Great Falls about this situation, via facebook and emails. Not one person that I have shared the picture with, has said that what was sent, was acceptable, including 3 professional florists.

How often do recipients send pictures of the bouquets that they receive to the sender? I would think not very often and I think that is why Great Falls Floral thought they could get away with sending 1/4 of the flowers ordered. I wonder how many other people have been ripped off by them? I know that from now on I will always ask recipient to send me a picture of what they receive. How sad is it that I feel I need to do that now after dealing with this company.

Again, I am asking for a FULL refund which would amount to an additional 23.97 to be credited to my account.

Regards,