"Every industry has their dirty little secrets, even the sweet smelling floral industry." So began Weekend Today's first in a series of reports on "Tricks of the Trade: A Guide for the Consumer."
Reported by the show's consumer affairs reporter, Vera Givens, the 3-minute segment featured the insights of New York wholesaler David Marchini of George Rallis Inc. Acknowledging that some florists might strip outer petals on roses to hide the fact that a rose might be past its prime, Marchini advises consumers to check for bloom firmness and overall health of the flower, saying, the "leaves can tell you a lot about a flower." He also advises to "buy early in the week" and, when you can, buy locally grown.
When it comes to buying online, New York designer George Vallo, of Portafiori Flower, tells Givens it's impossible for a florist to keep in inventory everything that's featured online, so consumers who want to make sure they get what they order should tell the online retailer "exactly what you want and don't want" in the arrangement.
Givens also conducted her own "unscientific" comparison test by ordering two $50 arrangements, one from a local retailer and another from an online retailer. The arrangement from the local retailer was noticeably larger, with more focal flowers. Givens acknowledged that "convenience isn't always the best route" and that flower quality depends upon the florist actually creating the arrangement.
Givens defended misconceptions about "rip-offs" at Valentine's Day, saying it is a case of supply and demand. Her final words of wisdom for best buying practices for busy times like Valentine's Day: Order early, consider buying short stems vs. long stem and, "if you can do it," order a color other than red.
While the segment does expose some negative floral experiences, SAF's Jennifer Sparks, who contacts the media in cases of negative publicity, says that overall it's a balanced piece. "The way we decide whether or not to respond to the media is we check to see if there is a balance to the story," says Sparks, vice president of marketing. "In this case, while they used some sensational tactics to capture consumers' attention, overall the content of the story was favorable to the local florist."
See how florist Erlene LeBorgne of Rosemont Floral in Portland, Maine, talks about the segment to consumers, on her blog.
--Kate F. Penn
kpenn@safnow.org
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