The Miracle of Same Day Flower Delivery in Canada

It seems easy enough, but it's actually a miracle.

FedEx can't do it. UPS can't do it. Not even Canada Post can do it.

Same day delivery across the country.

Let's say you are in Montreal, and you want to send a gift across the country.


You Google "flowers in Vancouver", hoping for same day flower delivery in Canada as you've ordered before noon Vancouver time.

Up pops a number of websites to choose from so you click on Simon Says Roses with a whole range of flower images.

You select a flower arrangement with red roses and stargazer lilies, knowing she will love the colour and scent of the display.

And that's where the miracle begins!

The arrangements are not simply sitting on a shelf.

Somebody has to take the order.

Somebody has to construct the arrangement.

Somebody has to deliver the flowers.

All within about a four hour window.

Here's what has to happen:

1. The staff member takes your order, including product order code, greeting card message, recipient's information, your information, and the payment method.
2. The order is printed, and an Order Confirmation Invoice is sent to you by email with full details (except credit card information) for your order.
3. A copy of this Invoice is given to the flower designer.
4. The recipient is called, to ensure someone will be at the residence to accept your gift. 
5. The designer then chooses the flowers, the vase, and then must construct the arrangement, coming as close as possible to the picture. As no two flowers are identical, no two arrangements are identical, but a close replication of your choice will be made.
6. Most delivery services have a morning and afternoon pick-up, usually at 10:00 and 2:00. Orders placed the previous day or before hit the morning run while orders received that day make the afternoon run. Each driver usually loads from 10 to15 orders on each run.
7. The delivery driver must plot his delivery run to ensure the most efficient route is taken in terms of time and mileage.
8. Voila! The delivery is made. When the drivers return, they provide their delivery logs. Your order is marked delivered, and you are emailed a Delivery Confirmation.

A custom manufactured product, ordered and delivered across the country on the same day.

Now that's a miracle!

Flower Taxes are Inevitable, but THIS is Ridiculous!

It leaves business owners shaking their heads, and staff screaming in frustration (well almost).

Try to explain to people why there are all those different tax rates on flower delivery in Canada.

It's a nightmare.

You can't make this stuff up. Well maybe accountants can...that's what keeps them employed.

Every day at Simon Says Roses, we arrange for flower delivery across the country.

From West to East here's the breakdown as to the different tax rates we have to charge on flowers:

• British Columbia - 12% HST
• Alberta - 5% GST
• Saskatchewan - 5% GST
• Manitoba - 5% GST
• Ontario - 13% HST
• Quebec - 5% GST
• New Brunswick - 13% HST
• Prince Edward Island - 5% GST
• Nova Scotia - 15% HST
• Newfoundland and Labrador - 13% HST
• Yukon Territory - 5% GST
• Northwest Territories - 5% GST

And soon B.C. will be rolling back their HST, going back to a combination of the PST & GST.

Confused yet?

Top 8 Perils of a Canadian Florist

 

As Canadian florists, delivering flowers can at times be somewhat of a miracle.

We're professionals. We know what we're doing...most florists in Canada have been doing deliveries for years...delivering hundreds if not thousands of orders each year.




But flower delivery in Canada poses some unique perils, such as:

1. It's often cold here. Sometimes very cold. Imagine delivering flowers in Canada when it's minus 20 outside. Layers and layers of wrapping...and a delivery driver that can run quickly are very helpful!
2. It's windy. All too often we get requests to leave flowers at the door. That can work if there is shelter, but left out in the wind, there can be petals flying everywhere by the time the recipient comes home.
3. We have deer...lots of deer. Once again, leaving things at the door usually isn't the answer. We MUCH prefer hand-delivery of flowers to the recipient, otherwise Bambi may be having a lunch of flowers before you receive the gift.
4. Dogs. Dogs are wonderful animals...most of the time. Not so wonderful when they use a gift as their personal washroom, however. Cats too, for that matter. Enough said.
5. Transportation. Gas costs money. Lots of money. The majority of flowers consumed in Canada come from South America. For example, flowers are flown from Bogota to Miami, then trucked from Miami to Vancouver, and trucked again from Vancouver to Victoria. And then we have the local delivery service. That's a lot of gas!
6. The "don't call first" request. We get requests not to call the recipient ahead of time. But if the recipient leaves work early, and isn't coming back for three days, now what happens? We were told to deliver, and we do. But the flowers sit on her desk until she returns to work. Not good.
7. Much of our country is still rural. Can you imagine delivering to Township Road 254, Site 3, Comp 4, RR 3 in Spruce Grove, Alberta? Without a telephone number?  We're good, but we're not that good. The local florist may know a lot of people, but sometimes the driver needs directions. Please have that phone number handy.
8. Another rural dilemna is the Post Office Box. A P.O. Box is fine if we're mailing a parcel. Not going to work when we're delivering flowers. We need the physical street address, or at least a phone number to call for directions.

So next time when you have an order going out for delivery, remember your local florist.

We're doing the best that we can!