A few lesser known online florists are leaving discounters and market leaders behind, according to a new market study conducted by CHIP’s test center. Blumeldeal claims first place by a narrow margin, gaining a very good grade of 1.4 on the German school grade scale (1=very good, 6=deficient). The test winner, as well as second-placed Valentins (likewise 1.4), FloraQueen (1.6) and Bloom&Wild (1.9), benefit from the freshness and longevity of their flower bouquets.
All four florists received a “Very Good” grade from the test experts for the sub-category "Quality". Two major players in the online flower market claim top scores in the criteria "Offer Diversity" (Fleurop) and "Scope of Delivery" (Blume2000), but can only position themselves in the last third of all companies in the overall ranking. In terms of order process and service, FloraPrima wins the competition. At Aldi Blumen the customer receives the most generous bouquet at a low price. The discounter group thus wins the "price-performance winner" award.
Stress test Valentine's Day
The CHIP experts ordered a bouquet of flowers from twelve suppliers for around 30 euros each. They ordered the goods 48 hours before the desired delivery date on Valentine's Day. February 14 is ideal for a tough test. It is traditionally considered one of the days on which floricultural delivery services are particularly busy. The conclusion: relief and happiness for last-minute buyers. In nine out of twelve cases, the bouquets ordered reached the test center on time. The three missing bouquets from Euroflorist, FloraQueen and Aquarelle arrived the following day. All suppliers explicitly highlight these possible delays during the ordering process. The test evaluation is calculated by an assessment of the flower delivery service’s product quality (60 per cent), scope of delivery (20 per cent), offer diversity (ten per cent), and the ordering process/service (ten percent).
Fresh flowers
Overall, all flower bouquests tested were in good condition on delivery. Test winner BlumeIdeal (quality mark 1.0) sent a perfectly fresh and visually attractive bouquet. The flowers were neither too wide open like Fleurop nor in bud stage like Lidl. The bouquet of the brand discounter unfolded its full splendor only after two days - which was all the more impressive. One of the better-known competitors, Fleurop (quality grade 3.6), not only delivered the smallest bouquet, but also the most short-lived. The petals showed distinct black spots and wilted quickly. After the seven-day test period, the colorful arrangement and thread structure looked poor throughout. Here too there were clear differences: Bloom&Wild and Valentines live in the vase the longest, eleventh-placed watercolours fades particularly early.
Strong fluctuations in the price-performance ratio
The testers noted large differences in the offer diversity. FloraPrima, Euroflorist and Fleurop cover a very broad floristic range, including accessories such as vases, small gifts or the increasingly popular flower subscription. They receive a perfect 1 grade for the diversity of their offer. Bloom&Wild only offered mixed bouquets during the test period and therefore comes in last in terms of offer diversity (grade 5.5 out of 6=deficient). Although all bouquets are similarly priced, their volume of flowers is different. The BloomyDays delivery had 21 flowers, Fleurop sent five. BlumeIdeal is in the middle with twelve flowers, while Aldi and Aquarelle are among the most generous florists with 16 each. In the separate evaluation of the price-performance winner, Aldi Blumen was able to prevail over the competition. Valentins and FloraPrima also claimed a very good grade here, taking second and third place.
Service and online tools with development potential
In general the test candidates performed less well in the “Order Process/Service” category. Here, the scope of the ordering tool as well as shipping options, payment methods and help options played a role. Of the twelve online florists tested, only FloraPrima and Euroflorist achieved very good results. All other providers present a narrow range of payment methods. For example, Aquarelle is limited to PayPal or credit card payment only. FloraQueen offers very few options as well. Some providers do not offer telephone support (Valentins, FloraQueen) or do not give care tips (watercolours). A positive note from the testers: The packaging waste is minimal. Fleurop's bouquet is delivered almost free of packaging directly from the nearest Fleurop contract florist.
The entire article as well as the complete ranking can be found on CHIP Online.
Johanna Schallehn
BurdaForward Communications
For more than eight years I have been writing texts about our company and our brands, organising trade fairs, talking to journalists and being chronically in far too many meetings. Whether at home or in the office - it doesn't get boring and sometimes I just put out the fire. If not, then I am most likely to be met in the mountains, with my daughter on the Isar or in my home country and the most beautiful city in the world: Hamburg.
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