When a Flower Greeting Turns into Frustration Flowers are a universal way to express emotions – care, joy, love, or sorrow. However, when a simple gesture like a flower delivery ends in disappointment due to the provider’s failure, frustration naturally arises. My mother recently turned 80 – an occasion that deserved a special celebration. Since I live on the other side of the globe, I decided to surprise her with a bouquet of flowers. A quick Google search led me to EuroFlorist.no, a company that promotes itself as a professional flower delivery service. I placed the order on January 1, five days before the scheduled delivery date, January 6. According to their website, delivery was to occur between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. This gave me a sense of reliability and professionalism. But what should have been a pleasant surprise quickly turned into a frustrating ordeal. A Failed Delivery On the birthday, I eagerly awaited a response from my mother. I expected her to mention the beautiful bouquet. To my surprise, she had received nothing. I immediately contacted EuroFlorist’s customer service via their website, where I could only access an automated chat function that proved entirely useless. The next day, January 7, I received an email from customer service. Initially, they claimed the florist had not updated their system. Shortly afterward, a new explanation emerged: poor weather conditions had prevented the delivery. These explanations seemed contradictory and unconvincing. Later that same day, EuroFlorist attempted to deliver the flowers, but the purpose of flowers is to mark the occasion. I instructed my parents to decline the delivery – the delay rendered the bouquet irrelevant. Had this been a funeral, such a delay would have been completely unacceptable. To make matters worse, EuroFlorist made a very serious and unfounded accusation: they claimed that my father – an 81-year-old man – had acted violently and confrontationally toward the delivery person. This is both unreasonable and unacceptable, appearing to be a desperate and unprofessional attempt to evade responsibility for a poorly executed service. Poor Weather or Poor Planning? EuroFlorist blamed poor weather conditions. While there were challenging conditions on the afternoon of January 6, the weather improved significantly after 7:00 p.m. They had the entire morning delivery window (8:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.) and again in the evening (7:00–9:00 p.m.) to make the delivery. This makes their excuse insufficient. What amplified my disappointment was that neither I nor the recipient was contacted, even though the company had access to both our phone numbers. A simple message or call could have resolved the situation. Instead, I had to discover the problem myself and spend time following up on it. Lack of Accountability EuroFlorist claims that the flowers were eventually delivered but refuses to provide documentation such as a signature or delivery confirmation. The lack of documentation and follow-up reveals poor internal control and unprofessional customer handling. At the same time, they have not addressed the alleged system error mentioned in their email. When I contacted my bank to dispute the charge, I was informed that I could not file a complaint until 15 days after the purchase. For a perishable item like flowers, this makes little sense – the flowers lose their value within a few days. Strengthening Consumer Rights This incident highlights a broader problem in the consumer landscape. Providers like EuroFlorist, who market themselves as professional operators, must be held accountable when they fail to deliver as promised. When a customer orders five days in advance and pays for a specific service, it is reasonable to expect the delivery to occur as agreed. Consumers need better protection in such situations. Complaint rules should be adapted to the nature and value of the goods, and companies like EuroFlorist must commit to greater transparency and improved customer service. Flowers are not just a commodity – they carry emotions, care, and significance. Failing to deliver in this area is not just a disappointment for the customer but also a breach of trust that damages the industry’s reputation. A Damaged Reputation EuroFlorist’s handling of this situation is unfortunately not unique. A quick online search reveals that the company already has a poor reputation among customers. Many report similar problems: delayed deliveries, lack of communication, and poor customer service. This should have been a warning, but unfortunately, I was unaware of this before placing my order. This experience confirms that EuroFlorist actively avoids taking responsibility for their mistakes, using vague and often baseless excuses to cover up poor service. That they also resort to absurd accusations against customers, as in my case, is both shocking and unacceptable. This is not just a problem for individuals but a practice that undermines trust in the entire industry. EuroFlorist has not only delivered poor service but has also gone out of their way to avoid accountability, making the experience even worse. It is clear that they are not a company deserving of consumer trust.