I literally just ordered flowers from ProFlowers and the whole flower ordering business sucks. I can't stand seeing flowers on a site for $19.99 then on the last page seeing that shipping and handling is another $20 bucks. And seeing an option for a coupon and searching the web for something is also absurd. I'm digging the flat model and speed. I'm not in the SF area, but I'm looking forward to this spreading through the US.
Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
21–30 of 57 posts
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#22"Indeed, while there are your typical use cases like boyfriend-forgets-anniversary" What about girlfriends sending flowers to boyfriends? I'll bet that majority of purchases to a significant other are made by a male, which is not really gender equal. I've never given a SO flowers, such a practise seems pretty silly. It's like paying for caring.
Not sure if we (guys) like flowers as much as girls. But honestly, I think it'd be a very nice detail.
I don't see it as paying for caring, the times I've giving flowers to SO is when the way flowers look makes me think of them. Yeah technically you're paying for a good... But I'd steal it too.
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#23After seeing the episode of The Lookout[1] about online flower services which contract out to local florists I decided to use the local florists directly. The gist of it was that the local flower shops will tend to give a more skimpy arrangement for online orders since they have to give a cut to the website.
If you're in NYC I highly recommend Starbright[2]. They have arrangements as nice or nicer than a fancy florist like Ovando, but the prices are way better.
[1] http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/full-bloom-online-flow... [2] http://www.starbrightnyc.com/
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#24We're doing the "Uber for X" in a non-ironic fashion still? Surprising...
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#25I literally just ordered flowers from ProFlowers and the whole flower ordering business sucks. I can't stand seeing flowers on a site for $19.99 then on the last page seeing that shipping and handling is another $20 bucks. And seeing an option for a coupon and searching the web for something is also absurd. I'm digging the flat model and speed. I'm not in the SF area, but I'm looking forward to this spreading through…
Hey scubasteve - great name - and thanks for the comment. You're absolutely right: pricing tricks and up charges are not cool. The price we display is the price you'll pay (plus a little tax). We're working hard to spread to other cities super fast. Where are you located?
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#26After seeing the episode of The Lookout[1] about online flower services which contract out to local florists I decided to use the local florists directly. The gist of it was that the local flower shops will tend to give a more skimpy arrangement for online orders since they have to give a cut to the website. If you're in NYC I highly recommend Starbright[2]. They have arrangements as nice or nicer than a fancy floris…
Jeff, thanks a lot for sharing this episode. We haven't watched it yet but we'll take a look tonight when we get a chance.
Existing online shops give florists a lot of leeway in the arrangements they put together. BloomThat, however, works very closely with our partners, providing exact specifications for each arrangement.
By keeping the offering limited and holding everyone to a high standard, we're able to ensure quality across the board.
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#27So the big differentiator here is delivery in under 90 minutes?
Perhaps I'm jaded by my experience in the industry (parents = florists and I worked for FTD in the past), but that seems like enough to get just a handful of orders. Broadening to the entire market might be a struggle. You've got many local florists, drop shippers, and supermarkets to contend with.
I love the website. I can see that perhaps having and beautiful app + trendy website might give you traction in a younger crowd, a group that purchases fewer flowers today. A focus on quality will give you a leg up over a huge percentage of local florists, for many quality just isn't there.
Are you opening locations in each locale wish to serve? That's capital intensive and leads to procurement issues.
If you gain traction, I hope you're ready for what Valentines/Mother's day bring.
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#28I now use Bloomthat for everything (YC and personal). The arrangements are always charming. It's also so easy (and immediate) that I find myself sending flowers to friends and colleagues much more often -- just for little reasons/thankyou's.
My wife's day is going to get a bit better in 88 minutes, just because the process was so simple.
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#29Figuring out how to market affordably (and in a defensible way) is really key to this space. A friend works for 1800 Flowers and it sounds like the entire industry competes on marketing, not on product, because the products are indistinguishable.
Re: Magic Does Exist With “Uber-For-Flowers” Startup Bloomthat (YC S13)
#30After seeing the episode of The Lookout[1] about online flower services which contract out to local florists I decided to use the local florists directly. The gist of it was that the local flower shops will tend to give a more skimpy arrangement for online orders since they have to give a cut to the website. If you're in NYC I highly recommend Starbright[2]. They have arrangements as nice or nicer than a fancy floris…
I completely disagree with you. Local florists are to Target, as BloomThat is to Google Shopping Express. All the benefits of shopping online with delivery in less than 90 minutes. WAY more convenient than spending an hour driving, browsing, buying, driving.
And as Chad said below, they hold all florist to a high standard "to ensure quality across the board."