Deception marketing has often been abused by national companies and local retailers that want to look like large, nationwide companies. Do a Google search for “florist” and pick any city and the same names keep popping up. No matter which city you choose, you’ll almost always find names like Avas Flowers, Rita’s and Ranch. These companies try to appear local and in local markets, but they’re not.

What are some of the signs that a shop may not really be a local florist? One of the biggest red flags is if they answer the phone with something generic like “Flower Shop” without any other name association.

The video below is from a call to a shop located in Punta Gorda, Florida. This particular shop is trying to emulate a 40-year-old shop named Port Charlotte Florist, located in a neighboring city.

While the shop answers the phone “Flower Shop,” it also has a recording that states “Number One Florist.” Most people would probably be fooled because they make it vague on purpose. Their website offers even more mystery; there isn’t even a name on it at all!

The unfortunate fact is that this is what we are up against in this industry. Deceptive marketers thrive in the floral industry because many people who order flowers aren’t familiar with legitimate, well-established flower shops that serve the recipient’s local area, so they do a Google search and check out a few of the top listings without ever knowing the difference.

Unfortunately, they usually end up disappointed with the results – or worse yet – just flat out ripped off because they gave their credit card information to someone who misrepresented themselves as honest florists. And I don't have to tell you who the swindled customers think is ripping them off because you've surely fielded phone calls from angry customers who fell for the scam and now they're mad at you!

We need to work together to educate consumers and put a stop to these dishonest marketing tactics. It’s bad for the consumer and it’s bad for florists!

Listen for yourself and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Have a great week, everyone!

Art