Flowerbud.com, at 10 years old…a longer lasting bloom.
Portland, Ore., April 10th, 2009 — While most businesses born in the dot.com heyday of the 1990s are pushing up daisies, Portland’s Flowerbud.com is still busy sending, if not them, a host of other fresh cut flower varieties ― to your door. Begun in 1999 by former farmer Mark Hayes, Flowerbud celebrates its 10th year harnessing the power of the Internet to bring customers the freshest flowers this side of the front yard.
Flowerbud’s innovative “from the earth to your porch” commitment means flowers are delivered in bud whenever it makes sense, extending their vase life from the typical three or four days to as many as a dozen, depending on variety. For 10 years, this no-middle-man approach has enabled the company to respond more quickly to orders, while delivering customers far more flower for their money.
“Flowerbud just happens to be a good idea that adds a definitive value proposition to what it sells,” said Mark Hayes, Flowerbud.com CEO and founder. “Over the last 10 years that success has been reflected in our fabulous and carefully nurtured and cared for customer base who have made a point of referring much good business our way as well as in the continuity of our numerous farms, 100 percent of whom still exist and supply us when called upon.”
As good ideas go, it is a relatively simple one: deliver the absolute freshest flowers possible. To do this most Flowerbud flowers are cut one day, cooled overnight and shipped the next. In most cases, flowers arrive to the customer less than 48 hours after leaving the field. By contrast, flowers bought in a store may have traveled for up to a week, moving from grower to wholesaler to retailer, by the time a customer finally has them at home.
To further ensure freshness, most Flowerbud flowers are boxed in bud form so that recipients can enjoy watching them open. This step also protects the delicate bloom while the flowers are in transit.
When Hayes dreamed up Flowerbud in 1998, dot.com start-ups were popping up like weeds. Flowerbud has managed to outlast them thanks to good and innovative ideas powered by the company’s intuitive and robust Web site, unfailingly superb product and a standard of exceptional customer service.
With 30 years in the floral industry, Hayes also happened to know where to find the best flowers, recruiting an array of growers, many specializing in just one or two varieties. The company in time also added delicious gift items, including apples, pears, oranges and the occasional sweeter treat sourced locally from near Flowerbud’s home in Portland, Ore., and delivered fresh.
