(Half rant but also for real)
I'm super frustrated because I've just spend days dealing with flowers I sent my in-laws for their 50th anniversary. I ordered a beautiful giant bouquet through teleflora that cost nearly $300 (totally crazy but my MIL loves receiving flowers and this was the whole gift and a big milestone.) The flowers she received were not arranged in the same shape AT ALL, were not in the specifically advertised vase, and were about 1/4 the size of the photo. They were also different kinds of flowers and different greenery, although I understand that can be more likely to happen with substitutions. Anyway I've spent hours on hold with Teleflora dealing with that and have finally gotten a refund.

BUT. I feel like this happens to me every time I order flowers and it feels like such a scam. I once sent someone 24 orchid stems and they received 12. Things like that. I've tried using all the different companies where you order online based on a photo and haven't usually felt they looked anything like the photo.

I've tried calling florists local to the recipient directly and not had much better luck. For a friend I ordered 2 dozen of her favorite flower in her favorite color which they assured me was no problem and she received a small bowl of white filler flowers.

Is there some secret to ordering flowers and getting what you order and pay for that I'm doing wrong??? I'm so tired of having to fix something after the fact when it's an expensive product that I'm purchasing.