Today, I would like to alleviate some misconceptions regarding the delivery of gift baskets. Namely, how it is done and how long it takes. I am going to focus mainly on Canada, but also touch on delivery within the United States in the hopes of clearing up any confusion and making your gift shipping a little more understood.
Unlike floral shops, gift basket companies are not set up with things like FTD. They do not take orders and then farm them out to a gift basket company that is close by to have built and delivered. Most gift basket companies actually prepare their orders and ship them to the destination from their location.
This is slightly different in the USA and/or if the company is a drop shipper. Drop shippers (many are based in the US) receive orders and send them to a central "drop ship center" where the baskets are assembled and shipped from this one location.
Therefore, if you need a gift basket in a particular city in a very short period of time (same or next day), you will need to find a gift basket company located in that city. It might take a little investigation, but all good gift basket companies clearly display their location on their website, usually under "contact us".
Alternatively, if you find a particular company which you like working with, familiarize yourself with their policies. Make sure you understand the difference between processing times and shipping times. Processing times is how long it takes them to actually process or build your order and have it ready for pick up by their courier. Shipping times pertain to how long it takes that courier to get it delivered to the recipient from the moment they pick up the gift. This information too is clearly visible on all good gift basket company sites. If you are not sure, contact them. They have a vested interest in getting your gifts delivered within your required time frames, however, if it says it takes 5 days to ship to a particular destination, there is no way they will get it there tomorrow, and if they are unable to contact you, they will send it out as is.
The best advice I can give you, if you send gift baskets frequently, is build a relationship with your gift basket provider. Ask questions and request details. They have the knowledge and experience to make your gift shopping experience an enjoyable event.
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