A better bunch for your buck

New online florist directory gives better bunch for your buck

A new online florist directory aims to cut out the flower middleman and bring more integrity in the florist industry.

Vuzien goes live this month and promises flower customers the days of paying up to 40 per cent in hidden fees are over.

The directory, www.vuzien.co.nz, plans to go international and has been set up by qualified Rotorua florists Emily Stevens and Jocelyn Wasley.

Having run Fusion Flowers in Rotorua for 20 months, the pair quickly saw a gap in the market for an internet-based florist directory where the customer deals directly with real a florist. They took the plunge, sold up and have invested in Vuzien.

They say Vuzien will stop order gatherers making huge profits to the detriment of florists and customers.

When searching the web for a local florist, it is very hard to decipher between what is a real florist and simply just an ‘order gatherer’.

These order gatherers are posing as real florists, but what is happening is that they will take a cut from your money, send the order on to a relay service, who take their cut, then finally send it on to the florist resulting in a loss of up to 40% of your order value.

These practices are happening right throughout the world and recently an article on website www.consumer.org.nz highlighted the problem with order gatherers in New Zealand.

Vuzien works differently. Customers go to the Vuzien website and choose a real florist from the directory for the area they want to send flowers.

The order is made online directly with the florist and the florist makes up the order and delivers the flowers.

The florist takes a photograph of their work, uploads the photo on the Vuzien website which automatically sends the customer an email notification of where they can view the sent flowers.

This way when a customer purchases flowers online, the only fee taken out, is the delivery fee which is taken out by the florist, not Vuzien.

They said customers would immediately notice better value for money by viewing their online photographs and florists wouldn’t have to deal with tedious paper work and wait up to six weeks for payment from order gatherers.

Ms Wasley said order gatherers had got away with taking huge cuts because rarely did customers divulge to flower recipients how much they spent.

“It’s bringing some integrity into the industry.

Most people only get flowers on a few occasions a year. They’re special and they aren’t cheap,” Mrs Stevens said.

The pair is so excited about Vuzien, they have offered florists signing up before March 16 free memberships for six months.

Vuzien goes live on the internet on Monday March 19. To find a real NZ florist and order flowers online, go to www.vuzien.co.nz and get your ‘e-guarantee’.

For further information please contact Jocelyn Wasley or Emily Stevens at info@vuzien.co.nz

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