How to Send Flowers Online: Order, Delivery, and What to Check Before Checkout

You can send flowers online in one sitting: pick an arrangement by occasion and budget, confirm the delivery date and ZIP code, enter the recipient's address and gift message, then review the cart for fees before paying. The steps below follow the ordering flow on 1-800-Flowers.com, which organizes its catalog by occasion (Birthday, Sympathy, Everyday Occasions), flower type (roses, lilies, orchids, sunflowers, mixed bouquets), and product type (bouquets, plants, gift baskets, keepsakes). Same-day delivery is offered as a filter and label across several of these categories, but availability depends on the recipient's address and the time you order.

Step 1: Choose the arrangement

Start from the occasion rather than browsing the full catalog — it narrows the field fastest and keeps you from landing on something that doesn't fit the moment.

• Occasion: Birthday, Sympathy, Anniversary, Get Well, Congratulations, New Baby, Thank You, Wedding, or "Just Because." Sympathy has its own sub-paths (funeral sprays and wreaths, cremation flowers, sympathy for home and office), which matters because service flowers and home flowers are different products.
• Flower type: Roses, lilies, carnations, daisies, sunflowers, orchids, delphinium, mixed bouquets, or preserved and dried arrangements.
• Product type: Fresh bouquets, plants, gift baskets, fruit bouquets, gourmet food, balloons, and keepsakes. If you want the flowers plus something else, bundles exist so you don't have to build the combination yourself.
• Budget: The site groups gifts by price bands (under $30, under $50, under $75), which is the quickest way to stay inside a limit.

One catalog detail worth knowing: some items are listed with a starting price (for example, the Fall Fresh Pick Bouquet is shown as "Starting at $39.99"). "Starting at" means the final price can change with the size or option you select, so check the price again after you've chosen the upgrade.

Step 2: Confirm delivery before you get attached to an arrangement

This is the step most people skip, and it's the one that causes the most disappointment. Check the recipient's ZIP code and delivery date against the item before you write a gift message.

• Look for the Same-Day Delivery label on the product or in the category filters. If it's there and your order goes in early enough, same-day is realistic.
• If same-day isn't shown for that item, pick a later date rather than assuming it will work out.
• International delivery is a separate path on the site. If the recipient is outside the country, use that section instead of the domestic catalog — the available products and timing differ.

Step 3: Enter the recipient's details correctly

Delivery problems are almost always address problems. Fill in:

• Recipient name exactly as it should appear, especially for hospital or office deliveries.
• Full street address, apartment or suite number, city, state, and ZIP code. A missing apartment number is a common cause of a failed or delayed delivery.
• Hospital or facility deliveries: include the room number and, where relevant, the floor or unit. Front-desk staff often can't locate a patient without it.
• Delivery date. If you're ordering for a specific day, set it explicitly rather than relying on the default.

Then add your gift message in the card field. Keep it short — card space is limited — and sign it so the recipient knows who sent it.

Step 4: Add extras without duplicating what's included

Vases, balloons, chocolates, and stuffed animals are common add-ons. Before you add one, read the product description: many arrangements already arrive in a vase or container, and many bundles already include the balloon or treat. Adding a vase to a bouquet that ships in one means paying twice for the same thing.

If you're unsure, the safer move is to add a consumable extra (chocolate, a keepsake) rather than a functional one (a vase) that may already be part of the arrangement.

Step 5: Review the cart and checkout

Open the cart and check these before paying:

The site supports account sign-in and order tracking, so if you create an account or sign in, you can track orders afterward. Registration is also listed as giving faster checkout and access to promotions. If you'd rather not register, the cart path still works — but you'll have less visibility into the order later.

Common problems and what to do

The same-day slot isn't available. Same-day delivery depends on the recipient's location and how late in the day you're ordering. Switch to the next available date, or choose an item that carries the same-day label.

You entered the wrong address. Contact customer service as soon as you notice. The earlier you catch it, the more likely the order can be corrected before it goes out.

The delivery window was missed. Use order tracking if you have an account, then contact customer service to find out what happened and whether a redelivery can be scheduled.

The recipient wasn't home. For residential deliveries, a missed hand-off usually means a redelivery attempt or a pickup arrangement — customer service can tell you which applies.

You need to change the delivery date. Rescheduling is generally easier before the order enters fulfillment, so make the request as early as possible.

A quick pre-checkout checklist

• Occasion and flower type match what you actually want to say
• Same-day or chosen date is confirmed for the recipient's ZIP code
• Apartment, suite, or room number is included
• Gift message is written and signed
• No duplicate vase or add-on in the cart
• Delivery fee, taxes, and final price reviewed
• Account created or order number saved for tracking

If you work through these in order, the order itself takes only a few minutes — and the part that usually goes wrong, the delivery details, is handled before you pay rather than after.