| I bought my first bunch of flowers at the | | | | one to think. Does the allusion of romance shrink |
| neighborhood florist way back when I was a whiff | | | | with times? Does it now become impersonal? |
| of a teenager. While I feel that it was just a blink | | | | I think not. I think the online flower delivery |
| ago, it admittedly was a big block of time before | | | | industry even increases the potential of men (and |
| the Internet became public domain. On the rare | | | | women) to purchase a bouquet or two with very |
| occasion that I did, I have to admit that I actually | | | | good reason. |
| liked the feeling of entering a flower shop. | | | | First of all, you can now see the entire catalogue |
| Looking around, sniffing the arrangements, | | | | of products and packages and compare them |
| twiddling with the cards, mentally debating what | | | | across the board. You can see all colors, types, |
| to write or what color to get and finally how | | | | fillers, and packaging options. Most even have |
| many to get. There were always a few varieties | | | | guides and suggestions to help the user make a |
| of flowers available but on impulse the first choice | | | | choice plus it already comes with a greeting card. |
| of purchase would be roses. Usually the displayed | | | | Secondly, it’s keeps you on the clock. |
| item would be red although a small sign would say | | | | Apparently, if you become a member or a |
| that other colors were available. The romance | | | | frequent customer, you become entitled to be |
| already seemed to start with all these efforts. | | | | conscientiously reminded by alien technology to |
| But alas, this dance was to be repeated again and | | | | send another bunch during occasions or special |
| again since the response of the recipient would | | | | dates. Mind you, since this is now a worldwide |
| always be too favorable. | | | | phenomenon, it gives you the ability to send it |
| Men being men might be genetically predisposed | | | | anywhere on the globe. Now we become an |
| to endure such ritual torment, fortunately for us | | | | omnipotent source of care and affection. |
| and the rest of mankind, the passage of time also | | | | Lastly, it’s the cost control. With the online |
| brings us with the endowment of technological | | | | gift economy world getting smaller and stronger, |
| options. | | | | suppliers and distributors had to bind together and |
| At first the Internet gave us lazy letters called | | | | find more efficient means of delivering quality |
| emails. I could now send typed messages without | | | | goods. Online stores also forego the overriding |
| the need of postage. Websites then bloomed and | | | | cost of brick and mortar businesses, therefore |
| us an eyeful of what more the world had to | | | | less real estate and less people power while |
| offer. It was all about information but now it has | | | | operating virtually 24 hours. All these factors |
| turned into a highway of commerce. | | | | contributed to competitive pricing while raising the |
| Low and behold, soon enough flowers were for | | | | quality bar thus turning happy customers into |
| sale. As this trend caught on at our shores it gets | | | | frequent shoppers. |