The Bouqs review

The Bouqs floral arrangements are impressive, original, and eco-friendly, but the lack of delivery options and hit-or-miss flower quality lets it down.

The Bouqs review: Image shows the homepage of The Bouqs' website.
(Image: © Future)

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

The Bouqs offers some delightfully inventive arrangements, but is somewhat let down by delivery options and the actual quality of what you get.

Pros

  • +

    Subscription available

  • +

    Easy sorting and ordering

  • +

    Farm direct sourcing

  • +

    Large variety of plants and flowers used in most bouquets

Cons

  • -

    Limited same day or next day delivery

  • -

    Poor quality bouquet

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Some of you might remember that The Bouqs Company debuted on the television show Shark Tank back in 2014. Although The Bouqs didn’t get a bite at the time, this company has been blooming ever since. Its flower subscription service especially has been a big hit, saving people both time and money (the site also provides a nice discount which you can pass on to family and friends).

Eco-conscious individuals take note that The Bouqs is proud to offer sustainable and eco-friendly bouquets. The Bouqs’ philosophy is simple – it cares about people and the planet. The company does this by partnering with eco-friendly farms that minimize waste, recycle water, and ensure good working conditions for its staff. The company prides itself on providing farm-to-table flowers in an ethical manner.

We were really impressed with the original bouquet designs – these flowers will really make someone feel extra special. The modern designs come in a variety of styles which are created by a team of artisan florists. Some of the arrangements even come with assorted succulents that you can plant and enjoy for even longer. For the greenery lovers, The Bouqs has a lovely selection of potted plants too.

To properly review The Bouqs and check it was a worthy contender for one of the best flower delivery online services, we browsed their website (which was easy to navigate) and picked a flower arrangement that represented the average price and general aesthetic of the company’s offerings. The Showstopper in Original caught our eye as this floral arrangement came with a succulent which could be saved and replanted – a unique selling point for this business that we just had to see for ourselves. 

Image

Visit The Bouqs' website to see their full selection of bouquets and floral arrangements, as well as plants and dried bouquets.

The Bouqs review: Website and selection

  • Bouquets with wow factor 
  • More contemporary arrangements 
  • User-friendly website 

The Bouqs review: Image shows The Bouqs' bestseller bouquets.

(Image credit: Future)

All of the arrangements on The Bouqs website were very impressive. Regardless of size and value, all the bouquets were simply stunning. Most of the floral arrangements have a bohemian vibe, leaning towards a more pastel color palette and a jaunty, asymmetrical look.

Something unique to The Bouqs is that it likes to integrate plants and succulents into its bouquets that you can keep and replant – these really stand out from the competition and create more diverse arrangements. If you’re after a more traditional and classy bouquet, The Bouqs does have a few options, but there aren’t that many so your choices will be limited. A more mainstream site, such as 1-800-Flowers, will have a bigger selection, but with bouquets that are no way near as creative.

Well-organized and a breeze to browse, The Bouqs’ website is a pleasure to peruse. You’re able to refine your results and filter by flower type, occasion, flower color, price, and best-sellers. If you’re in a time crunch, you can also sort by ‘First Available’ and see options that are ready for same-day or next-day delivery. 

The Bouqs review: Prices and value

Across The Bouqs' website, we were pleased to see relatively affordable prices. Even the biggest and fanciest arrangements were mostly under $100, with a few just over $100. Most are priced from $40 to $60, which is cheaper than many arrangements of comparable size and quality from other services. Be aware, though, that the price of the bouquet you see whilst browsing is the smallest size, and once you click through to the individual flower page, there will be additional fees for other choices of size and vase options. Also, the displayed price does not include taxes and fees, which won’t get added until the final step and can be nearly $20 added to the price of each order. In our view, ProFlowers leads the way for value. 

The Bouqs review: Ordering and delivery

  • Not the best for same-day or next-day delivery
  • No add-ons
  • Subscription available

The Bouqs review: Image shows the buying options for an individual bouquet.

(Image credit: Future)

Ordering from The Bouqs is a pleasant experience overall, but a word of caution: if you're looking for a bouquet to be delivered the same day or the next day, don't waste time browsing the entire selection – go straight to the ‘Same Day’ section to see what's available. 

If you're ordering in advance, you'll also want to have several options to choose from. We found the delivery date availability variable across the selection. Some bouquets were only available one week out of the month, while others couldn't be delivered on Sundays or Mondays. Because of this, we wouldn't recommend The Bouqs for last-minute buyers. 

In terms of price, we ordered a $59 bouquet, but we paid a total of $83.84 after additional taxes and fees. We had our arrangement delivered on a weekday but had we ordered it to be delivered on a Saturday, we would have paid an additional fee for weekend delivery. This is standard across most sites, though.

Once we picked our bouquet, placing the order was easy. You can opt to include a message for the recipient, but there are no add-ons like balloons, chocolates, or greeting cards to include in the order. There are, however, gifts for purchase such as candles and jewelry. Be advised that these gifts can't be purchased on their own – they are included in pre-determined arrangement bundles.

Before checking out, we noticed that the glass vase was automatically added to our order. It's an easy detail to miss, so we recommend reviewing your order closely before checking out. We were pleased to see that The Bouqs offers a subscription service for those who want to send a gift that keeps on giving. The subscription knocks up to 30% off the price of some bouquets, too, so it's good value.

The Bouqs review: Arrangement quality

  • Very disappointing product
  • Flowers arrived in a box in poor condition
  • Difficult to maintain
What we tested

Arrangement: Showstopper
Included: None
Size:  Original - 12 mixed stems with a plantable succulent
Price:
$59 + taxes and fees
Flowers:
Pink roses, succulents, and more
Added extras:
None

After reading all of the customer reviews for The Bouqs, we were excited to receive our arrangement. However, to say that we were disappointed doesn't begin to touch on how our reviewers felt about the product. 

Our bouquet arrived in a box, as it was shipped directly from the source of the flowers. Although this protected the bouquet from the elements, it was poorly protected from wear and tear: a handful of buds and petals immediately fell off the bouquet when we opened the box and, when we took a good look at the bouquet, we all agreed that it was 'sad'-looking and sparse. In fact, while we thought that it could potentially match-up to the photo on the website, we didn't think it would ever realistically reach that level of appeal, even in perfect condition. We didn't think that the flowers would reach full bloom upon arrival, but what we found disappointing is that the pink roses were bruised, and the outside petals were brown. All the flowers, with the exception of the succulent, were already drooping. To top it off, there were a lot more leaves in our arrangement than there were in the photo online. 

In an attempt to salvage the arrangement, we followed the care instructions and put it into a water-filled vase with the packet of plant food that was provided. We don't recommend that anyone do this inside their home, as cutting the stems, especially the stem for the succulent, requires heavy-duty shears (regular scissors simply won't do). Even then, we found the bouquet disappointing to look at, and it never really perked up.

As for the complimentary message we included for ourselves, we thought that it was of much better quality than most of the notes we received from other online flower delivery services. It's printed on paper that's then glued into The Bouqs Company branded greeting card. For ours, we thought that whoever pasted the note into the card could have done a better job, as it was a little haphazardly done, but given that some providers like Harry & David flowers print the note on the delivery slip, this is one of the best we received. 

The Bouqs review: Customer service

The Bouqs’ customers can reach out to customer service via message (available from 6am to 5pm, 7 days a week) but the company has a page dedicated to FAQs on a variety of topics, such as order modifications, account management, and flower care. Please note that The Bouqs’ phone lines are currently closed until further notice.

Many people have expressed satisfaction with customer service representatives, saying that their queries were addressed within 24 hours or less. The Bouqs also has a "Happiness Guarantee" that ensures that they will do everything to make their customers happy. From what we've seen, they do live up to this claim.

The Bouqs review: Customer reviews

  • Mostly positive customer reviews with a few exceptions

We've seen mostly positive customer reviews for The Bouqs. Most people are amazed by the beauty and the quality of the bouquets, especially for such an affordable price. Many of the reviewers have also used The Bouqs for their wedding arrangements, indicating that it is a trusted service for special occasions. Of course, there were a few unhappy customers - but the rave reviews we read greatly outweigh those few. This is at odds with the flowers we received, so keep in mind that The Bouqs is an inconsistent provider and you could be unlucky, depending on the supplier.

The Bouqs review: Image shows plant options available on the website.

(Image credit: Future)

 Should you use The Bouqs? 

Elegant and trendy, The Bouqs has a stylish selection of modern arrangements that you won’t find anywhere else. Regardless of size and value, the boho-chic designs are all eye-catching and, best of all, come from farms that follow eco-friendly practices.

There are no options for any add-ons such as chocolates, but there is a chance to add a personal message during the checkout phase. Although there are a number of fantastic arrangements, if you want more of a classic style or are after those bonus gifts, you might be better off on a bigger website like FTD Flowers

Christina Hughes
Freelance writer

Christina is a freelance writer and editor based in the U.K. who covers everything from tech and office equipment, specializing in ergonomic alternatives. She has a degree in English Language & Literature and a Masters in Publishing. As a long-time sufferer of back issues, she knows what to look for when finding comfortable office equipment that will help alleviate pain.