Venus et Fleur is a relatively new flower provider, founded in 2015, and it is famous for its Eternity roses, which we simply had to review. Eternity Roses are intended to last a full year, according to the Venus et Fleur website. While traditional bouquets last a few days, up to a week at best, Venus et Fleur guarantees that its roses will last up to a year with no special care needed. However, because of their longevity, you may need to be prepared to spend a hefty amount relative to the cost of any other floral arrangement.
Unlike many of the best flower delivery online services, Venus et Fleur does not outsource orders to local florists. All roses come from Ecuador, and they are picked at the height of their beauty to then be shipped to New York. When the roses reach the United States, this is when they undergo treatment to be able to last a year. The roses undergo a vigorous process of bleaching before being covered in wax. This removes the color, dehydrates, and preserves them. Then, they are dipped in dye - which is why Venus ET Fleur is able to offer colors that don't necessarily appear in natural petals. This process also locks in the scent of the roses, so you'll be able to enjoy the smell of the Venus et Fleur flowers for two to three weeks longer than you would with traditional roses.
Venus et Fleur review: Website and selection
- Decent selection of roses
- Some customization options
Venus et Fleur's selection of Eternity Rose arrangements is somewhat limited. The company only offers roses, though in a wide range of colors - everything from classic red to silver to rainbow. There are a number of presentation boxes to choose from on the site and, in keeping with the modern style of the site and the products it offers, the packaging is very contemporary. Great if you want modern, but unsuitable for anyone looking for more traditional arrangements.
We found the Venus et Fleur website simple and easy to navigate: you can browse by collection or recipient. In this regard, there's not a lot of variety - if you want to send flowers as a sympathy gift, for example, you'll need to look to a competitor like 1-800 Flowers. However, there are custom arrangements available, if you're willing to pay a hefty price. You can create designs out of the roses, such as a person's initials or a heart symbol, which is a neat touch.
Venus et Fleur review: Prices and value
Venus et Fleur prices are very high. A single Eternity Rose starts at $39 - and most arrangements run for well into the hundreds. If you have over $1,000 to spare, you can get a customized arrangement. Venus et Fleur does not offer a flower delivery subscription (it may be assumed that, with such long-lasting flowers, you won't need one).
Venus et Fleur review: Ordering and delivery
- Easy to order
- Inconsistent delivery times
Ordering from Venus et Fleur is simple and straightforward. After making your selection, you will be prompted to customize your order, such as picking the color of the roses and the kind of gift box the roses will come in. Although many customers have complained about this, the website is quite clear: some color combinations may lead to color bleeding in transit, especially if you decide to pair a light color and a dark color in the same arrangement.
The sender can opt to send a complementary note with the roses, but Venus et Fleur does not offer any add-ons that more traditional flower delivery companies offer, such as balloons or chocolate. However, you still have the option to include other gifts, like a candle. If you want more extras, Teleflora and Harry & David Flowers have you covered.
We also found Venus et Fleur a little overbearing in its marketing. If you input your phone number and email address but decide not to checkout, you will receive solicitations from a representative to purchase an arrangement. We received a text message just two hours after evaluating the process.
Venus et Fleur offers next-day delivery - however the website is unclear as to how this works: even if you choose the date of delivery, the shipping time still indicates "1 to 6 days" for delivery time.
This likely depends on the locations at which the roses are kept - there are a few depots throughout the United States, but Venus et Fleur is unclear as to whether or not locales well outside those locations can still benefit from same-day or next-day delivery.
Venus et Fleur review: Arrangement quality
- Very strong smell
- Not the best presentation
Arrangement: Small Round Classic with Red Roses
Included: Box
Size: 7" x 7" x 5"
Price: $299
Flowers: 11-14 Red Roses
Added extras: None
Our Venus et Fleur Eternity Roses arrived, as expected, in their branded box - the box itself was in a sturdy, black bag. The lid of the round box was placed underneath it, and is not actually meant to fit over the flowers, as we found out the hard way.
One of the most notable features of the roses is their smell. Your recipient and, quite honestly, everyone in the room, is most likely to smell them before seeing. We found that our testers were divided on the smell. It's not subtle, and some thought the smell was very lovely while others thought the roses smelled artificial, like furniture polish or chemicals of some kind. This is most likely because of the chemical treatment the roses to through in order to become the company's branded Eternity Roses.
Upon first glance, we noticed the same flaw that many other customers were unhappy with: from the top, the roses look to be in good care. However, around the sides, the roses were heavily frayed and torn. In short, we were disappointed by the low quality and appearance of the flowers relative to the price. The flowers were also waxy to the touch. While we feel that this quality is less important than other qualities, such as the smell and appearance, if was off-putting to some of our testers.
Venus et Fleur includes care instructions for its flowers, which we found helpful despite the fact that they don't need watering. Essentially, they ask that the recipient keep the roses in a controlled environment. This will ensure that the Eternity Roses will last, as promised, a whole year.
The recipient is also instructed to keep the roses in the branded bucket they arrive in, as they are glued together inside. While some may think of this as a plus, especially if they don't own a vase, others may think that the aesthetic of the receptacle does not match that of their home or wherever they choose to keep the roses. So keep this in mind when you order.
Venus et Fleur review: Customer service
For customer service, you can contact Venus et Fleur by email or by phone throughout the week. On weekdays, you can call the customer service line 8am through 8pm, and on weekends, 9am to 5pm. It isn't the best customer service we've seen, which is that of 1-800 Flowers, but it's fine for most people.
Venus et Fleur review: Customer reviews
Customer reviews appear quite torn between a positive experience and a wholly negative one. While many people have expressed satisfaction and delight with the arrangement sent and received, there are many recurring issues as expressed by customers. We found that many people have complained of late delivery - as late as two weeks after the order was placed. Many have also complained that, upon arrival, the roses looked worn and tattered, and even had hot glue on them from when the box was sealed. While we believe that part of the problem is how the package is handled during delivery, we find that there are simply too many negative reviews to believe that the service is consistent.
They also complain about the general appearance of the roses, saying that they look "cheap" and are simply thrown together. Finally, there are numerous complaints about customer service's unresponsiveness to complaints. Essentially, many have been impressed by the ads for Venus et Fleur only to discover a disappointing product.
