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Business ProfileforAvas Flowers
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Specifically, there were claims from consumers stating that flower orders never arrived, or arrived days late, after events were over. There were reports of flower deliveries that were completely different from those ordered, flowers arriving damaged, dead, drooping, withered. Consumers have reported difficulties reaching Customer Service to try and resolve problems.
BBB received a response from Avas Flowers that included the following:
Avas Flowers constantly strives to provide the best customer experience from the point of sale all the way through to gift delivery. It is very important to us that our customers are satisfied with their purchase. As such, we go to great lengths to ensure all orders are handled with proper care and consideration.
Avas Flowers has implemented a number of measures and technological innovations to minimize potential issues. We proactively communicate to customers any necessity for major floral substitutions or delivery obstacles, and now utilize multiple avenues of communication including email and text message – in addition to traditional phone calls – to ensure that we effectively reach our valued customers. We also have a dedicated customer service phone number on which customers may call us back, routing them directly to knowledgeable agents who can quickly find their order and resolve their issue.
We’ve reviewed our most common customer feedback and have updated our website to make it easier for customers to get quick solutions. Under our “Support” tab on our website, we now offer the ability to quickly find an order number, track a delivery, modify an existing order, resend a receipt, and review relevant policies. Our “Support” tab also allows customers to report delivery or product issues, initiate an order cancelation, or obtain refund in certain cases.
In addition to our efforts to increase avenues of communication and provide quicker solutions, we also endeavor to provide transparency and clarity to our customers. As such, we have included links that are accessible from every page of our website to ensure that visitors have quick access to all policies pertaining to methods and availability of delivery, floral substitutions, refunds, cancelations, and our Satisfaction Commitment. We also include these links in our order confirmation email, along with the most frequently used self-help links under the “Support” tab, so that customers have access to these resources right from their email inbox.
However, like all companies within the flower delivery industry, we sometimes encounter issues related to floral and delivery availability. We deal primarily with delicate, perishable goods that are a product of nature. Flowers are subject to natural variation and seasonality, making it necessary to sometimes substitute with blooms that are in stock. Unlike many other products, flowers are easily affected by weather, courier handling, and their immediate environment (i.e. a sunny, humid room). While most of our customers and their recipients are perfectly happy with their purchases, in the event that a customer encounters a problem with their order, we have extensive processes to ensure we resolve the issue to the customer’s satisfaction as detailed above.
We have diligently pursued ways in which we can improve upon customer experience and will continue to do so. We resolve customer complaints, to the BBB or otherwise, in a timely and thorough manner. Unfortunately, the issues you cite can only be reduced where possible and never truly eliminated, as they are typical in the floral delivery industry.
BBB will continue to monitor any incoming complaints to ensure the pattern does not continue.
Additional business information
The following describes a government action that has been resolved by either a settlement or a decision by a court or administrative agency. If the matter is being appealed, it will be noted below.
On April 29, 2021, NJ Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced a settlement with a Bergen County-based online florist for allegedly failing to compensate customers when it delivered flowers that were wilting, or otherwise different from the arrangements pictured on the company’s website.
Flower Tech Center, Inc. d/b/a Avas Flowers, located in Mahwah but accepting orders to deliver nationwide, agreed to improve its business practices and make a settlement payment of $60,000, following a Division of Consumer Affairs investigation into alleged violations of the Consumer Fraud Act and its accompanying regulations. In addition, the company agreed to the submission of any pending consumer complaints, and any filed with the Division within the next year, for binding arbitration by the Division’s Alternative Resolution Unit if the consumers choose that option.
According to the Consent Order filed, the Division’s investigation into Avas Flowers was prompted by consumer complaints which alleged the company misrepresented its location; failed to notify customers of substitutions or give them the option to cancel their orders for a full refund when making substitutions; and failed to offer every option available to consumers, including re-delivery, merchandise credit, or a full refund when orders were delivered late or simply not delivered.
Under the Consent Order, Avas Flowers agreed to change how it does business by, among other things:
- Clearly an conspicuously displaying a link to its complete policy concerning cancellation, substitution, refund and return on the home page of the company's website, on any page where merchandise can be ordered, and on the check-out page prior to purchase.
- Clearly and conspicuously describing its policies on cancellations, substitutions, refunds and returns.
- Accepting order cancellations submitted in the manner and within the time frame specified in the cancellation policy.
- Refraining from guaranteeing delivery at a specific time where the time of delivery is beyond its control.
- Offering customers the choice of re-delivery of the merchandise ordered, store credit, or a full refund if the merchandise is not delivered, or is defective or differs in quality or characteristics from the merchandise the customer ordered.
- Providing all customers with copies of itemized invoices following purchases.
- Clearly and conspicuously disclosing its main business address.
The Consent Order was entered into by the Parties for settlement purposes only and should not be construed as an admission by Respondent that any of its acts or practices described in or prohibited by the Consent Order are unlawful or unconscionable or violate the CFA and/or the Advertising Regulations.
At-a-glance
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Business Details
- Location of This Business
- 50 Tice Blvd Ste 340, Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677-7681
- BBB File Opened:
- 3/1/2012
- Years in Business:
- 13
- Business Started:
- 3/1/2011
- Business Incorporated:
- 3/1/2011
- Type of Entity:
- Corporation
- Alternate Business Name
- Flower Tech Center, Inc.
- Related Businesses
- Business Management
- Mr. Matthew Neuenhaus, President
- Roberto J Begazo, Director of Operations
- Contact Information
Principal
- Roberto J Begazo, Director of Operations
- Additional Contact Information
Phone Numbers
- (855) 543-6712Other Phone
Email Addresses
- Sales
- Technical Support
Website Addresses
- (855) 543-6712
Customer Complaints
963 Customer Complaints
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File a ComplaintMost Recent Customer Complaint
04/01/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
Customer Reviews
2,822 Customer Reviews
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Most Recent Customer Review
Darren M
04/16/2024
Avas Flowers Response
04/18/2024
Hello,
We acknowledge and apologize for how this unfortunate event has created an inconvenience for you. Weve taken a serious look into the matter and want you to know that our team has taken this incident very seriously to make sure it wont happen again.
Since there was an issue with the fulfillment of the order, we provided a full refund and it should appear shortly, as the time for the transaction to post varies by bank and credit card company. We'd like to offer you $20.00 in store credit, which you may use for up to one year, all across ***************** for future purchases as a token of our apology.
Once again, we apologize for the experience you had with ** during your recent purchase. We hope that we can serve all your floral needs in the future.
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