FAQ
For larger orders that need to be transported by pallet, we use a range of couriers on the pallet network, depending on your location. These services generally take up to 2 working days to be delivered after their dispatch date. For more information, please get in touch.
What we can do:
- Provide same day dispatch for goods ordered and paid for before midday
- Offer shipping upgrades to guaranteed next day or Saturday delivery for an additional cost
- Supply you with tracking details for most types of consignment (this isn’t always possible for shipments by pallet, for example)
- Notify you when your order has been dispatched
- Arranged a managed return of unwanted items for a fee
- Deliver worldwide
What we cannot do:
- Offer timed delivery slots
- Guarantee delivery will be made next-day on standard services
-
Deliver & collect on an exchange basis (you will need to order the replacement items and return the goods you do not want; we will credit the returned items once we have received them)
- Make changes to a delivery service once the goods have been dispatched
- Contact the delivery driver directly
How much is delivery?
Our standard delivery costs £15 for orders valued under £200. We also offer options for next-day and weekend delivery. You will find these options and their associated cost at the checkout.
How long does it take to get my items?
Our standard service is usually 1 – 2 working days after an order is dispatched (dispatch is same day if the order is placed before midday and next-day for orders placed after midday).
Can I upgrade to a faster service?
We do offer an upgraded service to guaranteed next-day, and we estimate that 99.9% of these deliveries make it to their destination in that time. The cost of this will be on top of any other delivery charges that may be applied to your order. We also offer a Saturday Service, and again, charges for this are applied on top of any standard delivery cost already in place.
What happens if my delivery is late, or I don’t receive it?
We are usually able to provide tracking numbers, and should you wish to keep up to date with the progress of your parcel, you can do it using DPD’s online tool:
Occasionally this isn’t generated, or the message shows the incorrect status, leaving you unable to find the information out yourself. At this point, we advise you to contact us so we can try and trace the
consignment. Please be aware that we don’t get an instant response. We have to contact the courier company who will trace the consignment and then come back to us. We appreciate how frustrating this can be but respectfully ask you to be patient.
Sometimes, you may not be in when the driver calls, and they will either leave a card or notify you by text/email to say that you will need to rebook the delivery. There will be a phone number to call or a link to click. If you receive this, rebook it as soon as possible, because parcels that aren’t rebooked within a couple of days are returned to us by the courier company.
If you would like to collect your parcel(s) rather than trying to rebook a delivery, you can use the details on the card to contact your local depot and arrange the best time to collect. Depending on the depot, they may not be able to allow collections, so calling is essential. They will expect to see the card, proof of address, and some ID before they release the goods.
Rebooked deliveries are attempted on the same service as the original and for this reason, you cannot choose a timed or Saturday service when rebooking a delivery. Upgrades would need to be arranged by contacting us first.
What happens if my delivery is damaged, or there are items missing?
If you notice the box is badly damaged when the courier hands it to you, you can refuse the delivery. You will need to contact us immediately to resolve the issue. Try and take photos before the driver leaves so that you can send them to us.
Should you take the damaged box or discover the damage/that there are missing items later, contact us within 24 hours of the delivery to resolve the issue. Make sure to take photos of the damage and send them to us. Please note: To reduce packaging and protect items in transit, we have started to wrap more than one bunch together. This has led some people to believe they are missing items, when in fact they are tucked in with something else. Be sure to unpack your order completely to check for items.
Do you ship abroad (Outside the UK)
Yes. We offer worldwide shipping through a variety of international carriers, selected firstly for reliability and then cost. Your shipping rate should automatically update when you checkout, but if you would like an estimate do feel free to contact us.
UK & Offshore Notes
Standard Liability – £100 per Parcel, ExpressPak or Freight Parcel. Pallets are £1.50 per kg of gross weight, with a maximum liability of £1500 per consignment. Homecall – £25 per parcel.
DPD 12:00 – available to Belfast and St helier only
DPD NEXT DAY – Only available to Channel Islands & Northern Ireland
Mainland Scottish Highlands – AB36-38, AB55-56, FK17-21, IV1-99, KW0-14, PA20-40, PH15-41, PH45-99
2 day delivery
Scottish Islands – HS1-9, KA27-28, KW15-17, PA41-80, PH42-44, ZE1-3
2-3 day delivery
DPD Pickup –
- Standard Liability – £100 per parcel and expresspak
- Ship to Shop – Next Day service only
- Return to Shop – 1-2 day service
- Available to mainland UK only, including Scottish Highlands
- Dimensions: 60cm x 60cm x 60cm OR no two sides to exceed 1.2m collectively
- Maximum Weight: 20kg
A handling charge will apply for any items that exceed dimensions of 1.0 metre and/or weigh more than 30kg and that are not palletised nor on skids
DPD also charge a London Congestion surcharge which will apply to the following Post Code areas: W1-2, W8, W10-11, EC1-4, WC1-2, SW1, SW3, SW7, SE1, SE11, NW1, E1
All parcels will be subject to a Class 1 HGV Charge detailed above.
All parcels collected on the week of Black Friday up until and including the week of Christmas will be subject to a peak Charge detailed above.
Channel Islands/Ferry Speed
For those of you in the channel islands who have access to Ferry Speed, we can offer delivery at the same price as our standard UK delivery. To make use of this service, we will need you to provide us with your Ferry Speed account number when you place your order.
Can I get a Saturday delivery?
Yes. You can upgrade to a Saturday delivery in the checkout area. It costs £12 on top of any existing standard charges.
Can you deliver directly to my customer?
Yes. Just make sure you update the delivery address when checking out, and make sure you put any notes in the order for phone numbers or directions that may be required.
Why are your postage rates so high?
We are a wholesaler, so our business is structured around bulk ordering and our product costs are worked out on this basis. When we receive small value orders, it makes it more expensive to process, and therefore the cost is factored into the postage rather than the product. Postage is free on a standard service for orders over £200.
RETURNS
Can I return items I no longer need?
Yes. We are pleased to offer a refund for your purchase, provided the items(s) are returned unused, in their original condition and fit for resale, within 30 days of you receiving them. We will extend this period for International Customers where returned items are held up in transit.
How do I organise a return?
Please ensure that products are packed carefully in a box with appropriate protective packing to avoid any damage in transit. When the goods are received, checked, and processed back into stock at the warehouse we can arrange for a refund. We also request that you include the original packing list that came with the order and mark the products you are sending back on the sheet to help with restocking the items, otherwise there will be a delay in processing the return.
Our return address is:
METRO SUPPLY CHAIN
FAO Atlas Flowers RETURNS
Unit 2, Snetterton Business Park
Chalk Lane
NR16 2JZ
United Kingdom
We can arrange for items to be collected from an address of your choice. The cost of the return is a one-off fee of £15 and will be deducted from your refund amount. Please note it may take up to 14 days for the collection of returned goods. Please email us at orders@atlasflowers.com to arrange this option.
Can you collect from me?
Yes. We offer a fully managed return for a fee of £15, just contact us to request this.
The items aren’t as I expected, can you exchange them for a different product?
We can’t offer a swapped exchange; you will need to order the replacement items and return the goods you do not want; we will credit the returned items once we have received them.
My items have arrived damaged, can I get replacements?
Contact us as soon as you discover the items are damaged with photos, and we can send out replacements if the items are still in stock. We can offer a refund if you prefer/if the items are no longer available.
My items have arrived damaged, can I get a refund?
Contact us as soon as you discover the items are damaged with photos, and once we have reviewed the damage, a credit can be arranged if appropriate. If you prefer replacements, should stock be available, we can look to do this instead.
Will you refund my postage costs too?
If the items are damaged or there is a fault with the product a postage refund may be appropriate. If the return is for a different reason, you may not be eligible for a refund on postage.
I have returned my items, when can I expect a refund?
Once we have received the items back at the warehouse and processed them back into stock, we will raise the credit. We will update you once we have issued the credit.
PRODUCTS
Can I view the products in person?
We are set up to operate on an e-commerce basis only, so visits to our warehouse facility aren’t possible. If you require more product information or imagery to confirm your purchase requirements, please contact us.
I can’t see the product I want, are you able to get it in for me?
The nature of our products is seasonal, so there are times when certain products aren’t available and they won’t be visible on the website – there will also be products we don’t stock, and we may be able to procure them, so please do enquire should you want to be notified of returning stock or products you can’t see available to purchase.
I am not going to use these straight away, how should I store them?
There may be times that you don’t need to use all your products straight away, or perhaps you are unsure of how to store them.
Essentially, dried flowers are very easy: Don’t put them in water, keep them in a clean, dry atmosphere, and don’t crush them if you are leaving them in a box.
Preserved flowers need a little more attention: As they have been treated with a glycerine solution and possibly dyes, they need a stable environment to keep them at their best. When displayed or shop stored, they should be in a cool, airy environment. As they have artificial moisture within them, unstable or warm environments can allow mould to establish and grow, leaves/petals/foliage to drop, and dyes to leach out of the base of the stems. Ideally, don’t leave them in closed boxes, or in tight wrapping. This can cause sweating and mould to establish. If you can, place them in containers, with the stems upright so the air can circulate. If they get too warm, these products can dry out, which in turn can cause leaves/petals/foliage to drop.
Do you sell ready-to-retail products?
We do offer a range of ready-to-retail bouquets and display items. They are easily found by searching ready-to-retail or bouquets in the search bar.
Do you make up single bouquets or arrangements to order?
No. We are a wholesaler who sells raw ingredients to such items, along with a few ready-made bouquet options, we don’t offer an ad hoc, made-to-order service. If you are interested in bulk bespoke designs of bouquets or hand-ties, for example, we can accommodate this, so please get in touch.
Do you offer bespoke products?
We can offer a bespoke service for bulk orders only, not single/a few items. If you are interested, please contact us for more information or to discuss.
Can I buy fresh products from you?
There are a few lines of fresh products we can supply, please contact us for more information.
PRE-ORDER
What is pre-order?
Pre-order refers to items we do not hold in stock. The rest of our website shows live stock levels, so you know exactly how much of a particular item we hold in our warehouse.
With pre-order, there is no stock held in our UK warehouse facility. We order direct from our partner in the Netherlands, and subject to availability, delivery should be by the end of the following week.
How long will it take to get my items when using pre-order?
We aim to complete deliveries within the week following the original order. Should the item you’ve ordered be out of stock with our supplier, we will inform you as soon as possible to either arrange a refund, a credit to your account or liaise with you and the supplier to fulfil the order at a later date.
How do the prices compare to those you carry in stock?
With full box quantities of a product sold ex-works from our suppliers, we are able to offer a maximum discount not available on our stocked items.
We don’t have to factor storage and handling costs into our sale price, therefore prices will generally be lower than those of the equivalent product from the same supplier, held at our UK warehouse.
Will there be any discounts available?
As you are ordering in the same way as the rest of our products and can have a mixed basket of stocked and pre-order items, we are able to offer the same discounts that are already in place for first-time orders or for those of £1000+ and £5000+.
These are as follows:
- New customer sign-up for email marketing = 10% off (single-use code only)
- Orders in excess of £1000 = 5% off
- Orders in excess of £5000 = 10% off
Our stocked products have three pricing tiers but these are not available with pre-order products.
Why are the items not in stock in the UK?
Our UK warehouse is very well stocked with over 1500 product lines, and as much as we would like to, we can’t stock everything our suppliers offer.
Using a pre-order system, we can offer customers a vast range of additional items, at competitive prices, without us holding physical stock in the UK.
What if I need to order items you stock and items on pre-order?
No problem! You can fill your shopping basket, and checkout to place your order in exactly the same way as normal, but you will receive two separate deliveries.
The first will arrive as usual, having been dispatched from our UK warehouse, and the pre-order will be delivered around a week later.
I don’t want a whole box of a pre-order product, can I order just a few units instead?
Not at this stage. We are trialling this system on full box quantities only, so we can offer a great wholesale price.
Should a particular prove popular, we may choose to hold stock in the UK going forward, which will allow you to opt for fewer units purchasing in the same way you can now.
Why would I use your service instead of going direct?
Since the UK exited the EU, importing goods from European countries has become complex and expensive. By using us as a wholesaler, you are benefiting from our import experience.
We have regular weekly consignments from Holland which enables you to avoid the paperwork, time and cost associated with importing products to the UK, and you will receive goods in the quickest way possible too.
There is no need to meet supplier’s minimum order requirements either, if you just want one box of an item, that’s all you need to order and we will look after it for you.
What if I receive the product and don’t like it, can I return it?
Once delivered, should the product not be what you were expecting, you are welcome to return it as long as it is in unused condition. Please check the details for our returns procedure.
What if I receive the product and it’s damaged/poor quality?
Once delivered, should the product be damaged or of inferior quality, please contact us straight away. We will need some images so we can file a case with the courier company and/or supplier, so make sure you take these and send them to us via info@atlasflowers.com. For more information, please check the details of our returns procedure.
Your question not answered here?
Get in touch
and we will do our best to help.