What Is Deceptive Order Gathering? 

Order gathering has long been a legitimate part of the floral marketplace. Problems arise when businesses use deceptive tactics that misrepresent who they are, where they are located, or how orders are fulfilled. 

These practices can mislead consumers into believing they are ordering directly from a local florist when they are not. In many cases, consumers are unaware that a third party has intercepted their order, added fees, or transmitted the order to another florist for fulfillment. 

The result is often frustration for consumers, reduced profitability for florists, and damage to the reputation of local businesses that had no role in the original transaction. 

What Are Deceptive Practices? 

Misleading Online Advertising 

Search engines allow businesses to “bid” on a competitor’s business name or other relevant search terms so their advertisement may appear when consumers search those terms. While this practice is generally legal, it becomes deceptive when a company misrepresents its identity, location, affiliation, or pricing. In short, targeting a competitor’s name in online advertising may be permitted; pretending to be that competitor is not. 

False Local Representation 

A website may appear to be a local florist but has no physical presence in the community it claims to serve. 

Caller ID Spoofing and Impersonation Calls

Individuals from deceptive order gathering operations call florists to place an order and pretend to be customers or another local business. Some may disguise their phone number to appear as a local business, hospital, funeral home, or other trusted organization. 

Hidden Fees and Pricing Practices 

Consumers may be charged service fees that are not clearly disclosed or discover that only a portion of the amount they paid was transmitted to the florist fulfilling the order. 

How Do Deceptive Practices Affect Florists? 

The Cost of Deceptive Practices 

Deceptive practices impact more than individual orders. 

They can:

• Divert revenue from local businesses.

• Increase online advertising costs.

• Create customer service challenges.

• Damage customer trust.

• Reduce repeat business.

• Create unrealistic expectations about products and pricing. 

Many consumers never realize they ordered through a third party and may hold the fulfilling florist responsible for any problems that occur. 

What Are Online Warning Signs? 

Florists should regularly review how their business appears online. Avoid searching for your own business directly on search engines (even in incognito mode), as this can lower your click-through rate (CTR) and negatively impact ad relevance. Instead, use the Google Ads Preview tool to check your business name, common variations, and floral-specific keywords. This provides a more accurate view of what customers are seeing, since real search results are influenced by browsing history, location, and device — meaning searches from your shop’s IP or devices may not reflect the typical user experience.  

Potential red flags include:

• Advertisements appearing above your website when customers search your business name.
• Websites using language that implies a local presence without listing a local address.
• Competitors using business names or branding similar to established local florists.
• Landing pages that obscure business ownership or physical location.
• Pricing that appears significantly lower than local market rates. 

What Are Phone Warning Signs? 

Many florists report to SAF an increase in suspicious phone activity. 

Watch for:

• Caller IDs displaying local businesses, hospitals, funeral homes, or trusted organizations that do not match the caller.
• Callers who become aggressive or unusually pushy.
• Multiple failed payment attempts.
• Requests that seem unusually urgent.
• Information that changes throughout the conversation. 

What Are Common Customer Complaints?

Many deceptive order gathering situations are first discovered through customer complaints. 

Common indicators include: 

• “I thought I ordered directly from your shop.” 
• “I ordered through your website.” 
• “Why is your business listed on my credit card statement?” 
• “I paid much more than the flowers I received.”

When these conversations occur, staff should investigate carefully before assuming the customer is mistaken.

Make It Easy for Customers to Find You 

Deceptive order gatherers depend heavily on intercepting customers during online searches. 

One of the most effective defenses is ensuring customers can clearly identify and find your business online. 

Optimize Your Google Business Profile 

Your Google Business Profile is often the first thing consumers see, and Google rewards active, complete profiles with greater visibility in local search results. 

Best practices include: 

• Maintain accurate business hours.
• Verify phone numbers and website links.
• Define delivery areas.
• Add photos regularly.
• Respond to reviews.
• Publish updates and posts. 

Consider Branded Search Advertising 

Third-party advertisers may “bid” on florist business names to appear prominently in search results, creating confusion for customers trying to order directly from a local shop. 

A branded search campaign can help protect your visibility when customers search specifically for your business. While it may seem counterintuitive to pay for ads tied to your own name, doing so can help safeguard customer relationships, reinforce your local brand and reduce opportunities for deceptive intermediaries to intercept orders. 

Make Your Website Unmistakably Local 

Consumers visiting your website should immediately understand that they are ordering directly from a local florist. 

Consider incorporating:

• “Order DirectlyFromUs”
• “Independent Local Florist”
• Community references
• Local landmarks
• Shop history
• Delivery area information 

Showcase Your People 

Customers trust real businesses. Authentic local content helps distinguish your business from generic order-gathering websites. 

Use your website and social media channels to feature:

• Staff members.
• Designers at work.
• Delivery teams.
• Community events.
• Local partnerships. 

Strengthen Social Media Presence 

The more visible your local presence becomes, the harder it is for deceptive operators to imitate it. 

Share:

• Everyday design work.
• Behind-the-scenes content.
• Community involvement.
• Local events.
• Customer stories. 

Recommended Resources 

Course – Digital Marketing for Flower Shops on Floral Education Hub

Educate Online Customers 

Many consumers don’t realize deceptive order gatherers exist. A brief explanation on your website can help customers understand the benefits of ordering directly from a local florist and reduce the risk of confusion, hidden fees, or fulfillment issues. 

Consider adding a message to your website, ordering pages, or FAQ section explaining how customers can verify they’re ordering from a legitimate floral business. You may also wish to link to SAF’s consumer resources for additional guidance. When your website links to trusted, authoritative industry resources, it reinforces your credibility with customers and may help search engines better understand your site’s relevance and trustworthiness. 

Sample Website Copy 

Order Directly From Us 

When ordering flowers online, make sure you know who will be designing and delivering your arrangement. Some websites may deceptively appear local but actually route orders through third parties that add fees. 

When you order directly from us, you’ll work with a real local florist who knows the community, stands behind every order, and is available to answer your questions. 

Learn how to identify legitimate floral businesses and make informed purchasing decisions by visiting SAF’s consumer resource center

Your Front Line of Defense Against Deceptive Practices 

While deceptive order gatherers often rely on online advertising and search engine tactics to intercept customers, many incidents eventually surface through a phone call, customer complaint, or unusual order. When that happens, your employees become the first line of defense. 

Training staff to recognize warning signs and respond consistently can help protect your reputation, reduce customer frustration, and turn a potentially negative experience into an opportunity to build trust. 

Teach Employees to Recognize Red Flags 

Employees should be aware of common warning signs associated with deceptive order gathering practices, including: 

• Caller ID information that does not match the caller’s identity.  
• Callers claiming to represent hospitals, funeral homes, businesses, or other florists.  
• Unusually aggressive or pushy callers.  
• Multiple failed credit card transactions.  
• Urgent requests paired with inconsistent information.  
• Customers who insist they ordered directly from your shop, but whose order cannot be located.  

No single indicator confirms deception, but a combination of these warning signs should prompt additional verification. 

Create a Verification Process 

When an order feels suspicious, employees should have a standard process to follow. 

Consider implementing procedures such as: 

• Call back: Verify the caller’s identity when they claim to represent a hospital, funeral home, business, or other organization. If necessary, end the call and return it using a publicly listed phone number. 
• Calling back a known phone number for businesses or institutions.  
• Confirm contact information. Investigate discrepancies between caller ID, email addresses, payment information, and the information provided by the customer. 
• Verify payment information. Review payment information for inconsistencies, such as a customer name that doesn’t match the caller, multiple declined cards, or payment details that conflict with other order information. 
• Elevate the issue. Require employees to alert managers about suspicious activity.  
• A simple verification step can often identify problems before they become larger issues.

Help Customers Understand What Happened 

Many consumers do not realize they ordered through a third party. They often believe they purchased directly from your business and become frustrated when an issue arises. 

When a customer contacts your shop regarding an order that cannot be located: 

1. Check your order system thoroughly.  
2. Explain clearly that no order exists under the information provided.  
3. Ask questions about how the order was placed. 
4. Request the website, confirmation email, or receipt if available.
5. Help identify where the order originated.

Questions employees can ask include:

• Did you visit our website directly?  
• Did you click on an advertisement?
• Do you have a confirmation email?
• Can you show us the website where the order was placed?

These conversations often reveal that a third-party intermediary was involved. 

Turn a Negative Experience into a Positive One

Once the customer understands what happened, focus on helping them solve the problem. 

Employees should: 

• Acknowledge the customer’s frustration.  
• Explain the situation professionally and without blame.  
• Offer guidance on next steps, such as reporting the experience to the Better Business Bureau.  
• Offer to help the customer order directly in the future.  

A thoughtful response can preserve customer trust and create a long-term relationship despite the initial confusion. 

How Do I Report Deceptive Practices? 

There are several practical actions businesses can take to protect their brands and help reduce deceptive activity across the floral industry. 

Document Everything 

Before taking action, gather as much information as possible. 

Save: 

• Screenshots of advertisements, landing pages and websites. 
• Caller ID information.  
• Dates and times of incidents.  
• Emails and confirmation messages.  
• Notes from customer conversations.  

Documenting patterns over time can strengthen reports and increase the likelihood of enforcement. 

Report Misleading Advertisements 

Search engines allow businesses to bid on keywords, including competitor names, but they prohibit advertisements that misrepresent a business’s identity, affiliation, location, or pricing. 

If you encounter a misleading ad on Google: 

1. Click the three-dot menu or “About this Ad” option.  
2. Select “Report this Ad.”  
3. Identify the issue as misrepresentation of business identity.  
4. Include screenshots and supporting details whenever possible.  
5. Repeated reports help search platforms identify and address problematic advertisers. 

Report Caller ID Spoofing 

Caller ID spoofing occurs when a caller deliberately alters the phone number or name displayed on caller ID. 

While spoofing itself is not always illegal, it may violate federal law when used to defraud consumers, obtain something of value, or cause harm. 

If you receive suspicious calls: 

• Document the phone number displayed.  
• Record the date and time.  
• Note what the caller claimed.  
• Report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission.  
• Consider reporting to your state attorney general if local businesses appear to be targeted.  

Consider Trademark Protection 

Federal trademark registration may strengthen a florist’s ability to protect its brand online. 

If your trademarked business name appears in advertising in a way that creates confusion or implies affiliation, you may be able to file a trademark complaint through Google’s advertising platform.  

You’ll need to provide your trademark details (registration number, owner name, and country), identify the specific ads or advertisers in question (such as screenshots, ad URLs, or search terms that trigger the ad), and explain how the ad creates confusion or implies affiliation. Be clear that the issue is misrepresentation — not just that your name appears. 

Report Incidents to SAF 

SAF encourages florists to report deceptive practices.  

Reporting helps SAF: 

• Monitor emerging deceptive practices.  
• Track caller ID spoofing incidents.  
• Identify misleading advertising trends.  
• Support industry advocacy efforts.  
• Educate members on evolving threats. 

Recommended Resources 

• Report an Incident to SAF

SAF’s Position on Deceptive Practices 

The Society of American Florists supports fair competition, transparent business practices, and consumer trust throughout the floral industry. 

While order gathering itself is a legitimate business activity, deceptive practices that misrepresent business identity, location, pricing, or fulfillment methods undermine consumer confidence and negatively impact local florists. 

To address these concerns, SAF formalized its policy on deceptive practices in 2019. 

What SAF Considers Deceptive 

Under SAF policy, deceptive practices may include: 

• Representing a business as local without maintaining a physical presence in the community.  
• Collecting undisclosed service fees.  
• Transmitting orders below stated retail prices and standard delivery fees.  
• Misrepresenting business identity or affiliation.  
• Other practices that intentionally mislead consumers or floral businesses.  

Violations can be reported to SAF using this form.