Recipient Mobile Number: What It Means and Why Delivery Needs It
'Recipient mobile number' means the cell phone number of the person who will receive the delivery, not your own. In a flower order it is the number the courier calls to confirm that the person is at the address and to hand over the bouquet. Without a working recipient number, a delivery can stall at the door of a building with a closed entrance or an intercom nobody answers.
In our Saint Petersburg shops we have taken orders since 2011, and this field causes more confusion than any other on the order form, especially for customers ordering from abroad. Below we explain what exactly to enter, how to write a Russian mobile number, what happens during the call, and what to do if you do not know the number or want the bouquet to stay a surprise.
Recipient number versus sender number
An order form for flowers usually asks for two phone numbers. The sender's number is yours: the shop uses it to confirm the order, ask about details and tell you when the bouquet has been delivered. The recipient's number belongs to the person who receives the flowers, and it is used only by the courier on the day of delivery.
The most common mistake we see is the sender's own number entered twice. The courier then calls you in another country while the recipient waits at home, unaware that anything is coming. The second most common is a home landline instead of a mobile: nobody answers it when the person is out, and the courier cannot send a text message to it.
Think of the recipient number as the courier's only direct line to the person at the door. Most Saint Petersburg apartment buildings have a locked entrance with an intercom, and many new residential complexes have a closed courtyard and a security post. A courier with a working mobile number can call, get the entrance code or ask the recipient to come down; a courier with only an address often waits outside, and the flowers spend that time in the cold or the heat.
If you are unsure about the terms on the form, our article What Does Recipient Mean When Sending Flowers? goes through every field from the recipient's name to the address details.
How to write a Russian mobile number
Russian mobile numbers have eleven digits and start with +7 followed by 9, for example +7 921 123-45-67. Inside Russia people often write the same number with 8 instead of +7, as 8 921 123-45-67; both versions lead to the same phone. The three digits after +7 depend on the operator and the region, so copy the number exactly as the recipient uses it rather than guessing.
Write the number in full, without dropping the country code or the first digit. Spaces and hyphens are fine, but letters, extensions or a second number in the same field are not. If the recipient has a foreign SIM card, for example a visitor or a student, enter it with its full international code, such as +44 or +49, so the courier can dial it.
Before submitting the order, read the number aloud once and compare it with the source. One swapped digit is enough to send the courier's call to a stranger. Our guide Wrong or Unavailable Recipient Number explains what happens in that case.
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What the courier does with the number
The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival. The purpose of the call is practical: to make sure the person is at the address, to ask for the entrance code or the floor, and to agree where to meet if the building has a security desk. The courier does not discuss the price of the bouquet and does not name the sender: delivery is anonymous by default.
If the recipient does not answer or is not at home, the delivery does not simply fail. We agree a second delivery on the same day, or, with the sender's consent, hand the flowers to a neighbour or a concierge. This is why your own number on the order matters too: we need to reach you quickly to agree the next step.
In Saint Petersburg delivery runs around the clock, so a call can come early in the morning or late in the evening if you choose that time. When ordering for an older relative or someone who works night shifts, think about which time slot suits them best and whether they will pick up a call from an unknown number.
Keeping the bouquet a surprise
Many customers worry that the courier's call will spoil the surprise. In practice, the call is short and neutral: the courier says there is a delivery and asks whether the person is at home. The name of the sender is not mentioned, and the recipient learns who sent the flowers only from the card, if you sign it. The card with your message is free.
If the surprise matters a lot, for example for a proposal or an anniversary, you can give the number of someone who is with the recipient on that day, such as a family member or a colleague, and mention this when placing the order. Explain the plan to that person in advance so they answer the call and bring the recipient to the door at the right moment.
Another option is to choose an exact delivery time within 30 minutes, or one of the windows 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21, when you know the person will be at home or at work. A predictable time makes a short call even less noticeable.
When you do not know the recipient's number
Sometimes customers abroad know only the address, for example when sending flowers to a teacher, a doctor or a former colleague. In that case, try to find the number through mutual friends or the workplace reception. A bouquet for an office is easier to hand over if the courier can reach either the recipient or the secretary on duty.
For hotels and hospitals, the situation is a little different. A hotel reception will often accept a bouquet for a guest if you give the full name exactly as in the booking and the room number, but a mobile number still helps if the guest is out. In hospitals, visiting rules vary by department, so a call to the patient or a relative helps the courier find out where flowers can be handed over.
If there is no way to get a mobile number, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05 before ordering and describe the situation. We will tell you honestly whether delivery to that address is realistic without a phone, given the type of building and the time of day. Our article Recipient Phone Number Meaning covers a few more cases from practice.
Placing an order with us
Choose a bouquet in the catalogue, enter the recipient's name, address and mobile number, then your own contact details and the card text. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. In large cities express delivery takes 1 to 2 hours after confirmation, and you can also pre-order 1 to 30 days ahead.
Payment is online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa. If anything about the recipient's details is uncertain, call 8 (812) 507-67-05 and we will check it with you before the bouquet leaves the shop. We deliver bouquets across Russia in 1–2 hours.
Frequently asked questions
What does recipient mobile number mean?
It is the cell phone number of the person who receives the delivery. The courier uses it to confirm that the person is at the address and to hand over the order.
Can I enter my own number as the recipient's?
Only if you are receiving the flowers yourself. Otherwise the courier will call you instead of the recipient, and the delivery may be delayed.
Will the courier tell the recipient who sent the flowers?
No. Delivery is anonymous by default, and the courier does not name the sender. The recipient learns your name only if you sign the card.
How do I write a Russian mobile number?
Use +7 followed by ten digits, for example +7 921 123-45-67. Inside Russia the same number is often written with 8 instead of +7.
What happens if the recipient does not answer?
We agree a second delivery on the same day, or hand the flowers to a neighbour or concierge with the sender's consent.
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