Sending Flowers When the Recipient Might Not Be Home
You can send flowers even if you are not sure the recipient will be home. Our courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival, and if nobody is there, we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, hand the bouquet to a neighbour or the building concierge. The flowers are never left on a doorstep or a staircase.
This is one of the questions we hear most often in our Saint Petersburg shops, usually from people ordering for a parent, a partner or a friend in another time zone. Since 2011 we have learned that a missed delivery is almost always preventable with a little planning, and that the right choice of bouquet makes a delay harmless. Here is how we handle it and what you can do on your side.
What our courier does when nobody answers
Every delivery starts with a phone call. About 15 minutes before arrival the courier rings the recipient's number to check that someone is at home and to get through the intercom. If the call is answered, the bouquet is handed over in person. If the recipient says they are out, the courier and our operator look for the best solution right there.
The first option is a second delivery on the same day. The recipient names a time when they will be back, and the courier returns then. This works well for people who stepped out to the shop or are on their way home from work, and it keeps the flowers in the courier's care rather than in an empty hallway.
The second option is handing the flowers to a neighbour or the concierge, and we only do this with the sender's consent. In older Saint Petersburg buildings there is rarely a concierge, so a neighbour is more common. In new residential complexes the reception desk is usually the easiest place to leave a bouquet for an hour or two.
We do not leave flowers outside a door, in a mailbox area or on a staircase. In a Russian winter a bouquet left on a landing near an open entrance can freeze in under an hour, and in summer a stairwell window turns into a greenhouse. A delivery counts only when the flowers are in someone's hands.
Plan the delivery around the recipient's day
Most missed deliveries happen because the sender chose a time that suited the order, not the recipient. Before you pay, think about the person's routine: office hours, school runs, a hospital shift, a weekend at the dacha. A quick message to a relative or a flatmate can tell you more than any delivery option.
Our delivery formats give you room to match that routine. In large cities you can ask for delivery 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed, at an exact time give or take 30 minutes, in a time window (09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21), or on a date pre-ordered 1-30 days ahead. For someone who leaves for work at eight, the 18-21 window is often the most reliable.
In Saint Petersburg delivery is around the clock, which helps when the occasion falls at an unusual hour: a nurse coming off a night shift, a birthday at midnight, a partner landing on a late flight. Outside Saint Petersburg, plan within the regular time windows.
Weekends need a separate thought. Many Russians spend summer weekends out of town, from Friday evening to Sunday night. If you are ordering for a Saturday between May and September, check whether the recipient will actually be in the city.
Bouquets we can deliver
Keeping a surprise without risking a missed delivery
Many customers worry that checking the recipient's schedule will spoil the surprise. It does not have to. Delivery is anonymous by default, so the courier does not name the sender, and the call before arrival only confirms that someone is home to receive a delivery. The recipient learns who the flowers are from when they read the card, which is free and carries your text.
If you want extra certainty, involve one trusted person: a spouse, a colleague, a neighbour. Ask them to keep the recipient at home or at the office during the chosen window, and put their phone number in the order comment as a second contact. This simple step solves most delivery problems before they appear.
For office deliveries, write the company name, floor and room, and mention whether there is a reception desk. A bouquet left with a receptionist while the recipient is in a meeting is not a missed delivery; it is a pleasant find after the meeting ends.
Choosing flowers that tolerate a wait
Even with good planning, a bouquet may spend an hour or two with a neighbour or at reception. Some flowers handle this calmly, others sulk. Chrysanthemums, alstroemeria, carnations, eustoma and most roses stay fresh for hours out of water if they are not in direct heat. Hydrangeas, gerberas and tulips are more sensitive and droop sooner without water.
Packaging matters as much as the variety. An arrangement in a box with a hydrogel or floral foam base has its own water supply and can wait comfortably. A hand-tied bouquet in paper is best when the recipient can put it in a vase soon after delivery. When you are not sure about timing, a box arrangement is the safer choice; you can compare the options in our bouquets catalogue.
Temperature is the other factor. In winter, ask whoever receives the flowers to keep them away from radiators and not to leave them in a cold entrance. In summer, a cool room away from a sunny window is enough. Once the flowers reach the recipient, trimming the stems by two or three centimetres and putting them in fresh water brings them back quickly.
Writing the order so the courier can find a way in
A complete address prevents half of all missed deliveries. Include the street, house number with korpus if there is one, entrance, floor, flat, intercom code if you know it, and the recipient's phone number with the country code. In Saint Petersburg courtyards, the entrance number alone can save a courier ten minutes of searching.
Add a short comment with anything unusual: the intercom does not work, the entrance is from the courtyard, a dog behind the door, a preferred neighbour for a hand-over. If you agree in advance that a neighbour may accept the flowers, write their flat number so the operator does not need to ask you again.
For more detail on the options after a missed attempt, read our guide recipient not home at delivery. The general delivery terms, including city delivery for 500 RUB and the conditions for remote districts and suburbs, where the operator confirms the price when confirming the order, are on the delivery and payment page.
Ordering from abroad: payment and contact
When you order from another country, the main difficulty is reaching people quickly if something changes. Leave contact details where you will actually see a message during the delivery window, keeping in mind the time difference with Saint Petersburg. If the operator needs your consent for a hand-over to a neighbour, a fast answer means the flowers are delivered the same day.
Payment is online on the site by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay. Foreign bank cards are accepted, with payment via Robokassa, so you do not need a Russian card to place the order.
If you have a question before ordering or during delivery, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05. Our staff in the shops on Ilyushina Street, Obvodny Canal Embankment and Srednerogatskaya Street deal with these situations every day and will help you choose the delivery time that fits the recipient.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if the recipient is not home when the courier arrives?
The courier calls about 15 minutes before arrival. If nobody is home, we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, hand the flowers to a neighbour or the concierge.
Will the courier leave flowers at the door?
No. We never leave bouquets outside a door or on a staircase, because cold or heat can damage them quickly.
Will the recipient find out who sent the flowers before opening the card?
No. Delivery is anonymous by default, and the courier does not name the sender. The free card with your text tells the recipient who the flowers are from.
Can I choose an evening delivery time?
Yes. In large cities there is an 18-21 time window and delivery at an exact time give or take 30 minutes. In Saint Petersburg delivery is around the clock.
Which flowers survive a short wait best?
Chrysanthemums, alstroemeria, carnations, eustoma and roses tolerate a wait well. An arrangement in a box with a water-holding base is the safest choice.
Ready to send a bouquet?
Pick a city, choose the flowers, and we will hand them over with a photo confirmation.
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