What Payment Options Are Available When Ordering Flowers Online
Most online flower shops accept bank cards, and many also take digital wallets and instant bank transfers. On 5cv.ru you pay online on the site by bank card, through SBP (the Russian Faster Payments System) or with Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted too, with the payment processed via Robokassa.
In our three Saint Petersburg shops, open since 2011, the question about payment comes up almost as often as the question about which roses to choose. Customers abroad want to know whether their card will work, Russian customers ask which method is fastest, and companies ask about paperwork. Below we go through each option the way we explain it at the counter.
The three ways to pay on 5cv.ru
A bank card is the most common choice. You enter the card details on the payment page after placing the order, confirm the payment with your bank, and the order goes to work. Russian cards and foreign cards are both accepted, so a customer in Berlin or Toronto can pay for a bouquet in Saint Petersburg the same way as a customer on Nevsky Prospect.
SBP, the Faster Payments System, is the option most of our Russian customers now use. You scan a QR code or confirm the transfer in your banking app, and the money arrives within seconds without entering a card number at all. It works only with accounts at Russian banks, so it is mainly useful for buyers in Russia or for relatives abroad who still keep a Russian account.
Yandex Pay is a wallet tied to a card saved in your Yandex account. If you already shop with it, payment takes two taps. For a full overview of how we handle cards, see our article on payment cards for orders from abroad.
How online payment for flowers works in general
Across the flower trade, online payment follows the same pattern. You choose a bouquet, fill in the recipient's details and the delivery time, and only then reach the payment page. The card number is entered on the payment provider's secure page rather than stored by the shop, and your bank asks you to confirm the charge with a code or in its app. That confirmation step is normal and protects you if someone else tries to use your card.
Wallets such as Yandex Pay work on top of a card: the wallet simply passes the saved card details, so the money still comes from the same account. Instant bank transfers like SBP skip the card entirely and move money straight from your bank account. Each method ends in the same place, a paid order, and the choice is really about convenience and which accounts you have.
Whatever shop you use, check that the total includes delivery before you confirm, and read whether the delivery price for your address is final or will be confirmed later. With us the city delivery price is fixed, and for suburbs and remote districts the operator names the price when confirming the order, so you know the full amount before the bouquet sets off.
Bouquets we can deliver
Paying with a foreign bank card
Customers abroad most often ask whether a Visa or Mastercard issued outside Russia will go through. On our site foreign bank cards are accepted, and the payment is processed via Robokassa, a Russian payment service that handles international cards. The amount is shown in roubles; your bank converts it at its own rate, so the figure on your statement may differ slightly from the one on the site.
Some banks block the first payment to a Russian merchant as a precaution. If the payment fails, check your banking app for a security alert and approve the transaction, or call your bank and ask them to allow it, then try again. Using a card with 3-D Secure confirmation set up usually avoids the problem from the start.
Keep an eye on fees. Your bank may charge a foreign transaction or currency conversion fee, which is set by the bank and not by us. If you send flowers to Russia regularly, a card with low conversion fees will save you money over a year of birthdays and holidays.
What exactly you are paying for
The total at checkout is the bouquet plus delivery. Delivery within the city costs 500 RUB. For remote districts and suburbs the price depends on distance, so the operator confirms it when confirming the order, before anything is delivered. A card with your own message is free, so there is no extra charge for adding a few words to the bouquet.
Delivery is anonymous by default: the courier does not tell the recipient who sent the flowers. Your payment details are not passed to the recipient either. If you want them to know who the flowers are from, write your name in the card text. The full conditions are on the delivery and payment page.
Customers sometimes ask whether they should pay for a bigger bouquet or a better delivery slot when the budget is limited. Our advice from the shop floor is to choose a slightly smaller bouquet of very fresh flowers and an exact delivery time rather than a large bouquet in a vague window. The recipient remembers the moment the courier arrives far more than the number of stems, and a bouquet that turns up during a birthday breakfast makes a stronger impression than one that arrives while they are at work.
Choosing the delivery time when you pay
Payment and timing are linked: once the order is confirmed and paid, we can start on it. In large cities express delivery takes 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed. You can also choose an exact time with an accuracy of plus or minus 30 minutes, a time window of 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21, or pre-order from 1 to 30 days ahead.
Pre-ordering suits customers abroad best. You can pay a week before a birthday, in your own time zone, and the bouquet arrives on the right day. In Saint Petersburg delivery runs around the clock, so even a late-night order for a birthday that starts at midnight is possible here.
The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival. If nobody is home, we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, leave the flowers with a neighbour or concierge, so a paid order is not simply lost because the recipient stepped out.
Companies and regular orders
Businesses often order flowers for colleagues, clients and events and need a different approach to payment and documents. Cashless payment is a separate topic, covered in our article on cashless payment for flower orders by Russian companies. Foreign firms ordering for partners or staff in Russia can read the guide on international company payments for flower orders.
For a company with many recipients, it is easier to agree the list, dates and card texts by phone than to place a dozen separate orders. Call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05 and we will go through the details with you before payment. It also helps to keep one person on your side responsible for the list, so that changes to names, addresses or dates reach us in one message rather than several. For regular dates such as staff birthdays, pre-ordering up to 30 days ahead means each order is placed and paid well before the date, so nobody has to remember it at the last minute.
Practical tips for a smooth payment
Before paying, check the recipient's address, including flat number and entrance, and a phone number that will be answered on the day. Most problems we see are not with the payment itself but with a missing apartment number or a phone that is switched off. Write the card text in the language the recipient reads best.
Pay from a device you trust and on the site itself. If a payment fails twice, do not keep retrying with the same card: try another method or call us, so you do not end up with several pending authorisations on your account. Choose a bouquet in the catalogue first and pay once you are sure of the composition and time.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay for flowers on 5cv.ru with a card issued outside Russia?
Yes, foreign bank cards are accepted, and the payment is processed via Robokassa. Your bank converts the amount from roubles at its own rate.
What is SBP?
SBP is the Russian Faster Payments System, which lets you pay instantly from a Russian bank account through your banking app. It is one of the payment options on our site.
How much does delivery cost?
City delivery costs 500 RUB. For remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order.
Will the recipient see who paid for the flowers?
No, delivery is anonymous by default and the courier does not name the sender. Add your name to the free card if you want them to know.
Who can I ask about payment problems?
Call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05. We can help with a failed payment, timing or a large corporate order.
Ready to send a bouquet?
Pick a city, choose the flowers, and we will hand them over with a photo confirmation.
Choose a city →