Vancouver’s Landeau Changes Up the Rose Delivery Game

Everyone’s given roses – whether it’s for a wife, girlfriend, mother or friend. And it’s not just limited to the ladies either. Guys receive roses too.

Landeau, based in Vancouver, has launched the modern way to order roses. Giving the process a special, tech-savvy spin, Landeau offers rose delivery service with a simplistic, smart approach.

Fully online, you pick your bouquet of 25, where to deliver, and a flower and delivery guarantee ensures all will go smooth. But instead of a vase or traditional delivery, Landeau roses arrive in a branded box and are ready to be put on display.

Eager to learn more and share the inspiration behind the Landeau story, we went straight to owner Trevor Patterson for a little insight behind the idea:

You are creating a new way to order roses – why choose this route for something people often need to see, touch and feel? 
I actually found the opposite to be true. When I was living in London and ordering flowers, I would often call a florist, try to describe what I wanted, and hope for the best. Some initial market research uncovered a lot of horror stories around this type of ordering process. It was this disconnect that motivated me to explore the visual medium of e-commerce as a viable option for sending flowers. One of our mottos at Landeau is: “What you see is what you give.” We use the online channel to close the gap between the giver and the recipient. 

What are the differences between the three types of roses a Landeau customer can select from? 
All three of the rose varieties that Landeau carries are very long lasting, and presented in the same, branded hatbox. Traditionally, certain colours of roses are tied to certain emotions or occasions. Our red bouquet has romantic implications, while our pink bouquet is more celebratory and girly. Our vibrant orange Luxem bouquet is used for any occasion. We’ve even delivered the Luxem bouquet to quite a few men as a gift. 

Trust is always an issue when it comes to online shopping – how do you ensure customers will be happy?
I don’t think my idea could have worked 10, or even five, years ago. There’s been an exciting shift in the public’s openness to e-commerce, and Landeau has certainly benefitted from that. We’ve been fortunate to receive a lot of positive press in publications like the Globe and Mail and Western Living, so that definitely instills confidence in a new customer. Also, our Instagram feed documents the day-to-day of Landeau’s deliveries and projects, so potential customers have a clear view of the high quality of what they’ll be sending.

We also have plans to partner with Holt Renfrew around Valentine’s Day, so that will be a great opportunity for people to come in and see our product in person.

Why was it important to launch Landeau as a flowers-meet-tech company? 
My motivation was somewhat self-serving. My background is in technology, specifically in e-commerce and other web-based technologies. I felt that I would have more to bring to the table than if I had set out to create a traditional brick and mortar business. There’s also a malleability that comes with setting up an online business that was appealing. I can be quite flexible to my customers’ wants and needs. 

What has been successful for Landeau thus far?
I’ve been surprised by the reaction to Landeau on social media. Our Instagram has received an organic boost in recent weeks from some key influencers and personalities like Jillian Harris, Cara Jourdan, and Adrienne Bosh. We’re always exploring ways to get on the radar of the male consumer, since traditionally they are the ones purchasing roses. A multifaceted approach has been key to our early success. 

Where did the idea for the bucket-like box come from? 
Our use of the hatbox is a nod to the fashion industry. I wanted to have something that was fashion-inspired in my branding. The hatbox fit the bill. There’s a practicality that comes with the use of the box, since it’s designed to hold water along with being a constant marketing and branding opportunity. I hadn’t really seen any examples of florists with heavily branded, packaged products, so it’s been exciting to introduce something new to the market. 

Do you see Landeau expanding? 
Absolutely. Within the next year, I would love to offer Landeau in different cities; initially within Canada, and eventually in major cities like New York and Los Angeles. Our social media channels have brought in a lot of interest from outside of Vancouver, so it will be interesting to see how things progress there. 

Why did you choose to launch in Vancouver?
I’m constantly impressed by Vancouver’s friendly attitude and openness towards new businesses. The level of community among what I’d call “lifestyle startups” constantly impresses me – vendors offering something novel in a boutique-style business set up. I don’t know that I would have found that same welcoming and helpful attitude in a bigger city like London, for instance.

Can Landeau flowers travel beyond Vancouver? 
I’m exploring this as another expansion option, but at this time we only deliver locally.

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