Arena Flowers Explained
Arena Flowers is a flower and gifts retailer based in the United Kingdom. Arena Flowers’ first website was launched in 2006. Arena Flowers is an e-commerce company that sells flowers originating from England, the Netherlands and Africa as well as through bilateral fulfilment agreements worldwide.
Background
Arena Flowers, based in Worcestershire, was launched in August 2006 by William Wynne and Steven France. France and Wynne are friends from the University of Oxford.
Ethical flowers
From inception Arena Flowers supplied ethically produced flowers. Arena was the first UK member of Fair Flowers Fair Plants, an important ethical flowers standard, in 2008 Arena Flowers won the IMRGËs Online Green Awards for small retailers and, in 2013, Arena Flowers was formally accredited as a Fairtrade UK flower supplier (as of February 2014, one of only 8 UK organisations to be so accredited.[1]
Arena Flowers is one of only two specialist UK florists with a Fairtrade certification.[2] In 2020 the company came top of the Good Shopping Guide's comparison table of ethical flower delivery companies with a 100% rating,[3] and was rated number one by Country Living UK for ethical flower deliver services.[4] Arena Flowers has a Butterfly Mark from Positive Luxury, which is a third-party accreditation mark that recognises that the brand meets the highest standards of verified innovation and environmental performance, based on their use of environmentally friendly packaging, energy efficiency, and worker's welfare programmes.[5]
Partners
Commercial
Arena Flowers has a partnership with US florist ProFlowers.[6]
Charitable
Arena has a number of charitable partners:
Innovation
Arena has repeatedly innovated, in particular in the areas of video messaging (with partner Vzaar)[13] [14] and in producing a patented gift product, AmazeBox.[15] [16] [17] Arena has also won praise for its non-traditional approach to social media.[18] [19]
Controversy
- Arena was falsely identified as sending out phishing emails by MessageLabs.[20]
- Valentine's 2013: Arena failed to deliver a reported 5% of orders for Valentine's Day 2013 and attracted a social media backlash, in particular from the Money Saving Expert community.[21]
Notes and References
- Web site: The Fairtrade Foundation . 10 February 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140209221020/http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/products/retail_products/product_browse.aspx?comps=FLOWERS . 9 February 2014 .
- https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Buying-Fairtrade/Flowers/ Fair-trade - Flowers
- https://thegoodshoppingguide.com/subject/ethical-flower-delivery-companies/ Ethical Flower Delivery Companies Ethical Comparison Table
- Ward, Charley (Feb 6, 2020). 5 best ethical flower delivery services. Country Living.
- https://www.positiveluxury.com/brand/arena-flowers/ Positive Luxury – Arena Flowers
- Web site: ProFlowers.com (US) Selects ArenaFlowers.com (Europe) to Offer International Flower Delivery Service to Americans . Arena Flowers . 10 February 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140223173611/http://www.arenaflowers.com/news/press_release_12_01_2012 . 23 February 2014 .
- Web site: We are delighted to be working in partnership with our friends at Arena Flowers to raise over £5,000 for National Heart Month . British Heart Foundation . 10 February 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140222042740/http://www.bhf.org.uk/get-involved/how-your-company-can-help/arena-flowers.aspx . 22 February 2014 .
- Web site: Charity Flowers Delivery. Cancer Research UK. 10 February 2014.
- https://www.crisis.org.uk/get-involved/corporate-partnerships/corporate-bulletins/arena-flowers-support-in-this-together/ Arena Flowers support In This Together
- Hatton, Hebe (August 14, 2020). Best flower delivery UK: where to order beautiful bouquets to your doorstep. RealHomes.com
- Web site: Our Charity Partners . Arena Flowers .
- Web site: Our Charity Partners . Arena Flowers .
- Web site: Arena Flowers adds video messaging to its bouquets. Internet Retailing. 10 February 2014.
- Web site: Arena Flowers add video messages to bouquets. Tamebay. 10 February 2014.
- Web site: AmazeBox website. 10 February 2014.
- Web site: Diary Of A Start-Up: Will Wynne, Amazebox.Co.Uk. Management Today. 10 February 2014.
- Web site: Patent for Flower gift kit . Espacenet. 10 February 2014.
- News: Bulkley. Kate. The digital persuaders. 10 February 2014. Guardian. 24 September 2007.
- Web site: The power of a titter on Twitter. Financial Times. 10 February 2014.
- News: Leyden. John. Florist kicks up a stink about false phish alarm. 10 February 2014. The Register. 20 December 2008.
- News: Anker. Guy. Flower firm fails lovers on Valentine's Day. 10 February 2014. moneysavingexpert.com. 14 February 2013.
