I ordered 6 mylar balloons online to be delivered July 5, 2006 at my mother's home. She is a stroke victim and currently resides in nursing facility. I was traveling to Virginia to be with her on her birthday, and was planning to bring the balloons to her myself.

I arrived at her home on July 5 and asked the only occupant, my brother, if a delivery had been made. He confirmed that no delivery of any kind had arrived, and no notice had been left. When I visited my mother the next day, her 88th birthday, there were 5 birthday balloons in her room, without any identifying note or information. I assumed they belonged to the other woman who co-occupies the room with my mother.

Since the order I paid for never arrived, I contacted the company to ask for a refund. They claimed that the balloons were delivered on either July 5 or July 6 (though could not confirm which day). A subsequent telephone call revealed that the delivery person claimed that they had left a notice and had been told that my mother was in a nursing home. They could not confirm who told them, or when. I replied that there was no note with the balloons in the room, and that there were only 5 and I had ordered 6. 1-800Balloons.com response on voicemail was that they would deliver a rose. When, or where, or even to whom, was not disclosed.

This online company delivered the wrong product to a wrong address, changing that address without my authorization, and did not offer to credit me for my expenditure. I strongly recommend those interesting in sending balloons choose a different vendor.