Well if they were all open, that can be good and bad. The buds open sequentially, so the older buds at the base of the stem could have been a few weeks old at time of purchase. They could have been ready to fade in just a matter of days.
The flowers up front could have been open for a week or so. But it really sounds normal to me and hopefully now that you have the plant in your care, you will enjoy the blooming process next time from beginning to end.
