1-800 Flower Question

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Kimber K

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Nov 14, 2006
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I've been meaning to ask this for a while and kept forgetting... but reading the other 800 post here made me remember.

I had a customer that told me she visited her friend in the hospital and found a beautiful 800 flower arrangement. I told her that it had to have been made by a local florist and she said "No, it had a 1-800 flower sticker on it, just like your local shop sticker". Hmmmm
Do 800 members use 800 stickers on their arrangements instead of their own sticker if it's wired in? This was in the Portland Oregon area. I wasn't aware that there was an actual shop there, if there is.

I'm asking because she kept ranting and raving about how BEAUTIFUL it was... and stressing that it came from 1-800.... and that made me nervous..... We want them to think the flowers are made by LOCAL shops and to shop local.... Where did that darn sticker come from???
 
Kimber,

I could be wrong but I think that 1800 has fulfillment centers across the US that strictly fill incoming orders for 1800 flowers. Also, I know they have "franchise" stores too which could be two options of where the stickers are coming from.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong :)
 
Thatssss What I wondered..
I wasn't aware, until I read the other post, that they actually had stores.
And I couldn't imagine a B&M shop wanting to promote the 1800 name rather than their OWN..
Guess I learned something new today. And next time they call for membership I'll have some new ammo to use!
Here, I've been trying to stress to my customers that if they order online their orders will cost them more and will STILL be filled by a REAL florist shop... and now to find out that's not necessarily true. :(
 
Kimber K said:
Thatssss What I wondered..
I wasn't aware, until I read the other post, that they actually had stores.
And I couldn't imagine a B&M shop wanting to promote the 1800 name rather than their OWN..
Guess I learned something new today. And next time they call for membership I'll have some new ammo to use!
Here, I've been trying to stress to my customers that if they order online their orders will cost them more and will STILL be filled by a REAL florist shop... and now to find out that's not necessarily true. :(
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There are certain arrangements that do have some 800-flowers swag with them. The birthday cake is one. Their teddy bears are another. Some giftware also has their name on it. As an 800-flowers filler you are under no obligation to use these items, the birthday cake you can buy your own boxes and the foam and put your own stuff on them. There are many stores across the country that are francised and there are LFC's across the country that fill exclusivly for 800-flowers. The LFC's can be large local flower shops and can do their own orders and work or they can be an 800-flower company..
 
Kimber K said:
Here, I've been trying to stress to my customers that if they order online their orders will cost them more and will STILL be filled by a REAL florist shop... and now to find out that's not necessarily true. :(
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Their orders are filled by real florists, it's just they may be working in warehouses and not storefronts. The designers may be getting their paychecks from supermarkets, LFCs or tradtional B&M stores.

Many large local florist operations run state-of-the-art central design centers. They'll generally be in areas with lower rent per sq ft. and designers design almost 100% of the time.

It makes little sense to run large-scale production in retail space (unless you own the building. ;) )

But you're right, ordering from an OG online will generally still cost more.
 
I cannot vouch for the total accuracy - but I am informed that 800flowers is closing or has closed most of it's retail stores in order to focus on the internet. This came from our local Bloomnet sales rep.
 
I remember an "offer" from our Bloomlink Business Consultant that if we were to use 800 stationary, cello wrap, etc. on THEIR orders, we would get an extra 1% on the orders...and, yes, we would have to BUY the pre-printed 800 crap - ahh - packaging material from them.

No thanks I replied... We buy all our packaging in bulk, from our delivery co-op. No way was I going to double my packaging costs!!!

Lori is correct in that some of their "branded" product had 800 tags, etc. But for every one of our orders, Rothe stationary was used. The tags were only used on holiday pieces...when we remembered to use them...

Thank the good Lord we are no longer a part of that rat race...

- H.
 
Thanks for the info.
Like I said, I wasn't aware that they had "stores" until reading this today.
I thought they were just another wire service like TF and FTD, that's why I was confused about the sticker.
I think my customer was impressed by the bouquet enough that she was thinking going online and ordering from 1-800 wasn't such a bad idea (if she was ordering out of the area)
I've been working at trying to educate my customers to either go through me, of course, or order directly from the florist if they're ordering out of the area, and stay away from ordering online or by phone from any of the big OG companies. The sticker from 1-800 on that pretty bouqet was a contradiction of what I'd been telling her. ......Kind of, I guess..
 
Rick King AIFD said:
I cannot vouch for the total accuracy - but I am informed that 800flowers is closing or has closed most of it's retail stores in order to focus on the internet. This came from our local Bloomnet sales rep.
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Like I said in another thread a couple days ago...

In my conversation with Mark Nance, he stated that 800F has a total of 5 "company owned" retail outlets, with purchase agreements on 2 of them, and they are looking for buyers for the other 3.

I'm sure they will continue to be the force they have been on the web, but his comments were more in line with wanting to serve the retail florist segment. Remember **most** florists demand incoming volume, still to this day and their only way to get those orders right now is via the web.
 
Kimber K said:
Thanks for the info.
Like I said, I wasn't aware that they had "stores" until reading this today.
I thought they were just another wire service like TF and FTD, that's why I was confused about the sticker.
I think my customer was impressed by the bouquet enough that she was thinking going online and ordering from 1-800 wasn't such a bad idea (if she was ordering out of the area)
I've been working at trying to educate my customers to either go through me, of course, or order directly from the florist if they're ordering out of the area, and stay away from ordering online or by phone from any of the big OG companies. The sticker from 1-800 on that pretty bouqet was a contradiction of what I'd been telling her. ......Kind of, I guess..
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That really does not contradict what you are telling them. They do pay more when ordering from 800-flowers. Every order placed at headquarters gets a service fee attached even if it goes to one of their stores or LFC or florist. The florists that use their marketing materials get 28% taken out of the arrangement instead of 29%. The marketing materials have to cost them more nad the customer has no idea what loacl florist to call if they want to do local business. Not sure why a florist would do this, but to each his own. You are still 100% correct in your educating it does cost more to wire out rather than shop local to where the delivery is taking place..
 
I remember back when, about 10 years ago where you could be an 800 fullfillment cener but you had to put their signs on your building nd van.

One of the most ludicrous things I've heard in this business, but many did.

wow

This reminds me of a shop in Portland that had visit "ftd.com" in their yellow pages ad. The second dumbest move ever.

I got an idea for a new show "America's Dumbest Florists".

Whaddya think?
 
bloomz said:
I got an idea for a new show "America's Dumbest Florists".

Whaddya think?
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My nomination would be the florist who told me, "We don't take credit card orders from another florist. You'll have to send it by one of our wire services." Then she proceeded to list more wire services than I knew existed! :faint:
 
....... Didn't take credit cards from other florists? ......

Connie: please tell me you are joking?

That would indeed qualify for Joe's book.
 
Rick King AIFD said:
....... Didn't take credit cards from other florists? ......

Connie: please tell me you are joking?

That would indeed qualify for Joe's book.
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Nope Rick, I have had that too! A fellow florist refused a credit card order from another florist (me).m I asked them what was the difference between me and a phone order from a customer (mind you I was giving them the order at 100% and not asking for any discounts etc). They said they were loyal to their wire service and wouldn't take my order.

Like the wire service is LOYAL to them!!!!! :hammer:
 
rather than book about stupid florists - maybe we should make of list of them so we know who NOT to call
 
Connie said:
My nomination would be the florist who told me, "We don't take credit card orders from another florist. You'll have to send it by one of our wire services." Then she proceeded to list more wire services than I knew existed! :faint:
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This is simply because they pay the wire services to have a leg to stand on if a sleezy florist decides after the fact that they will stop charges on that order. You have no idea what florists are capable of doing. Ay least if it is sent through the service if there is a problem, the service will sort it out. I had one from mother's day. The florist sold a fruit basket on May 12th, I was all done with fruit. They said send flowers and chocolates without asking their customer, now they want their money back because their customer was PO'd. Not my problem I held up my end of the deal as I was instructed. If that was not through the service I can assure you I would be out 79.99.
 
Connie said:
My nomination would be the florist who told me, "We don't take credit card orders from another florist. You'll have to send it by one of our wire services." Then she proceeded to list more wire services than I knew existed! :faint:
Click to expand...

It wasn't a florist in Sharonville, Ohio was it ;) That shop even emailed me back and told me that "TF and FTD rules and regulations must be adhered to in lieu of being dropped for bypassing the wire services."

Um, you don't have to "adhere" to WS "rules" if you aren't a member and BTW, what rules?

Bloomz, I have a couple nominations for your show. I think it would be a hit :fdevil:
 
:wallhead:

Wow, I am still able to be shocked at the pure stupidity of those WS loyal florists. I reckon we will just have to stand silently by as they close their doors one by one. Sorry, my pimp says I can't take your money.:iamwith:
 
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