1 800 Flowers Choosing the Best Way to send flowers.

[Eric S]

I have to admit they are taking on a different way encouraging consumers to choose the best way for sending flowers.

http://www.howcast.com/videos/307590-How-To-Choose-the-Best-Way-To-Send-Flowers

This video is actually preatty good and has giving me some great ideas to work on.

 

[sandytf]

I'm impressed. It's about time they make it clear to their customers how it all works. Especially the part about knowing what the occasion is e.g. funeral flowers should be florist delivered. I think it was very well done.

 

[anytimeflowers]

I too am impressed. The honesty is straight forward.

The ONLY problem is that after watching something like that, I could see me signing on the dotted line to be a member of Bloomnet. Fortunately, I've already tasted that and it didn't go down well but I sure can see them gaining member florists with that little number.

 

[Simon Says]

There are some nuggets of interest in this but, as on a similar thread I opened earlier of FTD You Tube videos, isn't the drop-ship, especially on the FTD You Tubes, delivery of flowers belittling what florists do. Yes, there are some consumers, as per 1-800, who do enjoy arranging flowers but that doesn't mean they are any good at it - I enjoy painting but I am not da Vinci or Picasso or Damien Hirst. Or, does the customer "assemble flowers" with the implication that is what a florist does, maybe in the fashion of working in a car factory, assembling a vehicle.

The 1-800 video talks about receiving a florist piece "...in full bloom". Were that to be done, then how is it supposed to last 7 (+) days? What the piece does not mention is that the drop-ship comes invariably with tight buds, a goodly number of which will never open, especially if the recipient does not prep correctly and, over the days ahead, change the water. The florist piece should come at a stage in the opening and blooming process where the positioning of the floral is done to enhance and supplement adjoining and other floral in the same vase so the over-all benefit of the design over the period of numerous days for maximium pleasure.

How does receiving flowers in a box present more of a "wow factor". I would think it provides more of a "Okay, great, now what do I do with these? I was just feeding/bathing the baby/dog/spouse and now I have to drop everything and take care of these. Now where are my vases? Oh, these scissors aren't sharp enough. Why didn't Aunt Agatha send me flowers from the florist?" It is akin to the children receiving those toys on Christmas Day that have "assembly required" and we just know Dad or Mom is going to have to defer plans for that morning in an effort to "assemble the flowers".

Step 5 in the 1-800 IS a good point and one I wish more consumers did understand so, thank you 1-800 for that nugget.

If florists let drop-shippers / WS actively plug such promoting, more bricks and mortar shutters will be rolling down for good.

 

[sandytf]

There are some nuggets of interest in this but, as on a similar thread I opened earlier of FTD You Tube videos, isn't the drop-ship, especially on the FTD You Tubes, delivery of flowers belittling what florists do. Yes, there are some consumers, as per 1-800, who do enjoy arranging flowers but that doesn't mean they are any good at it - I enjoy painting but I am not da Vinci or Picasso or Damien Hirst. Or, does the customer "assemble flowers" with the implication that is what a florist does, maybe in the fashion of working in a car factory, assembling a vehicle.

The 1-800 video talks about receiving a florist piece "...in full bloom". Were that to be done, then how is it supposed to last 7 (+) days? What the piece does not mention is that the drop-ship comes invariably with tight buds, a goodly number of which will never open, especially if the recipient does not prep correctly and, over the days ahead, change the water. The florist piece should come at a stage in the opening and blooming process where the positioning of the floral is done to enhance and supplement adjoining and other floral in the same vase so the over-all benefit of the design over the period of numerous days for maximium pleasure.

How does receiving flowers in a box present more of a "wow factor". I would think it provides more of a "Okay, great, now what do I do with these? I was just feeding/bathing the baby/dog/spouse and now I have to drop everything and take care of these. Now where are my vases? Oh, these scissors aren't sharp enough. Why didn't Aunt Agatha send me flowers from the florist?" It is akin to the children receiving those toys on Christmas Day that have "assembly required" and we just know Dad or Mom is going to have to defer plans for that morning in an effort to "assemble the flowers".

Step 5 in the 1-800 IS a good point and one I wish more consumers did understand so, thank you 1-800 for that nugget.

If florists let drop-shippers / WS actively plug such promoting, more bricks and mortar shutters will be rolling down for good.

I really don't see it that way. It doesn't seem demeaning to the florist to me.
So now you have to be a Rembrandt to enjoy painting? That's kind of ridiculous.
Considering the source (and that they are trying to sell both methods) I think it's a fair assessment of the differences.
I do agree that there is not much WOW factor in getting a box! Maybe they're referring to the quantity of flowers for the price.
And I don't think florists have control over "letting" the drop shippers plug such promoting....the only control they have is whether or not belong to the service and whether or not they fill their orders.

 

[Simon Says]

I really don't see it that way. It doesn't seem demeaning to the florist to me.
So now you have to be a Rembrandt to enjoy painting? That's kind of ridiculous.
Considering the source (and that they are trying to sell both methods) I think it's a fair assessment of the differences.
I do agree that there is not much WOW factor in getting a box! Maybe they're referring to the quantity of flowers for the price.
And I don't think florists have control over "letting" the drop shippers plug such promoting....the only control they have is whether or not belong to the service and whether or not they fill their orders.

Okay, the painting aspect is perhaps over the top. As for my final paragraph, my point is that if drop-shippers place what a florist does and that the consumer can do this at home on the same level -which they are in the piece in question- then what is the purpose of the florist?

 

[BOSS]

Hmmm... maybe I was wrong, maybe it won't be Teleflora that'll be around when the dust settles, but 800F....

Drop shipping of flowers (or anything) will never go away... simple fact... it's something we can do nothing about, nor should we waste time on it, there is a segment of society that prefers it.

 

[bootcampguy]

I think this is good and will steal it, but I do believe it's a result of the members "raising cane" about the lack of orders. They are demanding that they be considered or included in the process of marketing. Their fees are not cheap. A good friend who works there, say they are under pressure "by florists" for more orders, if enough people gripe, soooooooooner or later, the griper gets heard. When you lose one florist, 2 florist or 3 florists you don't miss them, but when "blocks" of florists leave, even a not so smart business person knows you have to address the issue. Same as FTD did at VD and MD (48 hours) before the holiday, visit your local florists. Yeah, that helped alot.......................

 

[jamie]

If florists let drop-shippers / WS actively plug such promoting, more bricks and mortar shutters will be rolling down for good.

Florists can not do anything to stop them plugging their product, and more B&M will be shuttering for many reasons. The best thing anyone can do is either be a part of the wire service/national market game or get out of it and look out for your own shop in your own market. I don't worry about drop shippers any more than I worry about Pajamagrams.

I'll tell you what ticks me off, Edible Arrangements. They should have a disclaimer on their ads stating that all the fruit is green and if you eat it, you will have the runs for a week!

 

[secretgarden]

We all have to remember if arranging them is what they want we offer not only cash and carry bouquets but deliveries in boxes. We have beautiful white boxes we dress up with ribbon and our gold sticker that we could showcase in an ad like this. I am steeling this little nugget and adding it to the things I will work on this summer. Less labor and less time, we can get used to that.

Jamie I'm with you on the fruit. The ads drive me crazy "longer lasting then flowers", yeah right but I sure don't want to eat anything on it a week from now!

 

[LOTAKIDS]

Just had a visit from the 1800 rep (she use to be FTD... )(I have always liked her as a person, anyway)... She is on probation for not sigining up enough florist. She told me that shops are closing left and right here and then there are those that want nothing to do with wire services and she can't make their quotas. Makes you go HMMMM...

 

[BOSS]

Just had a visit from the 1800 rep (she use to be FTD... )(I have always liked her as a person, anyway)... She is on probation for not sigining up enough florist. She told me that shops are closing left and right here and then there are those that want nothing to do with wire services and she can't make their quotas. Makes you go HMMMM...

That's because the lemmings are getting smarter.... there are those that **need** wire services and those that don't... most don't.

I doubt I'll ever see another wire service rep walk in my door...too bad, I used to love playing with them... my FTD rep of many many years, didn't even reply to my farewell email when I left... reps have been having a hard time for the last few years, sadly they know nothing else for the most part...

 

[anytimeflowers]

Just had a visit from the 1800 rep (she use to be FTD... )(I have always liked her as a person, anyway)... She is on probation for not sigining up enough florist. She told me that shops are closing left and right here and then there are those that want nothing to do with wire services and she can't make their quotas. Makes you go HMMMM...

So......did that cause you to sign up? (I'm kidding, I KNOW you DIDN'T)

 

[theRKF]

I think this is good and will steal it, but I do believe it's a result of the members "raising cane" about the lack of orders.

Isn't that video over a year old?