1-800-Flowers Q1 Results

[CHR]

Prestonway -

You are smart, successful, funny, no doubt cute and probably a great guy to work for.

Gotta agree with Eric, though... I almost blew coffee on my monitor seeing 'bait and switch' typed from your fingers.

View Example (click on the little magnifying glass to see the page more clearly)

 

[stormy]

So you dont like Mark

I doubt if they can grow to become THE wire service since the man running the show use to be apart of the executive team at Teleflora. It's duplicating the same old same practices and business model of Teleflora. Even copied a registered slogan of Target ..."Expect More, PayLess" in their recent magazine ads. Unfortunately, Mark Nance doesn't have an original thought these days.

i often talk with MArk about different things in this industry. i find him quite straightforward and he will ALWAYS answer the tough questions. maybe its me but i like an honest answer, even if i dont like it. but what do i know, i'm just a poor little florist trying to make a living. :dunno:

 

[Eric S]

Prestonway -


View Example (click on the little magnifying glass to see the page more clearly)

Oh man look at that Map link!!!

Hey whats the most amount of map weblinks that are assigned for a listing?
It does seem to be only two but has anyone else ever seen more than that?

Perhaps I need to tell the Gathering guide to piss off and delete my info?
Same with City Search?

Hey cathy could that be the secret?

 

[Eric S]

Preston Your website is amazing.

You just know there is a fine line of how your doing it.

I mean come on the Bait and switch comment is pretty funny when you think about it.

Almost as funny as me posting on your blog about filling for simon says roses.. That was classic!!!

 

[NPFloral]

Bait.....& switch!

One problem with that tho, Prestonway.. the old Bait & Switch scheme results in the consumer having to spend MORE money or choose something else that is nowhere near what they want. This just isn't the case.

Hey.. if, after I explain the savings to them, they still WANT to use TF or BLMLK I'll be happy to direct them to a shop that can rip them off... errr I mean..service them.

Tim - North Port Floral

 

[bloomz]

Hey.. if, after I explain the savings to them, they still WANT to use TF or BLMLK I'll be happy to direct them to a shop that can rip them off... errr I mean..service them.

Tim - North Port Floral

I'm curious Tim why you think a wire service member rips people off?

I understand you made your choice but I don't feel I rip anyone off.

 

[sfox]

your response

I think you read too much into it Carol. I never said I *NEEDED* the signs, I just chose to leave them up. (Not to mention they are a pain in the azz to get off the glass!)

I cannot speak for consumer mentality. If they see a sign and feel good about opening the door. That's all I care about. Once inside I explain the benefits of F2F sending and they become educated, they know that they are getting their money's worth. They really do appreciate that and come back.

Tim - North Port Floral

Your response is very confusing? You are not taking down a wire service sign because you say they are too hard to remove. And from your tone, it seems you feel your actions are justified. I'll bet you that if a wire service kept your shop name listed on their search listing and directed the customer who clicked on your name to another vendor that you would be very upset. But that is what you are doing by leading the customer to think that your shop is a wire service affiliate, but once you get them inside you shift them elsewhere. And forget all the talk of how bad wire services are, that's a business decision you chose and while I respect your choice, it seems you are following down the same path of the wire services.

I have stayed with a wire service because it still creates a profit for my business and I still have customers that want that service. I do not plan on starting a one shop crusade to change the consumers minds. But once they no longer want that service and I can no longer make a profit from it, then and only then will I leave. From, what you are doing, it seems you want don't want to pay for the recognition a wire service logo has, but you still want to use that logo.

 

[BOSS]

It took me almost half a can of MessMaster to remove the old FTD circular sticker from our front window. It was a pain in the butt to remove.

A razor blade and a little GAS work's much better...for those of you wishing to remove the @@@@ things....MessMaster...just makes a MESS of the things.

Side note... I am still in a couple wire services...but I have removed any and ALL references to them...no door stickers...no van stickers...no logos on my sites...a new cover on the selection guide...

I do not want to be connected to them, nor help to show "their brand" and raise consumer awareness that they even exist. Funny, we continue to see sales increases even without the stickers...go figure

 

[NPFloral]

From, what you are doing, it seems you don't want to pay for the recognition a wire service logo has, but you still want to use that logo.

And the problem with that is.....?

Ok.. now *I'M* the one that is confused. Would you mind sharing your model with the group showing how, exactly, you make a profit on wire orders? Do you not fill to value? You get your flowers for free? What?

Seems that ever since I joined this board, people have been saying how terrible the WS's are and when they annouce that they have severed ties from them, they get praised. Me? I quit the WSes and choose to leave a sign on my door, a simple stick-on WS sign to help attract customers and educate them on the negative concept of the WS, and do my best to change their minds about them, and I get sh*t from people. Wazzup wit dat? The WSes have been using florists for years, and now they are directly competing with their members by shipping direct-to-consumer, and your feeling sorry for them because a little 1400sf florist in a podunk little Florida town is using THEM? Would you rather I put up a sign that says "I'll Call a Florist For You Wire Services Done Here!" ?

Look... you do what you have to do to make money. I'll do what I have to do. In my case, I'll try to give my customer exactly what they want and they are happy paying $12.95 to have me assure they get it. You go ahead and do whatever it is you do to keep your customer happy

Tim - North Port Floral

 

[sfox]

Ok

And the problem with that is.....?

Ok.. now *I'M* the one that is confused. Would you mind sharing your model with the group showing how, exactly, you make a profit on wire orders? Do you not fill to value? You get your flowers for free? What?

Seems that ever since I joined this board, people have been saying how terrible the WS's are and when they annouce that they have severed ties from them, they get praised. Me? I quit the WSes and choose to leave a sign on my door, a simple stick-on WS sign to help attract customers and educate them on the negative concept of the WS, and do my best to change their minds about them, and I get sh*t from people. Wazzup wit dat? The WSes have been using florists for years, and now they are directly competing with their members by shipping direct-to-consumer, and your feeling sorry for them because a little 1400sf florist in a podunk little Florida town is using THEM? Would you rather I put up a sign that says "I'll Call a Florist For You Wire Services Done Here!" ?

Look... you do what you have to do to make money. I'll do what I have to do. In my case, I'll try to give my customer exactly what they want and they are happy paying $12.95 to have me assure they get it. You go ahead and do whatever it is you do to keep your customer happy

Tim - North Port Floral

OK, you wanted to know.

First let me explain, that long before this board came about, I was a critic of the way wire services were working.

Second, yes, I fill to value and yes I make a profit from a wire service, but a very small profit. And there could come a time in the very near future that the profit stops.

Third, I do not fill for any ordergatherers period.

Fourth, when you say you are doing what you have to do to make money, doesn't that mean that you support what other ordergatherers are doing. If they use your shop name to steal orders from you, aren't they just doing what they have to do to make money? If they list themselves as having a shop in your town, aren't they doing what they have to do to make money?
If they drop ship items into your town, aren't they just doing what they have to do to make money? Just because you are small shop, does that really change anything?

Tim, I am not knocking you for leaving a wire service. What I am saying is that wire services and ordergatherers lack integrity and do whatever they have to to steal orders from florists. And they use the same logic that you are using. If you want to live on the high moral ground, don't play the same game that they are. All you are doing is sinking to their level, and it makes what they are doing legitimate.

 

[NPFloral]

I'm curious Tim why you think a wire service member rips people off?

I understand you made your choice but I don't feel I rip anyone off.

I certainly don't think *you* rip off the customer Bloomz, (Sorry if it seemed I implied that) A less scrupulous florist than yourself just might not fill that incoming order to value and the consumer goes to who to complain? You. Even though it wasn't your fault, you are the face they remember taking their money. At my shop, I pass along the exact amount of $$ that the customer provided. Not a percentage point less, and my customer knows that and hopfully that fact instills confidence.

Tim - North Port Floral

 

[NPFloral]

OK, you wanted to know.

First let me explain, that long before this board came about, I was a critic of the way wire services were working.

Second, yes, I fill to value and yes I make a profit from a wire service, but a very small profit. And there could come a time in the very near future that the profit stops.

Third, I do not fill for any ordergatherers period.

Fourth, when you say you are doing what you have to do to make money, doesn't that mean that you support what other ordergatherers are doing. If they use your shop name to steal orders from you, aren't they just doing what they have to do to make money? If they list themselves as having a shop in your town, aren't they doing what they have to do to make money?
If they drop ship items into your town, aren't they just doing what they have to do to make money? Just because you are small shop, does that really change anything?

Tim, I am not knocking you for leaving a wire service. What I am saying is that wire services and ordergatherers lack integrity and do whatever they have to to steal orders from florists. And they use the same logic that you are using. If you want to live on the high moral ground, don't play the same game that they are. All you are doing is sinking to their level, and it makes what they are doing legitimate.

Thanks for your response Sfox. However, the fist line of it ( "Ok, you wanted to know") implies that you are going to share your model of how one makes a profit from WS. I figure that I made about 2 bux (maybe) on every incoming order. $2 isn't profit, it's an insult. So.. if you can share how I could make more, I'd love to hear it!

Tim - North Port Floral

 

[coppercountryflowers]

Lower prices for customers who demand it

We have a lot of customers who are low to middle income and many are also elderly. They are looking for wire prices that are $29.99 and under. They just want a "little something". Bloomnet offers that. Teleflora and FTD tend to start around $35.00. We offer what our customers demand. When they ask for the lowest price from TF and FTD, they bristle at the prices we show them in the book, (suggested by both wire service.) When they say they "just can't afford that," we offer them Bloomnet. They fill a niche.

 

[CHR]

Tim -

There's no secret to making money with a wire service. It requires sending a sufficent number of orders with more sending than receiving - which is tough to do in Florida, "The Incoming State."

 

[bloomz]

And the problem with that is.....?

Tim - North Port Floral

2 things and I don't mean this at all antagonistically -

#1 - by having that logo on the window - you are advertising for them - honestly a sign saying "Nationwide Delivery Available" or the like would do just as well and quite possibly better - there is a reason a couple years back FTD was paying members to advertise their logo - they gave us $2000 in advertising money for proving to them that we featured their logo in our ads - and they ain't dumb - neither are we - we took it! (they have since discontinued this program)

#2 I have a friend here in Oregon who was sued by them and got a judgement in the tune of $70,000 and change for not taking their logo down - this is no joke. They figured out how much they thought he earned by "illegal" use of their logo and were awarded that amount. I'm not going to post their name here, but trust me - the guy is a good friend I talk to daily and it did happen.

and now it is public knowledge - I'd remove that sucker if I were you (but I know I'm not)

carry on.....:bangles:

At my shop, I pass along the exact amount of $$ that the customer provided. Not a percentage point less, and my customer knows that and hopfully that fact instills confidence.

Tim - North Port Floral

You don't charge them a relay fee? That's exemplary.

I certainly don't think *you* rip off the customer Bloomz, (Sorry if it seemed I implied that) A less scrupulous florist than yourself just might not fill that incoming order to value and the consumer goes to who to complain? You. Even though it wasn't your fault, you are the face they remember taking their money. confidence.

Tim - North Port Floral

This is why it is my responsibility to choose a preferred florist who doesn't do this - and if I fumble, which has happened - it is my fault! And I am ultimately responsible to my customer for that. Making it right is my responsibilty also - and I take this quite seriously. They can have confidence in me for that very reason.

 

[lori042499]

And the problem with that is.....?

Ok.. now *I'M* the one that is confused. Would you mind sharing your model with the group showing how, exactly, you make a profit on wire orders? Do you not fill to value? You get your flowers for free? What?

Seems that ever since I joined this board, people have been saying how terrible the WS's are and when they annouce that they have severed ties from them, they get praised. Me? I quit the WSes and choose to leave a sign on my door, a simple stick-on WS sign to help attract customers and educate them on the negative concept of the WS, and do my best to change their minds about them, and I get sh*t from people. Wazzup wit dat? The WSes have been using florists for years, and now they are directly competing with their members by shipping direct-to-consumer, and your feeling sorry for them because a little 1400sf florist in a podunk little Florida town is using THEM? Would you rather I put up a sign that says "I'll Call a Florist For You Wire Services Done Here!" ?

Look... you do what you have to do to make money. I'll do what I have to do. In my case, I'll try to give my customer exactly what they want and they are happy paying $12.95 to have me assure they get it. You go ahead and do whatever it is you do to keep your customer happy

Tim - North Port Floral

I believe that by keeping their sign in the window, you are doing something illegal. Without belonging to the WS you are not paying for the right to use that signage. And as for belonging and not using the signs, that is a breach of membership rules, not that anyone will bother to uphold any of these matters.

 

[Rhonda]

It is actually a violation of one of the rules (existant or not) regarding logos. If you have voluntarily resigned from their membership, you are to remove all logos from windows, vehicles, business cards, sales slips, any branded products etc. I have actually made the legal team go after a shop in my town who kept her logos on for two years after being kicked out (not voluntary). I would cover my a** and get rid of them.
Just my humble opinion.

 

[Bigted]

Tim -

There's no secret to making money with a wire service. It requires sending a sufficent number of orders with more sending than receiving - which is tough to do in Florida, "The Incoming State."

Or Anaheim, the incoming city

 

[Rock]

About 10 yrs ago a florist in a nearby town quit FTD. Over the next few years he didn't seem very friendly when ever I ran into him and finally asked him why. Apparently, someone reported that he still had the FTD logos on his van and FTD went after him. He 'HAD' to prove to them that he had removed the logos by submitting pics to them! :boggles: He assumed that it was me who reported him but I didn't unless it came up in a conversation with the FTD rep that I forgot about!
When we quit FTD I photographed us removing them the day BEFORE for posterity. Although, if FTD came after me to prove I had removed the logos I would have hung up on them.
Rock on....................

 

[Chezbloom]

I removed them too, but like I said, it took awhile to get the things off the window!! Its just plain ol' Good Karma to get that nasty FTD logo outta yer store.