1-800 Flowers Strengthens Last Minute Hoilday Gift Delivery

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Blue,

...are you just talking about a TF order coming into the shop via the merc? This was a common practice when we had both TF and FTD.

TF took FTD (actually Mercury I believe) to court a long time ago because they wanted the right to use the merc. TF won and as I said this became common practice for quite a while. The merc was just the transmittal vehicle, the order was still a TF order with TF products clearing on the TF statement.

We received TF orders from shops via the merc every week as many florists had no dove and neither did we for a while, but both did have merc. In August of 2002 TF gave up the right to do this.

I just pulled the letter from my file dated May 14, 2002. TF said that since over 17,000 florists are now using Dove and only 5% using the merc to tranmit TF orders they are ending their agreement with Mercury Network as of August 31, 2002.

They go onto explain how they desire to invest in programs that benefit a broader range of TF florists. I quote, "We prefer to invest the savings resulting from this transition to further developing the Dove Network and increasing national advertising with TV and print campaigns.".

The letter says they experienced a 50% increase in Dove Network users in a year. Must have been from all the free computers, I know that's why we got on board the Dove wagon. That computer is in our basement right now and my husband uses it with his music. It was the most bare bones puter I ever saw, but for free what do you expect. Many say it was not really free, but considering I would have been doing exactly what I was doing anyway, it really was free. I didn't change anything.

Hope this helps. :FTDme BTW what is this supposed to be???
 
I think that there are some software programs out there that print out saying something about teleflora technologies and they come across on the merc. I get them on a regular basis. I also get orders on a regular basis on the merc that are asking for a specific TF product. As a matter of fact one of the boardies on here sent me one of those last month....
 
Re: Re: I don;t know the full deal...

Originally posted by Blue Oyster Cult
Was asked this by a Neighborhood florist today, can a order from Teleflora Technologys be transmitted on the Merc?

I didn't know what to say since I'm not involved with FTD so I said I don't know and wondered how a TF product through the Merc would show up on the TF Statement???
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Answer to that ?? is YES, TF orders can still be sent via the Merc, we have hundresd of dual member shops that have Advantage, that still have the ability to send BOTH WSs orders on one system.

Also, and this is something that has been seen since the invention of the Merc, OWS orders are often sent in the others format. I ass-u-me the reason, like in my case, is that these TF shops that are dual members, want ME to fill their orders, and they send "Similar to TF######" and we come as close as possible. So its an FTD order requesting a TF product, which in reality if its not a codefied thing, is easy enuf to do.

FTD reports these orders, to TF, and they show on the ststement as regular orders, far as I know.
 
Which of course leads to ANOTHER TOPIC....

TF has closed the doors on FTD orders, yet FTD continues to support ANY and ALL florists have have technoligy that allows multiple sending options.
TF has REALLY shot themselves in the foot, and has lost alot of shops just for that very reason!!
Very short sighted in my opinion...I guess we should have let TF go bankrupt in the early 90's INSTEAD of allowing them access to The MERC NETWORK!!...regardless of lawsuit!!
TF is looking at some major problems coming up...watch for it here first!!
The "moral" bankruptcy has already occurred at TF, and those florists that got sucked in with "free" computers, and fuzzy feely promises, are in for a rude awakening!!
Mike
 
Re: Which of course leads to ANOTHER TOPIC....

Originally posted by Mikey the Flower Guy
TF has closed the doors on FTD orders, yet FTD continues to support ANY and ALL florists have have technoligy that allows multiple sending options. Mike
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This is true. FTD could have (and still could) take TF to court, and get the ruling reversed now that the Duck flies...

However, its not worth the millions it would cost in $$ for one thing, and for every order that goes over the MERC FTD gets the $$ anyway, so in reality, TF did FTD a favor by forcing them to transmit their orders, and being willing to pay for the privledge.

We will see a day, when neither the Duck or the Merc (in its current form) are necessary...

Speaking of the Merc, I'm going to work on one Sunday for a shop close to me, will be interesting to get into the programming and see how it works, since I have never seen one...being internet based, maybe I can canabilize some ideas :)
 
hey Mikey, while we're throwing around phrases like "moral bankruptcy" Let's not forget FTD's latest move. Like signing up all those free shops and now raising their fees to $150 a month.
And lets not forget that there be new owners of FTD. The Green group puts a new spin on the phrase "moral ethics"

Jim
 
Whede does this come from ?

Originally posted by jbarb
Let's not forget FTD's latest move. Like signing up all those free shops and now raising their fees to $150 a month.
Jim
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$150.00 a month ?? Where does this come from... new one by me...
 
Alright...

Originally posted by jbarb
$129.99 a month for membership and $21 a month mandatory Qand A tax.....
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I concur, might even be higher if we were to get real honest:wallhead: but I know I get more out of it than it costs me...
 
What is the Real Use of this TAX????? Is it really Q and A??? Who is checking?
I would like to know a real answer please..not a spin answer.
 
Blue, I have had several lengthy conversations with various FTD people about this Tax. I have a real issue with being charged for something that is misrepresented the way this fee is. Oh sure, the FTD cheerleaders will tell you all about how they do shops test yadda yadda. Sorry but that's a load. According to 3 different FTD people, the Qand A group tests "approximatley" 100 stores a month. Well do the math! There are what 30,000 members now? Any company that is collecting 7 and a half million dollars a year for a Q and A should be doing more than 100 tests as month. At a 100 a month is will take FTD 25 years to test all their shops. When this topic was brought up at the meeting I attended last January, to quote Michael Soenen " I don't know why you people keep complaining about this fee. None of you come in here and say your shops are below standard" What a crock that was. The entire room was so stunned that he would say something that stupid, everyone just sat there and looked at him. Even Bob Norton looked at him like he was nuts.

This fee is for one thing and one thing only. It is an easy way to add a lot of money to the bottom line and lets fact it. It's 100% pure profit. It does'nt cost anything to do nothing but collect the fees.....
This fee is the primary reason why I am leaving FTD. It's not the dollar amount it's the principal behind it.....
I think I would be more accepting of this fee if it were called the
"bend over fee" or the "upper level managements Bahama vaction fee" at least they would be honest about it....
 
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