1800Flowers "Premier Florist"

[LJVF]

I was approached today about becoming a 1800Flowers Premier Florist. It's really odd that this came at a time when I'm about to dump them. I remember reading some bad comments about this here, but after hearing his spiel, it "sounds" better than I thought.

1) There are 6 tiered levels of the Premier progam. Each level requires a shop to average anywhere from 20-90 wire-outs per month for a given quarter.

2) If you choose the first level, you must send 20 orders per month and they in turn "guarantee" $50,000-75,000 dollars per year in incoming orders. These orders will have an average value of $60.00 and you can specify and limit the zip code coverage. The next level of 30 orders would guarantee $75,000 - $100,000, and this tiering continues up to 90 orders.

3) You must purchase their "Selection Product Line" which amounts to $600.00

4) Premier florists will be guaranteed a $5.00 rebate per each order that is sent out, even if you do not send the minimum of 20 orders for each month.

I was wondering what any of you have heard about this and what your thoughts are?

disclaimer: This info was jotted down on my notes, I'm not positive on the accuracy.

 

[LJVF]

I forgot to add that supposedly not every shop will be made this offer.

 

[BOSS]

they in turn "guarantee" $50,000-75,000 dollars per year in incoming orders. These orders will have an average value of $60.00 and you can specify and limit the zip code coverage. The next level of 30 orders would guarantee $75,000 - $100,000, and this tiering continues up to 90 orders.

3) You must purchase their "Selection Product Line" which amounts to $600.00 per quarter.

Oh they do do they....Hmmm... don't they have an LFC in San Diego? How can they guarantee that they will have that many orders to send you, what if 10 shops sign up for the same deal?

As to the average order amount...from my perspective their average order is closer to $30.00 after you remove delivery...

And your going to spend another $2400.00 a year to buy product from them for them to send discounted orders back to you? What if you don't get the orders for those exact products, can you sell them in your store? You can not with the Martha stuff.

 

[wrdlady47]

Sounds like a good plan. Spieling is what they are paid to do. Remember he is a salesman and his job is to sell to you. Buyer beware.
I have a couple of questions:
If you fail to send out 20 outs, is there a penalty?
If you have multiple town listings are you allowed to vary your delivery charge?
Can you set the time limit for your out of town deliveries?
If you don't get enough orders to use all of their product, will they buy them back?
If you have left-over product-can you carry them over to the next quarter and defer the cost?
If something is "required" than how can they waive said requirement without penalty?
How many wire outs are you doing a month right now?
If you are a premier florist will they still be advertising 1-800-flowers in the top 10 when you google San Diego, Ca.?
What will your monthly fees be?
If the average order is $60 , what is the lowest order they will send you?
Is delivery included in the $60 avg. order?

 

[Lizi]

Yeah, it sounds great. My questions is how can they guarantee anybody that amount of incoming orders? And you get to limit the zip codes. Yeah, but by limiting them, you also limit the amount of orders they can send to you. That may work great for a large town, but not a small one. And as far as the rebates, I never got one rebate when I was with 1-800Flowers. You say you also have to purchase $600.00 every quarter. However if they do send the orders they promise you would have to purchase even more product from them. I just see it as a win for 1-800.

Thats just my opinion.

 

[LJVF]

Oh they do do they....Hmmm... don't they have an LFC in San Diego? How can they guarantee that they will have that many orders to send you, what if 10 shops sign up for the same deal?

He told me that the offer is limited to certain shops and there won't be 2 in the same area.

 

[Lizi]

Yeah, I've heard that before. When I signed up with them, I was told that. Within 2 months, they had 1 shop in the same town as me, and 2 in neighboring towns within 16 miles. However they promised me no one within 20 miles would be signed up.

Don't believe everything you hear.

 

[LJVF]

Sounds like a good plan. Spieling is what they are paid to do. Remember he is a salesman and his job is to sell to you. Buyer beware.
I have a couple of questions:
If you fail to send out 20 outs, is there a penalty?

No penalty, you are evaluated after each quarter whether you will be allowed to continue or not.

If you have multiple town listings are you allowed to vary your delivery charge?

Not sure, but I doubt it.

Can you set the time limit for your out of town deliveries?

Again not sure but I doubt it. But if I it were me, I would limit to the least amount of zips they allow.

If you don't get enough orders to use all of their product, will they buy them back?

After re-reading my notes, I think you are only required to purchase the $600.00 intially.

If something is "required" than how can they waive said requirement without penalty?

No penalty, they just drop you.

How many wire outs are you doing a month right now?

Well above the 20 (all from local customers)

What will your monthly fees be?

From what I understand, they will not go up.

 

[Eric S]

I was approached today about becoming a 1800Flowers Premier Florist. It's really odd that this came at a time when I'm about to dump them. I remember reading some bad comments about this here, but after hearing his spiel, it "sounds" better than I thought.

1) There are 6 tiered levels of the Premier progam. Each level requires a shop to average anywhere from 20-90 wire-outs per month for a given quarter.

2) If you choose the first level, you must send 20 orders per month and they in turn "guarantee" $50,000-75,000 dollars per year in incoming orders. These orders will have an average value of $60.00 and you can specify and limit the zip code coverage. The next level of 30 orders would guarantee $75,000 - $100,000, and this tiering continues up to 90 orders.

3) You must purchase their "Selection Product Line" which amounts to $600.00 per quarter.

4) Premier florists will be guaranteed a $5.00 rebate per each order that is sent out, even if you do not send the minimum of 20 orders for each month.

I was wondering what any of you have heard about this and what your thoughts are?

disclaimer: This info was jotted down on my notes, I'm not positive on the accuracy.

This sounds exactly what we where getting when we where with them. I don't see any incentive except for the $5 rebate.

Whats your take on it? Is it the 50,000 to 75,000 in orders?

Because you know its more like 35,500 to 53,250 and free delivery!!!

 

[Eric S]

In 2004 I recieved $84,000 in orders with not one order sent out.

If you want the orders they will give them to you. But its discounted and its 71%.


Lets put it this way.

The money you would spend on Membership, and the 29% they keep would give you a good amount advertising to beat them at their own game. And instead of buying "Their Containers" for "Their Customers" you would be getting "Your Customers" and promoting "Your Business"

 

[LJVF]

This sounds exactly what we where getting when we where with them. I don't see any incentive except for the $5 rebate.

Whats your take on it? Is it the 50,000 to 75,000 in orders?

Because you know its more like 35,500 to 53,250 and free delivery!!!

For me it's the $5.00 rebate plus the limited zip code coverage. Heck if they're willing to guarantee this volume within a 5 mile radius (not holding by breath on that one), I'd have to at least consider it. I'm still VERY skeptical, but will always listen.

 

[PhillyPhlorist]

I was approached today about becoming a 1800Flowers Premier Florist. It's really odd that this came at a time when I'm about to dump them. I remember reading some bad comments about this here, but after hearing his spiel, it "sounds" better than I thought.

1) There are 6 tiered levels of the Premier progam. Each level requires a shop to average anywhere from 20-90 wire-outs per month for a given quarter.

2) If you choose the first level, you must send 20 orders per month and they in turn "guarantee" $50,000-75,000 dollars per year in incoming orders. These orders will have an average value of $60.00 and you can specify and limit the zip code coverage. The next level of 30 orders would guarantee $75,000 - $100,000, and this tiering continues up to 90 orders.

3) You must purchase their "Selection Product Line" which amounts to $600.00

4) Premier florists will be guaranteed a $5.00 rebate per each order that is sent out, even if you do not send the minimum of 20 orders for each month.

I was wondering what any of you have heard about this and what your thoughts are?

disclaimer: This info was jotted down on my notes, I'm not positive on the accuracy.

Got the same offer two weeks ago to "get me back on the team."

SOS... same game, different year. You would have to carry EVERY item in their design line...yikes.

All I have to say is... don't you believe it...stay away...FAR away...

- H.

PS - and to think I was TOLD that "we have no control over the orders you get"... bold face #$@$@#%...

 

[Eric S]

For me it's the $5.00 rebate plus the limited zip code coverage. Heck if they're willing to guarantee this volume within a 5 mile radius (not holding by breath on that one), I'd have to at least consider it. I'm still VERY skeptical, but will always listen.

So you have a substantial amount of sending?

That would mean you have a substantial amount of local base customers. Why do you need there incoming orders?

 

[flower lady]

Did it for 30 days. Promised the world and received nothing but big headaches... The average sale figure is achieved by the one high dollar item they send you every month. Lots of extra work for designers and office and you have no say if they don't agree that the flowers you substitute you don't get paid. Not to mention that we have a reputation in our town that would have been tarnished by the fact that a sender could get a $30 vase through 1-800 but we didn't offer it ourselves.

We were given that 90 day see if we like you and you like us speach and at that time we told them that until we got rolling with their items and had a feel for the system we would not be sending... needless to say the nasty phone calls started that we weren't sending and they made the mistake of telling one of our employees that we were not living up to our agreement....

My husband flipped... called them and told them don't ever contact us again and they haven't, and we turn down every order that comes through teleflora.

If you'd like more info message me. Don't make a big mistake it's not worth your reputation.

Barb

 

[BOSS]

BOSS's Second Quote of the day!!

if they don't agree that the flowers you substitute you don't get paid. Not to mention that we have a reputation in our town that would have been tarnished by the fact that a sender could get a $30 vase through 1-800

I rest my case!

 

[Floristique]

I was a Premier Florist in Duluth for 18 mths til I lost my shirt filling all their $24.99 & $29.99 orders. They tell you that you can set a minimum but you really can't. You have to also honor their pricing strategies which at times is impossible. Prices for flowers fluctuate too much to guarantee their cheap prices at our level. If you could buy flowers from their suppliers at their prices so you could maybe make a buck that would be a miracle. In my area, they kept all the cream orders & sent me the crap. They had a store in marietta that delivered all the cream orders all over Atlanta & gave their Premier florists all the cheap orders. I did average a $5-10K check monthly from them, but all the work was insane. Do you know how many orders that is at predominately $40 average to me? I quit them & replaced their guaranteed biz with 100% orders within 30 days, gee, I had some time to market.

 

[Floristique]

Forgot to mention, you don't get the delivery fee that they charge the customer, they keep it. I had many customers tell me what they paid, needless to say they are my customers now. Because they charge them a delivery fee & a service charge & keep both. You really only get 67% after everything else with them. When you factor in all the costs of the containers & products that you couldn't sell it is not worth it. I had so much stuff leftover that I am still trying to use it up today. Some stuff just isn't a good or easy sell. They did have only me in my City but I am very close to the next city Norcross, right on the line & they signed someone up there. They will give you the orders & you cannot substitute unless you get it authorized by them in writing or you will not get paid for the order.

 

[LJVF]

Thanks for all the replies, now I won't go into discussions blind.

For those who have actually tried it out, was what they offered to me the same as what they offered you or was it different? Did you have to sign a contract?

 

[Jerry]

Why don't you be the business in charge if you want to play their game. Write up a contract yourself, with all the wisdom you have just recieved from the florists that have "been there done that". Word it so you win in their game. You asked the best florists their opinions, they gave it, so write that contract with all the pitfalls covered and see if they like to talk to a knowledge ready florist.

The worst that could happen is you would probably save some money, head banging, and maybe your sanity.

 

[LJVF]

Why don't you be the business in charge if you want to play their game. Write up a contract yourself, with all the wisdom you have just recieved from the florists that have "been there done that". Word it so you win in their game. You asked the best florists their opinions, they gave it, so write that contract with all the pitfalls covered and see if they like to talk to a knowledge ready florist.

The worst that could happen is you would probably save some money, head banging, and maybe your sanity.

I won't go as far as writing my own contract, but I will definitely use all your critiques and advice as helpful tools. Now they probably won't talk to me anymore if there are 1800 spies in here.