A step toward taking it back!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Florist Detective .com

I would have to agree, I understand the frustation of us everyday florist. But this site to me is more of a symbolic rally cry from florist then a real effort to produce any results in our favor.

The new mouth piece for this site seems to be Boss ( seems i could be wrong ), who has in the past stuck behind FTD at all times. Leaving florist board on more then one occasion because they only seem to bad mouth FTD. And now all views have change and it off to the running board for real florist. I guess in my own mind ftd hurt his feelings and he wants to show them the stroke he has and how wrong they were. It is almost like a jilted lover.

What suggest a florist that markets to his customers, such as Art to get his url on this list as a public og? ( I do not know Art ) He offers gifts that can be delivered ups/fed ex anywhere is the US, so I am guessing he don't have to be near in a physical location. So I really view this more political, by seeing Art's site on this and boss as the focal point.

Seems more and more consumers keep ordering from the direct from the grower model and I can't see alot of consumers doing much investigation on Florist Detective.com while there ordering from a site called cheapflowers.com

At some point all of this motivation from floirst linking up to FloristDetective.com will be a good place to start for a donation pledge to help market this in front of the consumer eye's.

Is this the kind of statements we want to make with those that buy flowers, we keep losing more and more to the direct/growing model and could this site incourage more of that.

I don't say put the tail between the legs either, and I can respect the time and effort it took those to build Florist Detective.com but just because it is there I don't believe it speaks for all florist.

Darius
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
At some point we need to stop crying about the state of the industry and we need to do something. I do not know who created this site but but its certainly a good launching pad from which to start a revolution to take back this industry for real florist.
 
Authorization?

Darius said:
I would have to agree, I understand the frustation of us everyday florist. But this site to me is more of a symbolic rally cry from florist then a real effort to produce any results in our favor.

The new mouth piece for this site seems to be Boss ( seems i could be wrong ), who has in the past stuck behind FTD at all times. Leaving florist board on more then one occasion because they only seem to bad mouth FTD. And now all views have change and it off to the running board for real florist. I guess in my own mind ftd hurt his feelings and he wants to show them the stroke he has and how wrong they were. It is almost like a jilted lover.

What suggest a florist that markets to his customers, such as Art to get his url on this list as a public og? ( I do not know Art ) He offers gifts that can be delivered ups/fed ex anywhere is the US, so I am guessing he don't have to be near in a physical location. So I really view this more political, by seeing Art's site on this and boss as the focal point.

Seems more and more consumers keep ordering from the direct from the grower model and I can't see alot of consumers doing much investigation on Florist Detective.com while there ordering from a site called cheapflowers.com

At some point all of this motivation from floirst linking up to FloristDetective.com will be a good place to start for a donation pledge to help market this in front of the consumer eye's.

Is this the kind of statements we want to make with those that buy flowers, we keep losing more and more to the direct/growing model and could this site incourage more of that.

I don't say put the tail between the legs either, and I can respect the time and effort it took those to build Florist Detective.com but just because it is there I don't believe it speaks for all florist.

Darius


How did we get listed? How did 'they' get permission to link us? just WHO ARE THEY? other than the digger I found out about the site it's registered via RKFdomains?.

Geez, at least ask us if we want to be listed first? before we find our listing on a site we know nothing about until the PRESS released it?.

It's interesting to us and our lawyer why we are part of a website information page directory yet we never signed on or have any documents to our shops information being portrayed to benefit http://floristdetective.com

Everyone wants to create a data base yet we find OUR DATA being used in something which we were not included in at the start.

Thanks for waking up us sleeping florists yet using our shop name in your adventure is misrepresenting US and YOU.

We do not know how we became a part of http://floristdetective.com but since they cannot find it in their best interest to let US business owners know they are listed US in their quest on the internet than I guess we need to find out what the courts say.

Yes we are Real but we do not belong to NONSENCE alliance's via the Internet who cannot get off the 80-20 programs just like all the 'Stars Today' are talking about.
Good luck in your adventure and leave us out of it.
 
I typed my business name into yahoo and google this am and I found 10 ordergathers with there sites linked to my name is there a way to stop this

chappells florist is our name and this is the list of the frauds

flowersacrossamerica.com
your-flower-shop.com
affordableflowerdelivery.com
qksrv.net
flowerrewards.com
artsianflorist.com
urbanflorist.com
pwflowers.com
justflowers.com
sweetgiftsandflowers.com
:hammer:
 
Darius said:
The new mouth piece for this site seems to be Boss ( seems i could be wrong ), who has in the past stuck behind FTD at all times. Leaving florist board on more then one occasion because they only seem to bad mouth FTD. And now all views have change and it off to the running board for real florist. I guess in my own mind ftd hurt his feelings and he wants to show them the stroke he has and how wrong they were. It is almost like a jilted lover.

As to a "mouth piece for the site" I am only alerting florists here to what is going on and bringing it to their attention so they can be better informed and make concious decisions for themselves. Many folks "said" they wanted things to be different and something to be done, and when somene does do something in an attempt to help, then they turn and shoot the messenger.

Floristboard, is well, IMHO the "Wild West" of the florist internet, yes I did leave a couple times, as have many others, but now it is not by my choice.

And finally with regard to FTD, have you ever changed your mind on anything? At one time (years ago) I truely thought that they were going to do what was good for the industry, and florists too, I did try to make changes there (ask TOTO and Mikey) and work to help florists that were members. (did the same with TF, even tho I am not a member)

Yes my views have changed (again I ask have you ever changed your mind) as once I was "on the inside" I learned and saw what was really going on, and decided that I could no longer be part of the deception being waged against the member florists, and felt it my obligation to try and work to help florists survive.

I have been in this business myself full time for 34 years, and have seen many changes, most not for the better, and I feel it's @@@@ time that someone does something to try and salvage something for the Real Florists.

Yes, my stance in this regard has changed, but thats what education is about, isn't it, learning, growing and seeing what is truely going on.

Nice thing about this forum is you do not have to read nor agree with what is said, everyone has a voice, and everyone can choose to not read someone elses thoughts...

I truely am trying to help.
 
Blue Oyster Cult said:
How did we get listed? How did 'they' get permission to link us? just WHO ARE THEY? other than the digger I found out about the site it's registered via RKFdomains?.

Geez, at least ask us if we want to be listed first? before we find our listing on a site we know nothing about until the PRESS released it?.

It's interesting to us and our lawyer why we are part of a website information page directory yet we never signed on or have any documents to our shops information being portrayed to benefit http://floristdetective.com

Everyone wants to create a data base yet we find OUR DATA being used in something which we were not included in at the start.

Thanks for waking up us sleeping florists yet using our shop name in your adventure is misrepresenting US and YOU.

We do not know how we became a part of http://floristdetective.com but since they cannot find it in their best interest to let US business owners know they are listed US in their quest on the internet than I guess we need to find out what the courts say.

Yes we are Real but we do not belong to NONSENCE alliance's via the Internet who cannot get off the 80-20 programs just like all the 'Stars Today' are talking about.
Good luck in your adventure and leave us out of it.

If you read the full page and notice, the "link" or listing is a connection to DMOZ, the FREE OPEN Directory Project that is available to anyone and everyone, it's public record.
 
Just a contact name please

Hey you can PM me or call me I just want to know more about this movement with our shop attached to it.

Sharing information? Isn't that what the real florist movement is about?
 
looks like allot of work

And time went into this site.

Did some one talk to an attorny about the contents and text?


Did they send hard copys to the wire services.

What about the Editors of news orginazitions?

This is like a BIG BLACK EYE. for any number of Companys.
 
flowerknife+us said:
And time went into this site.

Did some one talk to an attorny about the contents and text?


Did they send hard copys to the wire services.

What about the Editors of news orginazitions?

This is like a BIG BLACK EYE. for any number of Companys.

Everything on the Florist Detective site was cleared thru an attorney prior to the site going live, to be sure that the facts stated were true, and that there was no room for a follow up law suit.

Copies were not sent to the wire services (that I know of), but they do read here almost daily, so they are aware. I did send them links to the site. Also as SAF and several other floral publications are members of FLowerChat they have access to the thread.

As to the black eye, well I guess they brought it upon themselves by allowing the deception to occur, continue, and if fact they are both part of the problem, and helping to further the fraud upon consumers and florists alike. Many that I have heard from feel that they are finally, in a small way getting what they deserve.

Not that it will happen anytime soon, but if they were to return to putting the Real Florist's first, the ones that do all the real work, and police their own rules then there would be no need for the site, and it would be taken down. But alas, they are part of the problem, and they do not seem to want to envoke the cure they control, hence it is up to the florists to do it.

But what the heck do I know, one man, rage against the machine...
 
Red Lily.......sound familiar......
they called today, nice young girl asking for delivery today. Of course it was 11:45 and we close at noon...I said okay...then went to the dove directory.
Knew the name was very familiar.. SFO...but interestingly Teleflora has listed them at the very end of the Huntington Bea, CA listing (after the asb's)
Confirmed, called them back to reject the order. Their 800# of course. The lady who I told I was not going to fill their gathered order was polite but a very edgy voice. Ta Da....that was at 12:01....the other two Teleflora shops closed around 11....And I really am saddened because the order was going to a customer I know very well and it was for a 60th anniversary. Double edged sword...but I will stand firm. Gotta get floristdetective.com on the google lists when searching "florist"........
Have a great weekend all.
 
Rhonda at work said:
Gotta get floristdetective.com on the google lists when searching "florist"........
Have a great weekend all.

The FD site is numero uno when searching for "deceptive florists" on Google, boy that did not take long...now to work on getting it up there in the regular listings for florists...
 
Then again, I can't image why the public would be searching for a "deceptive florist"? Isn't that like searching for "how can I get a headache?"

One of my old pages is also listed in google, but today I am not too sure anything negative about our industry is a good thing, so it hasn't been linked anywhere for several years...I was surprised to find out google had it cuz I don't know how they could have spidered it without a link from somewhere.

Mixed feelings, it never seemed to help or change the industry so I sort of thought it better to keep my negative stuff to myself and any FLORIST that would listen, keep our floral secrets private.

We sure wouldn't want the public knowing we make 20% on outgoing, would we? When we blow their cover we sort of also blow our own too it seems to me.
 
To tell or not to tell?

bloomz said:
Then again, I can't image why the public would be searching for a "deceptive florist"? Isn't that like searching for "how can I get a headache?"

One of my old pages is also listed in google, but today I am not too sure anything negative about our industry is a good thing, so it hasn't been linked anywhere for several years...I was surprised to find out google had it cuz I don't know how they could have spidered it without a link from somewhere.

Mixed feelings, it never seemed to help or change the industry so I sort of thought it better to keep my negative stuff to myself and any FLORIST that would listen, keep our floral secrets private.

We sure wouldn't want the public knowing we make 20% on outgoing, would we? When we blow their cover we sort of also blow our own too it seems to me.

Bloomz- You may have read my take on this topic on floristboard, but just in case;

We always told our customers at our flower shop about the fee to wire out and how they can avoid it by calling a local florist themself. We presented it as an option. We even looked up the toll free # for them to call. They were so appreciative! We gained many loyal customers who not only returned to us for their local floral needs, but highly recommended us to others, leading to an increased customer base (including many house accounts and weddings) and that $$$$ far surpassed what we would have made on the wire outs! Consumers are figuring it out eventually, isn't it better that you told them first? Would you rather they find out via your competitors or online? It is all about building that trust and reputation with your local clientele! This is the re-education that we talk about, consumers will appreciate your willingness to share what you know about the industry that gets them a better value! By establishing that honesty & trust, they will not only return to your shop for local business , they will recommend you to others based on your "principles"!

I think it's a difficult decision to make if you rely heavily on outgoings. Many florists are seeing their outgoing orders decrease anyway, and have decided to now market the principle to gain a loyal customer.

I am sure that floristdetective is just the beginning of what we are going to start seeing online, word is spreading fast, and its up to each florist as to what side of the tracks they will be on when their consumers find out the truth.

I agree that not many people will actually search for the term "deceptive florist", personally, I don't those two words even belong together. But their site is new and as their traffic increases, they will probably get better ranking in the search engines for more valuable keywords.

Just my 10 cents.... :)

 
My nickles worth...

I "think" that if we believe that the consumer does not already know we get a cut, then we are perhaps only fooling ourselves.

I know many of mine know it, because they asked, and I won;t lie. Odd that they still order anyway, even after I have told many to call direct, but they like the convenience and "insurance" that they feel they are paying for.
 
customers trust us

Just wanted to add to what Boss said..

We have customers that call us from out of state(they used to live here) and place an order going to the town that they are currently in. When we ask them why they are calling us instead of someone in their hometown they tell us that they trust us to do it and they know we will sort out the problem if one arises.
 
To me, an honest and open system that explains the nature of services provided is a win-win. Consumers understand what they're really paying for and florists lay out what they truly are providing.

In bloomz case, he always had his address on his homepage so that customers sending to 'anywhere else' should know that he's brokering the services of another florist.

It's too bad that there are so many pretending to be somewhere they're not, and that the companies in the sole position to clean up this mess have sat idly by and profited the most....at the expense of consumers, the industry, and local florists.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
Rosiescenario said:
It's too bad that there are so many pretending to be somewhere they're not, and that the companies in the sole position to clean up this mess have sat idly by and profited the most....at the expense of consumers, the industry, and local florists.

I got this in an email this morning, "from the inside"...

"Be careful...they are watching."

I take that as a good sign perhaps. Maybe they are starting to look at what is happening, and wondering how long they can keep the current "game" going before they will have to do something. One can dream can't they...
 
Lord... floral subterfuge.

Dream it, do it.
 
Spies with in SPies....
Wow, this is fun....anyone taking notes, maybe we can do a movie with Michael Moore. I will play myself of course...Who can we get to play Mikey and Boss and everyone else?
Luc
 
Status
Not open for further replies.