about to drop TF, any suggestions?

[marigold]

about to drop tf

I have been running the numbers on wire service payoff as well and am coming up short. How much do you value the benefit of fresh flower turnover and marketing to those customers? Kim

When I was wired, and was feeling cheated from all of the discounts and fees
I would tell myself this just a cost of advertising to get new customers in the
door, that might not know of my shop. But, it was getting to the point where
I was getting orders for designs that I do not want to be a representation
of my shop. So I would reject those. Then I realized that teleflora would
charge me a dollar for each one I rejected. so, I was loosing money, even
if I didn't take the order.
I went wireless and found other marketing ways to be sure I turn my flowers over and get my designs out there. It really wasn't that hard to make more money than being in the wire. Considering that being in the wire, I was only loosing money.

 

[eastcoastrose]

thanks

Thanks your input gave me the encouragement I needed. Kim

 

[Chezbloom]

Could'nt agree more with Marigold. Plus she has a great website!

 

[eastcoastrose]

Very interesting, we are going to keep them for the time being as we just dropped Bloomnet but we plan on cancelling them in the near future. What I realized is, as we have high school kids deliver and pay them by the delivery that we loose money on every delivery for a wire in! I have eaten way to many codified products. I have had more WS that I can eat.

 

[petalandbean]

we are dropping tf, b/c they keep sending us orders that don't meet our minimums and a lot of the time are items that we don't do, and yes the special promotion containers are some of the items that tf promotes that we don't buy or use. we are close to a grocery store already and they can do the cheap, cheesy look if they want, but we are distancing ourselves and trying to go higher end.

 

[Kimber K]

You'll be fine.

I dropped them a year ago. Didn't really miss them... got the call for "Free trial" again.. thought I'd give it a shot.. what the Hey, it's free right?
What a Hassle from the get go!
Dropped em again. I don't wan to be associated with that garbage.

Just today I got a call from FTD headquarters... they wanted to know if I could fill an order for them in a tiny little town noone else delivers to.
Hmmmm What's it for? I had to laugh.. the lady couldn't even pronounce Kalanchoe. Seriously. She tried 3 or 4 times before I finally figured it out.
She wanted a pink one. Value $25, includes delivery.(and you KNOW this customer probably paid another $13 for a "service fee")
Hmmmmm What's the address? OMG.. it's a 45 minute drive from here. Are you kidding me?
and of course they want it on Saturday for Mothers Day.

You know these orders come from the OG's.
and I'm sorry... but I'm not going to bust my booty to fill an order for someone that sit's behind a phone and collects a $13 fee for taking the order and passing it on to me.

You won't miss them a bit.

 

[TOTO]

And so, What have we learned KIDS?

After all has been said and DOO-ED, what have we all learned from these lessons in FLORIST REALITY?

I'll go out on my usual LIMB and make the following observations:

1. WSs are NOT YOUR FRIENDS!
2. WSs are YOUR ENEMIES!
3. WSs are OGs, DOGs, and non-local phoney ENABLERS!
4. WSs are YOUR COMPETITORS!
5. WSs are YOUR PASSIVE STREAMS OF REVENUES!
6. WSs are A DEAD BUSINESS MODEL!
7. WSs are outdated and have OUTLIVED THEIR USEFULLNESS!
8. WSs are a DRAIN ON YOUR REVENUES!
9. WSs are a FORE PROFIT BUSINESS which does not include you!
10. WSs are a WASTE OF YOUR TIME, YOUR MONEY, and YOUR EFFORTS!

Call TOTO STUPID, but then again, many others have!

All you have to ask yourself is, one simple question!

When was it that, you can remember, your WS affiliation made your CASH REGISTER RING with a new customer's 100% sale, after which, you gleaned a reasonable NET PROFIT from that new customer, and in your own pockets?

If you cannot answer that one question with a YES, it is long overdue that, YOUR TIME TO LEAVE, is LONG OVERDUE!