And then there'll be 6 !!!

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Rock

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Oct 31, 2002
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On June 6 we gave FTD notice that we would be no longer be members of FTD effective the next book Aug 1. That will leave only 6 members in our province; 4 near St John's, 1 on the west coast 800 kms away and 1 in Happy Valley-Goose Bay in the Labrador section.
We don't agree with the way our supplier, FTD, was trying to compete against us and help others compete against us (Loblows 25% off and free delivery) OR the signing up of Walmart to OG OR the intention of FTD to attempt to sign up 22000 Supermarkets in Canada and the US to fill and OG too and do away with the pesky florists OR the increasing fees with a reduction of services offered.
Of course having said that, it really is not up to us how THEY run THEIR business anymore than it is up to us how ANYONE else does either! It was simply put up with it or leave, so we decided the time had come. It all came down to the bottom line. Eventually, with the commission given, cl hse fees, monthly fees, quality ass fee, etc without any other benefit, losing 42% from the retail and contributing virtually nothing to the bottom line was the straw that broke the camel's back.
We will send and gladly fill orders from REAL florists (at least those who don't promise free delivery! ) both on credit card.
Rock on
Rock and the Missus!
 
Rock,

We made the same decision in 2000 and have been far more profitable ever since. All it took was an Excel spread sheet and and a belief that the value of what we brought to the table was far more than they wanted to giving back or even share. Tipped us right over the edge and we have never had second thoughts.

When I told my husband, a former America's Cup winner, World Cup medal winner and FTD education team member, that we'd need to fill more than $30K in FTD orders just to break even with all the fees, even he agreed the membership had to go. It was a sad day because of all the fond memories of what was, but nostalgia doesn't pay bills and $30K in orders at no profit zaps energy and resources.

No doubt you've wrestled with the decision for a while. By taking those same resources that used to fill non-profitable orders and targeting them to build more local business, I hope you too find that you've made a wise decision.

Congratulations. :)
 
We too "fired" FTD in 2000. Best decision we ever made!

But, it certainly was not an easy one. We were with them from the time we opened our shop. We compared the choice to drop FTD to being much like a break up or divorce. We kept giving them chance after chance, but they never changed. Things only got worse.

Now, like an ex boyfriend/ girlfriend or spouse, they are trying to romance us back. On their hands and knees, promising they've changed. HA! Try that line on someone else, baby. It ain't going to work here. Good Riddance!
 
Rock.... I know this was a tough decission for you folks...best wishes for the future! I think were going to see even more of this as florists, even us bigger folks look to new methods of order transmission that reduce costs while at the same time increasing service and productivity...

ROCK ON Dude!
 
Ya' do what you gotta do!!!

If it's costing the business $, and not paying, it's gotta go. That goes for ALL the wire services out there!!!

Now, we use a good bit of FTD product: credit card clearings, marketplace, greeting cards (put in monthly orders of 30+ cards or more on that one...), marketing material, and of course TECHNOLOGY. With TEL, we have chosen a diff. path. We ARE making $$$ on orders - STRICTLY due to the volume we have (and, I am *ASTOUNDED* to see how many TEL.COM orders we are getting each month...). When TEL started charging us their Recipro. fee, then it was NOT profitable, hence our resignation letter was mailed. Since they have pulled that fee off the table, and gave us some other "goodies" to sweeten the deal, we stayed in. But, again, if the fees cause the $$$'s to be in the red, OUT it goes. Prime example is with directory fees...EVERYONE should watch those! They can cost you LOTS of bread...

It is SO important to weigh ALL the services the w/s is providing your biz - not just the In & Out of orders. So, if you can get all those other services needed covered by other means, then do it!!!

- H.
 
Oh, and...

...I forgot to mention I totally understand how hard it would be/is to drop a w/s...

FTD since 1928...77 years next month.........
TEL since 1973 or 75 (? - I think...have to check that one...haven't seen a TEL rep in almost 4 years, so.......)

A lot of GOOD times and history...it's not the same FTD anymore...

- H
 
Yes we've been torn about what to do for a while; we used to buy various product from FTD that we couldn't get here or a better price but they've cut out most and since the WS orders are dropping with more phoning their florist directly instead of using a WS the time was nigh. We were members since 1989 and the only complaint they could make about us in those 16 years was that we wouldn't fill some of their OG members' orders.
Philly, FTD used to clear our credit cards, supply us with quite a bit of marketplace product; only got rebate 1 month a year. The only thing I have to find now is a calendar supplier.
We booted TF in 2003.
Thanks for your wishes and comments!
Rock on
 
We sent our notice to Teleflora last week and FTD is gone as soon as we switch our credit cards. How they run their business is not my concern until it starts to cost me customers and profits. How many funeral homes do you think you'd have if you started offering cheap caskets to their customers.
We will send Florist direct and use IFA the other times and never look back.
 
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