ATT and the OG's

BOSS

BOSS

FlowerChat Administrator
Oct 31, 2002
19,394
8,269
113
68
Midland
www.smithsflowers.com
State / Prov
MI
Just got our new YP's here... Interestingly one of my competitors, is not even in the book under "Florists" only a normal print listing in the white pages... hmmmmm (he's ran the same add since 1963 until this year)

Not one local display ad for any of the rest of us.

Anyway, it appears that ATT has been striking deals with the OG's...FTD and Just flowers have ATT codes for discounts, and the new twist is some of the URL's have a GO2 as in GO2Justflowers.com or GO2Alwayssendflowers.com. When you look at the code, it's an ATT 'forward' to the normal JustFlowers site. I'm assuming that ATT is tracking these look ups, I wonder if they are getting a cut.

Ads are down this year overall too, comprising a total of one page and 2 columns. Used to be 5 pages just a few years ago. FTD has a 3/4 page ad, the rest of the OG's all have 1/6th.

It looks like thos of my competition that are still in the wires are content to let the YP's go...

Just interesting to me...
 
  • Like
Reactions: FANCIES, roysecityfloristand gifts, KABERS and 1 other person
the salesman for the "Big Book" was here a couple of weeks ago and when I said no thanks, he said "Don't complain when you see non locals in the book then!" I said, who uses a book??
 
  • Like
Reactions: FANCIES, theflowersmith, Flowerchatter03 and 2 others
Rhonda said:
the salesman for the "Big Book" was here a couple of weeks ago and when I said no thanks, he said "Don't complain when you see non locals in the book then!" I said, who uses a book??
Click to expand...
To which I said, get them out and I'll go back in.... I'd guess 40% still use the book, but that goes down every year.

Your comment above, shows that they know the deal, and they are fighting for their own survival... it's a losing battle.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FANCIES
From our local phone book rep so take it with a grain of salt. She said that she has a friend at yellowbook and their goal is ONLY a 7% drop, they don't want to loose any more then that.
We invested a tad more in her book this year because there are 0 order gatherers in it, and none of the big guys. My add actually can be seen. And it's 1/3 of the price for about 4x more then what I get from the others. 2 business card size adds and a full front and back color add in the coupons, plus links on their website for $97.00 a month (20% down).
I would check to see if you have a local guy around and check the cost. The books may not get used as much but we had over $600.00 in sales in coupons alone last year. That is something we can actually track. The coupons are like $5.00 off any purchase of $25.00 or more, or 10% off any custom silk arrangement. Oh and free rose on your birthday, just to get them in the door :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: FANCIES and anytimeflowers
Rhonda said:
the salesman for the "Big Book" was here a couple of weeks ago and when I said no thanks, he said "Don't complain when you see non locals in the book then!" I said, who uses a book??
Click to expand...

We told them a couple years ago to get lost, exactly because they were populating our book with OG's, we even quit our community phone book this year for the same reason
 
  • Like
Reactions: FANCIES, KABERS and anytimeflowers
As far as the GO2liarsthatwillscrewyou . com YB started a pay per call program this year. They use remote call forwarding, record all calls and you pay $XX for every call you receive (you don't get charged for repeats within 3 days or any telemarketers/wrong numbers). My guess is YP offered the same type deal for the National OGs to keep them on board.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FANCIES, roysecityfloristand gifts and Flowerchatter03
Unfortunately, it appears that the only way these unethical ads can be eliminated is by legistation. They should not be allowed to use deceitful tatics to obtain $$$$$. Kinda reminds me of the movie Horrible Bosses. The main characters gave a guy $5k to kill their bosses and after they gave him the money, he said he was a "consultant" and would tell them how to do it themselves. lol :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: roysecityfloristand gifts
Received our Yellow Book this week. Florist had 6 pages as follows:
Pg 1 - 8 unknown OG's with inline ads.
Pg 2 - FTD half pg. and Flowers Sent Today half Pg ads.
Pg 3 -Blooms Today half pg and From U Flowers half pg.
Pg 4 - Main St. Florist (wwwDiscountFlorist.com) quarter pg., Funeral Flowers (EZfuneralflowers.com) quarter pg.,
Florist.com Downers Grove (otherwise known as FTD quarter pg., 1800flowers quarter pg.
Pg 5 - Alwayssendflowers.com/ybhp quarter pg., flower.com/HPYP quarter pg., American Floral Delivery (Commerce MI.) quarter pg.,
and our friends at McShan quarter pg.
Pg 6 - 19 blk and white inline ads/listings all WS/OG/AKAs for majors like ftd., 1 candy Boug, 1 Edible Arrangment,
There are 5 legitimate Florist, none have ads, not even small inline ones!!

This is the worst I've ever seen it. But if you think about it, with the shops out of the WS's and not filling for the OG's. It's going to be powerful hard from those fakes to get anything filled im our area. That equates to customers unhappy with the fakes, and possibly looking for real locals next time.

Note their are some kind of YP codes on the ends of the urls....
I thought Texas passed legislation re. this problem. I'll have to look into that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FANCIES
Here is my ad for the next yellow page directory

STOP!
Before you call a florist, check whether you are calling a
LOCAL FLORIST!
Does the ad have their REAL NAME and PHYSICAL ADDRESS?
Is it a LOCAL number?
Ask for their physical location. If they waffle hang up!
Out of State companies charge FEES that local companies do not, ASK!

ORDER FROM A LOCAL COMPANY!
SUPPORT LOCAL JOBS AND LOCAL FLORISTS!
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
BEAVERTON FLORISTS
A LOCAL FLORIST SINCE 1943!
503-644-0129
www.beavertonflorists.com
 
  • Like
Reactions: retro, Bonnie Bank, Tom and 11 others
keith said:
Here is my ad for the next yellow page directory

STOP!
Before you call a florist, check whether you are calling a
LOCAL FLORIST!
Does the ad have their REAL NAME and PHYSICAL ADDRESS?
Is it a LOCAL number?
Ask for their physical location. If they waffle hang up!
Out of State companies charge FEES that local companies do not, ASK!

ORDER FROM A LOCAL COMPANY!
SUPPORT LOCAL JOBS AND LOCAL FLORISTS!
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
BEAVERTON FLORISTS
A LOCAL FLORIST SINCE 1943!
503-644-0129
www.beavertonflorists.com
Click to expand...


Love it!, It looks like I may have to reconsider ads in our phone books next year, I think I have to "steal" this idea . Maybe this would be a great campaign for FFC to consider
 
  • Like
Reactions: KABERS
Keith, have they already approved that ad? I tried something like that 5 years ago and YP would not let me run it.

If they let you, I may try something similar again.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FANCIES and bootcampguy
To add to the statistics...
Our FairPoint YP book came this week.
JustFlowers.com (code vfp) 1/2 page
Flower.com (code fpv) 1/2 page
bloomstoday 3/4 page
FlowerDelivery.com (code verfp) 1/2 page
Sympathy-Flowers.com (code vmis) 3/8 page
Americanblooms 1/8 page
FTD 1/8 page (877-526-0643, NO url!) "TRUST THE OFFICIAL FTD" "Delivering fresh flowers since 1910. Open 24 hours, 7 days a week."
1 local florist 1/8 page full color
2 local florists 1/16 page no color
AlwaysSendFlowers.com (code vxmis), American Blooms, bloomstoday, Flower.com, FlowerDelivery.com (code "vermis"), Flowers (Cambridge, MA OG), Just Flowers.com (code vmis), and Sympathy-Flowers.com (code vmisb) all have in-column ads with white background; all but 1 are 3"; all but 2 have green or red
main street florist, sc, ca has 1.5" in-column; no white background; no color; includes large FTD logo
Me 1" in-column, no white, no color (the least I've ever done)
4 local florists listing only, no ad (1 of these has been closed over a year)
Interesting fact: 2008-09 YP had 380 pages, 2009-2010 had 302 pages, 2010-11 had 262 pages, and 2011-12 has 262 pages (no changes in geographic coverage)

The "alternative" Localedge (Hearst) YP came today. There are 33 local florists with listings only, 1 local florist with 1/10 page 2-color on white, and only 1 OG... JustFlowers.com (code "vdsb")/Flower.com (code "dsvb") - with only a listing. Total yellow pages: 300, down from 400 last year.
3
 
  • Like
Reactions: roysecityfloristand gifts
Are your books staying the same size? Ours have went to the "easy to keep in your car size". They are just as thick but only about 3/4 the size. I just tossed my old books, I should have counted pages first!! Never thought of that.
 
secretgarden said:
Are your books staying the same size? Ours have went to the "easy to keep in your car size". They are just as thick but only about 3/4 the size. I just tossed my old books, I should have counted pages first!! Never thought of that.
Click to expand...

Our's went from "back-breaking" to carry to pocket size........
 
Every time I read the Heading AT&T and The OG'S it reminds me of a 50's band. I think Adam should do a spoof video of a band called that and perform at the next FFC meeting. I'd pay to see that!
 
  • Like
Reactions: anytimeflowers
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back