DR Delphinium Designs

lori042499

lori042499

Well-Known Member
May 3, 2006
6,457
4,226
113
53
Melrose, Massachusetts, United States
www.affairstorememberflorist.com
State / Prov
MA
Anyone have any experience with this florist??

I am not sure what to make of them and here is why...

They look to be a real local florist...that markets for out of town orders, I can understand and respect that...

The problem I am having is that I get and order for one of their designs 3 blue hydrangea, 3 roses, 3 gerbs river rocks rectangle vase, $55.00 total. It directs me to look at the arrangement on their site...Of course the arrangement is listed for 55.00 so I check to see what they are charging a customer sending to my area, lo and behold they are collecting a 10.95 delivery, that is not sent to me...so I call and get the whole oh the person who took order isn't available , I am not sure why she didn't send it or take it, can't you just make something smaller, yada, yadda...

I explain that the delivery is not free especially at the holiday and that as I price it out the arrangement as shown is 60.00 in my store and that it will look really really small and get a complaint for 47.00. Then I realize it is for Sunday delivery, Are these people kidding me?

I get on the computer and ask for a price change and let them know that Sun delivery is not available...They send me back the OK to do the sunday delivery and tell me to fill for 67.99, but the new price on the price change is still 55.00. Now I don't know if they just think I am stupid like many other florists who would never check this stuff out and get snowed or if they have new/temp help that aren't learning the ropes too quick...

As for the issue, it really gets my goat when real florist actually pull these tactics..It saddens me beyond belief that they woould knowingly take money from their customers and not send it along to the local florist knowing how hard it is to make a dollar and knowing what kind of expenses we have...you expect this kind of behavior from OGS because it is what they do, you should not have to question the integrity of real florists too. I am so frustrated by this situation..
 
Order Gatherer.... plain and simple... seems like they think you won't catch the NON-price-change...
 
  • Like
Reactions: lori042499
That is what I am thinking...They have 3 locations and are a real florist, but I am thinking they have gone to the very dark side and are using OG tactics to the fullest...that saddens me to no end...
 
Carrie, I know that is what is killing me...Like I have the time for this crap and from a real florist..atleast with OGs and headquarters, I know better to just reject rather than bother...If I now have to worry about real florists doing this crap...I really want to be WS free...this was never meant to be this way...and florists that refuse to let the WS machine die are now despearte to make their money back any way they can..too bad, so sad!!!


Funny thing is they support the 3/50 project loud and proud on their webpage....how's that for scummy!
 
They are a legit florist... very nice stores....but still... there's no room for OGing in today's economy as far as a filler is concerned, some will continue to defend the practice, while others will continue to fill...but in the long run, unless they are removed from the mix, there is little chance for a positive change in flow within the industry.

Just say NO~!
 
  • Like
Reactions: lori042499
I may be a bit outside the norm here, I'm not sure.
If I can't fill an order for the price given, I simply say sorry, can't do that, call someone else.
No drama, no negotiations, no accusations, no worries.
I don't care if it's an order gatherer, or a florist next door. To me it's simple. If I can fill an order for the money given me, I will, and will do it happily. If not, then sorry.
No need to get upset.
JP
 
  • Like
Reactions: BobbiR, Toddxxx, twiggy and 3 others
I don't know anything about their order gathering techniques, but, I have been in their Dallas store many times. It is a very large, upscale florist in the Art District of Dallas. They are known to also be pretty expensive and carry high end flowers, only.

They seem to do well with very large dish garden type designs and designs in contemporary glass vases and seem to sell lots of loose flowers displayed in huge glass vases in their cooler and around their shop. When I have been there, I haven't seen any exceptional design work, just great flowers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CHR, roysecityfloristand gifts, anytimeflowers and 1 other person
I am very glad I called them...it did happen to be a situation of barely trained help not charging the proper amount for a wireout...I got my price change finally, once the trained computer operator got to the problem..

This is the reason I call, I wouldn't have bothered with any og but a real florist even if they are gathering and it is part of their biz I will give a chance as long as they are on the up and up I will fill..
 
Dr Delphinium has always responded fairly and promptly to any price change requests we have sent them in the past. They are not the bad guys.

If you are a shop who is lucky enough to have such a large number of clients and such a good reputation that you find yourself "gathering" alot of orders - well gee guys, isn't that the point!

To me, an OG is defined by someone who is purposely poaching customers on MY turf (showing up with natural listings under my local cities and touting themselves as a "family owned florist" - which they may or may not be - but misleading the customer none the less to believe they are "local"), taking unrealistic orders just to make their money on service fees & 20% as the sending shop and then expecting ME to fill them.

I would absolutely be over the moon if I was lucky enough to have a nice big fat percentage of my orders be outgoing... we all used to have that in the world BEFORE 1-800-flowers and ftd.com, etc... we should want it again! I would much rather prefer that the customers my family & I have spent years & years cultivating - who buy their flowers in my store & have me deliver their local orders for them - would come to ME first to facilitate their out-of-town orders for them instead of going some other way (WS, OG, google, etc).
 
  • Like
Reactions: toppertom and CHR
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back