There is a lot here to respond to, but I'll just say that I see lots of shops trying to sell chic or pave' styles in their coolers, including grocery stores. But here is the problem, in general, if your deisgn has "granny panty" flowers in your modern/up to date design you aren't fooling the niche that knows. Safeway, a grocery store where I live made me laugh the other day... they design a pave' style in a cube vase, but with ZZZzzz ZZzzzz granny panty flowers. Noobs. - They almost have it, which is almost scary.
If you are trying to update the look/style of your designs from the 80's, then your look of your shop needs to be updated too. I am speaking about hitting a higher paying customer. They walk in and see your FTD logo, teddy bears and tacky TF happy yellow mug thingy, they won't be back. Are you trying to hit a niche that when they see your shop SCREEEEEEEMS traditional/boring/commodity?
If you have traditional customers and are trying to bring them up to date, I have no idea how that can be done since my shop is 6 years old and we decided then to hit the upper crust snobs, because there is more profit in 10 designs at $100 than 100 design at $10. Less head-aches, employees and more time with the family too. Another reason for this decision we wern't going to compete with grocery stores. One of my sayings is.. if you see it in a grocery store, you won't find it here. So in 10 years if Grocery stores are using carns, by God, I will be. - And don't get me wrong, like I am some type of snob.. It was a learning curve of survival to cater to the rich, since I grew up poor white trash and still am, shhhhhhh.
- My idea of a florist is one that should not compete against the $9.99 dozen roses online or the grocery store and hit that sweet ass rich niche. Some florists believe in the shotgun approach, I believe in this day in age, in a niche approach, especially for newer florists who have not dug them self into that traditional hole that will be hard for them to jump out if they ever needed to. Some don't need to cause to them they are making money and it is a commodity to them, but to me it's art.
If you are trying to update the look/style of your designs from the 80's, then your look of your shop needs to be updated too. I am speaking about hitting a higher paying customer. They walk in and see your FTD logo, teddy bears and tacky TF happy yellow mug thingy, they won't be back. Are you trying to hit a niche that when they see your shop SCREEEEEEEMS traditional/boring/commodity?
If you have traditional customers and are trying to bring them up to date, I have no idea how that can be done since my shop is 6 years old and we decided then to hit the upper crust snobs, because there is more profit in 10 designs at $100 than 100 design at $10. Less head-aches, employees and more time with the family too. Another reason for this decision we wern't going to compete with grocery stores. One of my sayings is.. if you see it in a grocery store, you won't find it here. So in 10 years if Grocery stores are using carns, by God, I will be. - And don't get me wrong, like I am some type of snob.. It was a learning curve of survival to cater to the rich, since I grew up poor white trash and still am, shhhhhhh.
- My idea of a florist is one that should not compete against the $9.99 dozen roses online or the grocery store and hit that sweet ass rich niche. Some florists believe in the shotgun approach, I believe in this day in age, in a niche approach, especially for newer florists who have not dug them self into that traditional hole that will be hard for them to jump out if they ever needed to. Some don't need to cause to them they are making money and it is a commodity to them, but to me it's art.
