F U Flowers

[CHR]

After pondering the discussion about F U Flowers and facing a situation created by one of their affiliates (will explain later), I'm conducting an informal poll as to how FC members handle their orders.

 

[BOSS]

Not a TF member, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night....

BUT, if I was, I would not fill them for any price...

 

[Joe Mioux]

I voted that I will fill their GD orders if I get enough money. It has to be profitable.... very profitable.

I have the corporate account for our local Wal-Mart. They compete against me and cause me more business harm than From you Flowers and I don't turn down their orders. Why? Because they will go somewhere else and buy from someone else.

Wal-mart causes all of us more financial harm the FYF.

 

[Sher]

I voted that I will fill their GD orders if I get enough money. It has to be profitable.... very profitable.

I have the corporate account for our local Wal-Mart. They compete against me and cause me more business harm than From you Flowers and I don't turn down their orders. Why? Because they will go somewhere else and buy from someone else.

Wal-mart causes all of us more financial harm the FYF.

Joe, I agree and since we almost always have to ask for more money, we ususally get a can...if it can't "show me the money" it is a dead horse.

 

[master J]

voted no

I dont care what price they give, I will never fill for them!! FU!

 

[theflowersmith]

We never fill for them.....too much time and aggravation. We actually contacted TF and told them we will not fill for OG under any circumstances. We actually get very few requests whatsoever.

 

[lori042499]

I will fill any order I can make money on. I will fill for anybody that does not skim. The minute I get a direct complaint about size from an order that was from an OG, I do some research to find out how much the sender paid and what I got from it. If I have any suspicion that they are indeed skimming they then get refused. I will also not accept orders from companies that go out of their way to seem like a local real florist. Brokers are brokers and people should know they are buying from a broker. We are brokers for our own customers. We follow the rules of the wire service and get our orders filled elsewhere and I fill for others that follow the rules.

 

[CHR]

I will also not accept orders from companies that go out of their way to seem like a local real florist.

Would you call these 'seeming like a local florists'?

With Prom slowly approaching, I remembered that I had to order a corsage for the lucky lady. With my powder blue tux already ordered, I looked around the San Francisco area for an online florist, which would provide me with great service and a good price. San Francisco florist I order here helped me pick out a nice corsage with blue flowers at an inexpensive price. A few days before the big dance, my date decided to tell me that she had changed dresses to a white one. Sure it is better than getting dumped the night before, but now had I scramble to inform the tux company to change my vest to a white one which it was thankfully able to do. Not till the night before did I remember; I had forgotten to change the color of the corsage! I quickly contacted the florist company hoping that it would be able to make a new corsage for me and I was conveniently surprised with their ability to listen to my problem and rectify my mistake. Not only did the company provide me with great service, but it also charged me less than any other florist in the SF bay area. Prom night was a great time which wasn’t messed up by my earlier corsage goof because the florist company was able to bail me out. I am sure that I will use them again. The next time you need a San Francisco florist online check out SF florist I order here!

or

With my wedding approaching, the bride and I were researching Honolulu florists to buy the flowers for the big day. I was shocked when I found a florist company honolulu florist I order here based right here in Honolulu offering me great service at an even better price. Ordering flowers from a florist store is a lot different from ordering flowers from an online florist company based in Honolulu. The colorful flowers I received were perfect, exact to what the company offered and what the bride and I wanted. Shipped to our door, the flowers were perfectly intact even though they were shipped to me rather than me actually going to pick them up from a store. The flowers were set up in the reception hall and all the guests asked about the beautiful flowers. Whenever I need flowers again, whether it is a birthday party, a graduation ceremony, or just to have flowers, I will definitely order from this Honolulu florist honolulu florist I order here!

 

[PhillyPhlorist]

If I can make $$$ on the order, I fill it. Because, if I don't someone else will. PLUS, there is always that chance (how remote it may be) that the sender will relay the name of my shop - as the one who delivered the order - to the sender who MAY, just MAY give us a call directly.... Nope - not smokin' anything, just looking at the possibilities. And, yes - we have gained GOOD accounts from just what I said above.

But, (there's always a but!) if the order doesn't give you enough to fill it, you CAN'T fill it... (BTW, that was the problem with 800 orders...far too many with too low $ amounts....).

As far as those comments go, I am a bit leary of them...sound too "good - rah-rah -ish, including all the buzz-words to promote" to me.... (wondering where they came from...)

- H.

 

[Bigted]

We don't get many orders from them, since they are on our "watch list". Any signs of skimming and they're gone.

 

[lori042499]

Would you call these 'seeming like a local florists'?



or

I would have to call them and see. Online is not a good judge. Anybody can be anywhere. Your own website can come up in another city that you are not local to for some reason or another. When I call them and they give shady answers and advertise in my local book with a local pnone number. That is when I have big problems. There is absolutely nothing stopping each and everyone of us from taking online orders from anyone across the state. I get orders on my website all the time from one state(not my own) going to another state(not my own). It baffles my mind as to why they ordered from my website and not another or how they found me, but I do not call them up and say "Oh, you must have made a mistake. I don't deliver to this area or my shop is no where near you." I just charge the credit card and send it off to where ever the flowers are going, in essence make me an OG or flower broker the same as these companies on a much smaller scale.

 

[BOSS]

BOSS's Quote of the day!!

If I can make $$$ on the order, I fill it. Because, if I don't someone else will.

As far as those comments go, I am a bit leary of them...(wondering where they came from...)

- H.

Don't ya just love creative editing

 

[CHR]

Herb -

The comments are manufactured testimonials. Both were written to make readers believe F U is a real local florist in SF & Honolulu. The links are affiliate links where the writer gets a check if anyone follows them and then makes a purchase.

It's $hill marketing.

 

[BamaE4U]

Just curious. . . . .

Sometimes when at the shop, and it may be a slow day, I have a hard time turning them down. My wife has a firm hand in it and says NO.

It has to be profitable.... very profitable.

If I can make $$$ on the order

I will fill any order I can make money on

But for those of you who do, (each biz must make that decision), I was wondering how you weigh the fact that you do not really know what the consumer actually spent and what they are expecting.

You know for sure that F.U. is getting their Service Fee of $10-$13 plus $4 if the delivery is for B4 11 am.

I guess you wait for that phone call they "Might" place if they are not happy. For every one that does call there are probably 10 + that won't.

The order has gone out with your name attached and you may have offended the sender and you had no idea. . . . . .:hammer:

 

[virginia_Bob]

WE don't fill for them or any other Non brick and mortar OG, bottom feeder.

 

[lori042499]

Sometimes when at the shop, and it may be a slow day, I have a hard time turning them down. My wife has a firm hand in it and says NO.

But for those of you who do, (each biz must make that decision), I was wondering how you weigh the fact that you do not really know what the consumer actually spent and what they are expecting.

You know for sure that F.U. is getting their Service Fee of $10-$13 plus $4 if the delivery is for B4 11 am.

I guess you wait for that phone call they "Might" place if they are not happy. For every one that does call there are probably 10 + that won't.

The order has gone out with your name attached and you may have offended the sender and you had no idea. . . . . .:hammer:

This is an unfortunate situation, but yes you have to hope that you find out. Some put a sort of disclaimer on the orders that come from a ws. Some just don't fill. I have found that you find out rather quickly when they are skimming. Some you may not find out, this is why some just won't fill. I get why some don't fill.

 

[bloomz]

I get orders on my website all the time from one state(not my own) going to another state(not my own). It baffles my mind as to why they ordered from my website and not another or how they found me, but I do not call them up and say "Oh, you must have made a mistake. I don't deliver to this area or my shop is no where near you." I just charge the credit card and send it off to where ever the flowers are going, in essence make me an OG or flower broker the same as these companies on a much smaller scale.

Oh the shame of it all!

You can get strung up around here for admitting you gather orders you know?

But not to worry cuz.....

opinions vary

 

[lori042499]

Oh the shame of it all!

You can get strung up around here for admitting you gather orders you know?

But not to worry cuz.....

opinions vary

I would love to hear that people turn away business that is either not from their area or not going to their area. I don't go out and market to anyone's area but somehow these people find me. But, that does make us the same on a smaller scale.


Do all of you who are so dead set against OG's accept orders from people who are from other states going to an area that is not your own??? What would be the prupose of having a website that is nationally available be if not??? This is what confuses me about this whole "argument"?? Are we all just jealous that they market better than us and have found a way to reach the masses?? Are we resentful that we have to actually be competitive in todays day and age??

Most of the tactics are very unfair. The fact that they don't have a delivery vehicle to run and suck money from the business. Also the fact that they do not have to buy a perishable product to suck money out of the business. Some of them skim, some of them are not honest that they are a broker and do not have flowers to sell. There are real florists who are equally as shady. The sell old product, don't know the first thing about design, don't know about the plants, do shody wedding work, all of these things are also unfair to those of us who go get further education and try to be the best florist we can be.

 

[Joe Mioux]

But for those of you who do, (each biz must make that decision), I was wondering how you weigh the fact that you do not really know what the consumer actually spent and what they are expecting.

You know for sure that F.U. is getting their Service Fee of $10-$13 plus $4 if the delivery is for B4 11 am.

I guess you wait for that phone call they "Might" place if they are not happy. For every one that does call there are probably 10 + that won't.

The order has gone out with your name attached and you may have offended the sender and you had no idea. . . . . .:hammer:

Since I have documentation, via the Dove order, I fill the order to that dollar value.

I can not control what the OG has charged their customer. Therefore, if there is a problem, it is on them. In addition, I have no more control over the origination of that OG order as I do of an order originating from a traditional flower shop.

Granted I may not hear about a problem because the recipient or sender doesn't contact me, but that is no different than anyother order.

In other words, that OG order is no different than anyother incoming wire order.

As Lori has said, I do the same with my internet generated orders that call for the order to be delivered outside of my service area.

I have made those points many times here at FC and I am glad that Lori has brought them up in this thread because they are important points.

Joe

 

[BOSS]

Couple things to think on...and maybe this should have it's own thread...but anyway...

Yes Lori...we ALL accept orders on our sites from out of our direct delivery area going to areas we do not directly deliver to, and anyone that tells you they do not, is fibb"n...

Think about this, in 2006, online sales of Flowers/gifts was $1,215,291,011.00 thats 1.2 BILLION kids...and that number was generated by 16 "retailers" according to Internet Retailer Magazine in their stats for the 2006 Top 500.

Overall, out of the Top 500, 800Flowers came in at #34 (#1 in Flowers/gifts) and FTD Group Inc came in at #50 (#2 Flowers/gifts) overall.

In 2004 Flowers/gifts represented 4% of all web sales, 2005 3.6% and 2006 they declined to 3.2%. This does not indicate a decline in sales, as the category grew in volume, but that other areas are growing more. Total 2006 web sales by the Top 500 were $83.5 Billion.

Those that continue to fill for the likes of 800Flowers, FTD.com F.U. Flowers, Just Flowers and more are only helping to perpetuate the monster. That's OK though, it's your choice, just don;t complain when the bottom completely falls out.

As Jesus said, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." And not one stone was cast.