Florist Need To Unite Soon!

[Eric S]

Just updated our blog and when I published it this popped up.

You just can't get away from this monster and we as independent shops really need to figure out how we can unite under one name or brand that can unite us together.

We can continue to talk all we want about our problems and battle each others wits on this board. Or we can come up with real solutions before its too late.

 

[CHR]

oh, boy......

Do you realize that G and other publishers track your visits and display ads for sites of companies you've either visited or whose 'competitors' you've visited. I recently read that the FTC is actively looking into the practice. (This especially creates issues where someone is searching for health info.)

Got creeped out last week when a site where I'd previously made a purchase had a display ad in LATimes.com saying 'we miss you'. 'They' know who you are, where you've purchase and possibly even what you've purchased in the past.

Why do you think PF has a 40% conversion rate during holiday months? Wanna bet it has a lot to do with these types of ad campaigns.

 

[BOSS]

Just updated our blog and when I published it this popped up.

How nice....

we as independent shops really need to figure out how we can unite under one name or brand that can unite us together.

We can continue to talk all we want about our problems and battle each others wits on this board. Or we can come up with real solutions before its too late.

Agreed....but folks (especially the OG crowd) are tired of hearing my battle cry Eric, so you run with it for a while...

Might I suggest:

FlowerChat Certified or

RealFlorist.com or

Real Local Florist Association or

National Floral Services or.....

 

[BOSS]

Got creeped out last week when a site where I'd previously made a purchase had a display ad in LATimes.com saying 'we miss you'. 'They' know who you are, where you've purchase and possibly even what you've purchased in the past.

Of course they do...all cross referenced, data based, and up for sale...

Good reason not to buy things you might be ashamed to fess up to at some point.... there are NO secrets on the internet... what amazes me is how some of these homeless guys know how to hack into databases... :boggles:

 

[steve]

Your right on Eric and history will show I been saying this for several years but the real unfortunate reality is most of the florist don't see it they rather get flushed down the toilet then unite.

 

[makescents]

Eric - Okay so - Plan of action? Timeline? Costs? I am in... I am willing to help in anyway I can..

Who is in charge? Do we collectlivly hire people? Do it ourselves..? do we allow those in that have Wire Services? That fill OG orders? What are the rules..?

I am ready...

 

[makescents]

And BTW I do like the FlowerChat idea for customers... Why can't they ask us questions? Like today - I had a guy try to order tulips.. uumm those arent in season - Well he didn't know -

On the web.. there is no place to ask these question?? What is best for a first Anniversary - what is appropiate for my best friend who lost her daughter...

MOST CONSUMERS DO NOT KNOW... THEY GO TO THE WEB BLIND! MAYBE A WEBSITE CALLed FLORALINFORM.COM OR (available BTW) or... StopFakeFlorists.com.. or BanFakeFlorists.com something... but a start.. anywhere is better than just the talk...

DO ANY OF THE BIG GUYS OFFER REAL FLORISTS ANSWERING FLORAL QUESTIONS?? NO!

 

[Chezbloom]

Did the ad pop up because you "monotized" your blog allowing pop up ads?

 

[Mark Anderson]

Why can't they ask us questions? Like today - I had a guy try to order tulips.. uumm those arent in season - Well he didn't know -

On the web.. there is no place to ask these question?? What is best for a first Anniversary - what is appropiate for my best friend who lost her daughter...

That is a very cool idea - sort of a flower wiki.

I was talking to a friend on the weekend. A really smart and successful marketing guy, husband, father of two, etc. He was saying that he felt very nervous about buying flowers because he doesn't know anything about them.

Since no guy likes to look stupid he preferred the anonymity of buying on the internet. And - since when you don't know where to start you tend to go with the brand you know best - he ended up on ProFlowers. He figured he can't be alone and he's probably right.

 

[Sprout]

Did the ad pop up because you "monotized" your blog allowing pop up ads?

I was wondering the same thing...

 

[RJD]

Just updated our blog and when I published it this popped up.

You just can't get away from this monster and we as independent shops really need to figure out how we can unite under one name or brand that can unite us together.

We can continue to talk all we want about our problems and battle each others wits on this board. Or we can come up with real solutions before its too late.

When I started FloristBlogs.com years ago, this is why. Blogger is owned by Google, which makes money selling ads on your content.

 

[Eric S]

Did the ad pop up because you "monotized" your blog allowing pop up ads?

No. I still use the old blog format with no extra goodies. I like have some freedom to change code on the blog. So I don't use any of those new gadgets or allow adsense ads to show.

 

[Sarah Botchick]

That is a very cool idea - sort of a flower wiki.

I was talking to a friend on the weekend. A really smart and successful marketing guy, husband, father of two, etc. He was saying that he felt very nervous about buying flowers because he doesn't know anything about them.

Since no guy likes to look stupid he preferred the anonymity of buying on the internet. And - since when you don't know where to start you tend to go with the brand you know best - he ended up on ProFlowers. He figured he can't be alone and he's probably right.

I agree 1000%. People perceive ordering from places like ProFlowers to be EASIER and less stressful. If florists could come up with a campaign to show that ordering from them is EASIER than ordering from the ProFlowers types...