flowerpetal.com

Status
Not open for further replies.
goldfish

goldfish

New Member
Feb 8, 2006
2,652
2,687
0
Huntington
www.flowers-insolita.com
State / Prov
NY
Does anyone know 'flowerpetal.com'?

FLOWERPETAL.COM-SENDING FLORIST
172 Staten Island Ave
LAS VEGAS, NV 89123

We just discovered that they are sending grossly skimmed orders. They sent us a $38 order for FTD C8-3078, which they sell for $49.99 on their web site.

Also, when we google-searched for "flowerpetal.com", we discovered that, in addition to all the usual doorway pages for major cities, they have many pages that claim to be "Employee benefit programs" for major universities(example).

Are they real? I doubt it. I would be very very shocked, if any State University (supported by taxes) were indeed endorsing any particular service company like this.

This is one of the worst skimming I've ever caught.
 
They are strictly a online company based in Chicago. They bought a defunct Vegas flower shop to use as their headquarters. They are very big in the travel segment. I don't know anything about employee benefits, but they do a lot of different things to get such great Google/Yahoo positioning.

When I talked to them, they didn't seem like the type to skim--but what do I know?
 
Bigted said:
When I talked to them, they didn't seem like the type to skim--but what do I know?
Click to expand...

Bigted, See the attachment for the merc order.

And here's the actual item on their website.

There is no way for us (or any florist for that matter) to duplicate the above item with $38 including delivery. Not a chance.

According to our record, we filled their orders 7 times in the last one year, rejected 12 times. We didn't know the orders were skimmed, because previously, they just described the arrangements, without mentioning the actual FTD number.

This time, they made a mistake of identifying the Code #.
 

Attachments

  • skim_evidence.jpg
    skim_evidence.jpg
    92.4 KB · Views: 30
Goldfish -

They get the links from universities (mostly alumni chapters AFAICT) and charitable groups because they offer affinity programs promising either group discounts or commissions to the referring groups. Smart.

There's a link right from the home page of our local YWCA to them. Nowhere do they disclose the withheld service charge of $11.95. (I plan to address that with the group after Christmas.)

They've even removed their contact info (physical address and local phone number) from the site - which I believe is a violation of their BBB Online Reliability mark.
 
CHR said:
Goldfish -

They get the links from universities (mostly alumni chapters AFAICT) and charitable groups because they offer affinity programs promising either group discounts or commissions to the referring groups. Smart.

There's a link right from the home page of our local YWCA to them. Nowhere do they disclose the withheld service charge of $11.95. (I plan to address that with the group after Christmas.)

They've even removed their contact info (physical address and local phone number) from the site - which I believe is a violation of their BBB Online Reliability mark.
Click to expand...

Cathy,

Is it really fair to require them to post their wire charge? In this example we're not sure whether they charged $11.99 on $49.99 or $6.99 on $44.99, or maybe even some other amount.

FTD charges $39.99 plus $14.99 service charge on this item, and this company charges $38.00 plus a $6.99 charge. Why is one titty being rejected and not the other?


RC
 
This sounds very familiar. But it appears they at least "sort of" disclose it.

I know of a another one who clips $10 or more off each order, apparently as a service fee, but nowhere are any such fees mentioned to the consumer.

Some here know exactly who I am talking about.

RC in Dayton and Cincinnati said:
Actually goldfish,

We can.
Click to expand...

We can also. There can't be more than about $5 worth of flowers in that bouquet, with a less than a dollar vase.

Why can't you fill this? I understand principle - but the price isn't prohibitive as I see it.

Somebody do some math here - the workroom manual is at the shop - if I remember tomorrow I will try to look up the stem count.
 
Actually we can too....but you gotta love their "photo disclaimer" helps protect against all who say it didn't look like that in the picture...lol
 
An article about flowerpetal.com's charitable activities just crossed my Google Reader:

The Power of Flowers

Receiving a fresh flower or fruit bouquet can lift your spirits and, in turn, improve your mental health.

Bouquets can help someone else's mental health, too, if they're ordered from Alexian Brothers.

The hospital's mental health center serves more than 3,000 suburbanites each year, but the Alexian Center for Mental Health in Arlington Heights also has a very reasonably priced florist. Who knew?

It sells all the same flowers and gifts you'd find at a commercial florist but donates 12 percent of the proceeds to the center. See www.alexiancenter.flowerpetal.com for pictures and prices.
Click to expand...
Combine the power of a link from a hospital with a link from the newspaper and you've got some pretty good help to sell flowers.

Does the hospital or the reporter realize they're sending folks to pay an extra $12 to get the 12% donation? Not likely.

Flowerpetal.com is still well ahead of a local shop, especially on smaller orders. Here's the math:

- $50.00 Product/local delivery/service fee paid by consumer
- less 'sending fee' of $12 retained by FlowerPetal
- $38 transmitted to delivering florist

Flower Petal 'donates' 12% or $6 to the charity and still has
$ 6.00 from the kept 'sending fee'
$ 7.60 commission on $38
$ 6.00 rebate (or up?)
$19.60 from the $50 sale

OTOH The local florist will be lucky to have $8 left after Commissions/Fees/Receiving Fee/COGS/Delivery & labor.

They're actually working the WS game very, very shrewdly. As long as shops are complaining about the lack of incomings, there will always be the FlowerPetals of the world ready to oblige. :dunno:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back