Freecycle at its best

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bloomery

bloomery

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Feb 16, 2006
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I've seen a lot of interesting stuff both being offered and requested on our local freecycle board, but this may be the best ever...

WANTED: fresh flowers
Wed May 28, 2008 1:51 pm (PDT)
I am getting married this weekend (Saturday) and flowers were not in
the budget. Does anyone have fresh flowers from their yard that they
might like to donate for my special day? Thanks so much for reading
and God bless!!!!
 
I, too, have seen some very interesting posts both offering and wanting on freecycle (or freebay as my husband calls it).

The audacity of the posts amaze me sometimes. This post is one of them.
 
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Not just posting onthe boards but real phone calls too. Had a call 2 weeks ago wanting us to donate the centerpieces for the reception. Bride would acknowledge us in the program and put business cards on all the tables. She was persistant and explained how great the exposure would be.
The funniest part (as if the whole things is absurd enough) is the location...a short one hour drive away.
 
LOL, We had a freecycle post today looking for a used car in good condition-HUH??? Also someone giving away bread,who later posted it all went into the garbage pail OH MY
 
If you read craig's list there are some equally funny suggestions or trades and requests for free....but if you never ask you never know what you will get.

Look at Star Jones, just a few short years ago so had everything donated to her farce of a wedding and now she is getting a divorce....If she can do it why can't everyone else...
 
I once had a bride call me at the School and ask me to do her flowers for wholesale and no labor. She said she would put my business cards in her favor bags. And then I'd have to deliver them, two hours away with no traffic. How many of her guests are potential clients of mine? In Brooklyn, no less? (I am in NJ) I am amazed at some people's chutzpah!

Who does she think she is...Starr Jones?
 
I got a letter today from a local Hertz office saying they wanted to allow us to put 2 large bouquets per week in their office, and they would also allow us to display our business cards with them

Big of them huh???

This reminds me of a new biz a few years back that wanted our silks to sell on consignment, taking only 40% of the price. I told her I couldn't do that unless I added the 40% into the price. She said that would never do. I told her our net profit was 10% - why would I want to sell our products at a 30% loss? She responded that we should be grateful to do it for the exposure.

I asked - who's the new business here??? (We'd been in business well over 10 years then)

I declined

They're no longer in business either.

We are.
 
About 8 years ago , when I first started out. I put flowers in the very busy hair salon across the street from me. I will tell you that I did get a lot of work from the flowers I put over there. I had many people calling me & ordering the same thing we had on display so that freebie did pay off in new customers in my area for me. I guess you just have to be really picky with what you do. Because I get requests like this all the time, now for donations instead of flowers I give out gift certificates because that way they have to come in to the store to use them. Who knows what else they may buy. So far that has helped some but not much. I am open to so more suggestions. Companies call me all the time wanting the free flowers for the lobby, but I decline unless it may be another potential good donation. I don't think across the board very many florists can give away free flowers every week with very little return & stay in business.
 
People don't have balls or Chutzpah-- they're just cheap

We get a request almost everyday for someone wanting us to donate to this or that, and we usually do, but we have been reevaluating this as we rarely see any return on this investment. something for nothing is just that. I've been to thes raffles and pta parties and benfits with their silent auctions where a $50 certificate brings $15 as the highest bid. anymore we have been donating a bok--they pick it up, it shows our work, not our logo on a Gift cert. , and it brings a higher price at the auctions. but frankly I don't see much business that comes in and says I came here because we saw your flowers at.... We do get feedback from paid arrangements for churches, and businesses that are willing to pay us. We are implementing an office bok program. They pay for the flowers and we provide the vase. We pick up the vase when we drop off next weeks flowers. it works ok--We are going to spice it up a bit more and offer an upgrade to the bok if we can place our cards next to them with a sign stating these flowers designed by or something-- there are still details to work out. But I figure they win with cheaper flowers and I win with cheap exposure. and I still cover my cost of goods. so i'm not in the $$$$hole. I'd be interested in knowing what is working for the rest of you in this respect. Thanks mrflowermarket
 
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