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Sent my resignation two weeks ago, was out as of last week far as I know...
 
I am on a trial period with them

I dont have to pay and can choose not to join after the trial. The orders have been pretty consistent as far as frequency but they are low priced orders. I had one for $100 but the rest have been $35, most of them are for the hospital that I am next door to.
 
FSI Member

I am a member of FSI. I agree with the other posters that the orders are not plentiful and the dollar value low. I do not use FSI to send orders. I am a charter member and receive a low monthly rate along with free listings in all the towns my pool delivers to. I get lots of hits off the free website they offer, that's primarily why I have chosen to stay with the service.
 
NavyBrat said:
I get lots of hits off the free website they offer, that's primarily why I have chosen to stay with the service.
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Emphasis mine....

Dianne...not to pick on you at all, but when you say hits, how many **orders** does the site generate for you?

I too *was* a "Charter Member" of FSI, paying $59.95 a month, did not even know until recently that I had a "Free" website and upon checking the site generated about 3 orders in the last 6 months.

Thing is, with the "free" FSI website, I did not, nor does any member receive the full sale amount, nor the order (sent on my behalf?), and more importantly, I also did NOT get the customer data. Seems kind of expensive to me.....
 
Hey Mark,
I do not pay $59.95 monthly to FSI. My rate is $29.95 monthly. I agree with your observations. I should have worded my statement differently. We do receive phone calls from customers who are viewing the site-almost daily. I'm glad they call us direct.
 
What a mess

I got an order on 6/24 from floral source that was for $35. When the representative called they stated that this was the amount of the order including the delivery. I completed a small designers choice mixed arrangement. The delivery driver told me today that they felt as if they had been taken advantage of with this arrangement since they paid somewhere around 58 for the flowers. They expected something bigger. I was really blown away because the order fax that I got clearly stated 35 dollars, and when they called I asked them about delivery and they said it was included. I called the recipient and explained how I got the order and that it was not for the amount that they stated.

They stated that they filed a complaint with the better business bureau and would order directly from local florist. They said they were mislead by the listing in yellow pages that said Atlanta Flowers and did not know that they were ordering from a wire service.

I am totally frustrated and Angry with myself since I have my Flowerchat education and know that ALL wire services are deceptive. What can I do to make things right with this customer?

Please excuse my rant! I am certain that I will not be joining Floral Source after my trial period is over!
 
That listing "Atlanta Flowers" is probably Floral & Gift or FromYou, JustFlowers, etc (our friend Tom Meola *gag*) one of the other notorious gatherers with false listings all over the country. Just goes to show you the gatherers are cloaked under the wire services no matter which one-even those purporting to be the best for Real Florists. Can't believe any of them.
 
I called Floral Source today

They said that they had the order down for $35 and I explained to the rep how disappointed the customer was, they told me"If they call you back you just tell them to call who they ordered from" I think that I am going to send the recipient a complimentary arrangement and try to get over it. What a wake up call!
 
Taffie, does not the order give the origination? The sending shop?
I'd probably do as you say, complimentary bouquet. They already know the problem was with the sending shop.
 
If you do send a complimentary arrangement..why not send along a copy of the fax order...let them see for themselves that you only got $35.00 and it included delivery (so minus what $5.00) and if the fax shows the originating florist all the better..if not it certainly shows a phone # to call with questions..
I believe the customer deserves to see backup data... copies of orders etc. The only way we can fight these OG's is with the truth.. let people see it.. and it isn't even the 20% issue with me.. I am all for the selling florist billing me for his sales help salaries and marketing.. I just don't want to be badmouthed about these large sending fees. and del. fees that are not passed on.
So.. if I am given $35.00 to work with I am proud of what I do with $35.oo but no way am I making it look like $58.00.. the seller must prove he is worth this extra $23.00 to the customer.. so let the customer have it in writing.. from the seller.. eg: a copy of the order
 
Flowersbytaffie said:
I faxed the buyer a copy of the order on yesterday. He was very understanding. He also told me that he filed a complaint against the "Atlanta Flowers"
Click to expand...

DO NOT, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, send "complimentary" flowers to this recipient...or the OG has "won" this day.
The sender, AND the recipient will be told that the problem has been resolved, and you've "admitted" to YOUR error in judgement.
Do what you want, BUT, this is NOT one of those times where YOU should be goaded into guilt by association.
Sorry........
 
Ya' know...

...this all points to one thing: the policing of the industry.

(this is NOT a w/s bash, just a statement of fact)

Clearly, the wire services (ALL of them) have no regard for acts like what was mentioned above, or else they wouldn't be happening! This is not a first case scenario here - it is a DAILY occurrence. Goes to show you all the w/s care about is SENDING...what or from where makes no difference.

I agree with Carol: show them the truth. I am tempted to show the very next reporter that comes through my doors one of these ultra-skimmed orders - heck, give 'em a copy. It's getting out of hand. But...then that reporter may skew the facts - not intentionally - but to fit the time of the spot, thereby not reporting ALL the facts. Then where are we...skewed facts on something like this could potentially do more harm than good.

- H.
 
PhillyPhlorist said:
...this all points to one thing: the policing of the industry.

It's getting out of hand. But...then that reporter may skew the facts - not intentionally - but to fit the time of the spot, thereby not reporting ALL the facts. Then where are we...skewed facts on something like this could potentially do more harm than good.

- H.
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While true Herb, I truely feel that if nothing is done to curtail the growing abuse of curtailment, deceptive advertising, and consumer rip-offs, the issue will continue to get worseand grow unchecked.

We know the WS's will not do anything (at this point) to help find a soloution and work to swing things back in favor of the local florist over the order gatherers, but, I believe in time they will. I recently had a long conversation with someone "in the know" (not a WS) with facts on how some of the more deceptive practices are being played out. Once I have enuf *hard proof* it will be made public, and I honestly feel, if things go as I think they do, it *may* take down one of the biggest OG's there is.

With enuf proof, and enuf united voices, we can make a difference...yes it may be uncomfortable, yes it may do some short term damage, but I feel that even those B&M "gatherers" should be concerned, and realize that their volume too would go up, *if* the "Pure Play OG's" were held accountable.
 
This has been and continues to be a serious issue that affects future sales of all real flower shops. Don't know how many have seen the post on the RF blog - Florist Complaints make BBB Top Ten List.

Real local florists have known it was only a matter of time until the quality problems associated with the cumulative effect of deceptive and misleading florist affiliate advertising hit the radar screens of national consumer /business organizations.

In 2005, florists were ranked as the # 7 source of all complaints made to the Better Business Bureau's Canadian Division. The US BBB lists complaints about florists in the top 4% of all business categories, coming in ahead of even credit and debt counseling, telemarketing services and real estate services.

While the BBB report does not separate the 'online-only' florists from the real brick and mortar shops, one only needs to read the myriad complaints against Vancouver BC operation Urban Florist to surmise the primary source of that #7 ranking. Based on files at RipoffReport.com, the majority of those Canadian complaints were likely made by US consumers since Urban Florist has targeted (and continues to target) American flower buyers via Google AdWords advertising with phrases that lead some consumers to believe they're purchasing direct from local florists. Urban's continued fraudulent claim that local florists deliver their flowers for free has been a major issue with real flower shops.

Recently, Urban Florist was joined by yet another Canadian-based virtual florist operation, Flowers Flowers aka 180066roses.com and flowers444.com, in Buyer's Alerts issued by the Vancouver, BC Better Business Bureau. These alerts are meant to warn consumers about companies that fail to respond to BBB efforts to resolve complaints. (One has to wonder why 180066roses.com recently changed its mailing address to a Blaine, Washington PO Box while still maintaining its Burnaby operation.)

Both Urban Florist and 180066roses.com are partnered with US-based floral wire services that enable the companies to process orders and forward them to local US and Canadian florists for fulfillment.

Seeing florists listed as a top source of complaints in either country is a black eye on the industry. Two solutions could go a long way to help consumers get the flower quality and value they expect and deserve:

Request the BBB classify online-only wire service affiliate transaction complaints separate from real florists. It may be a bit difficult since so many affiliate-brokers build websites and yellow page ads specifically to appear local, but it could be done. The BBB doesn't lump travel agencies in with hotels so separating real florist local services from wire service agents makes sense.

Hold wire services accountable for their 'repeat offender' affiliates. Every business makes mistakes, but patterns of complaints should be monitored closely and affiliates should face swift suspensions if they fail to operate in a professional manner. Without the floral wire services, their commissions, their credit card clearings, and their networks, these companies could not exist.

Isn't it way past time florist trade associations weigh in on this cross-border issue to help restore consumer credibility to buy flowers from florists?
Click to expand...
My emphasis in green. We are all being painted with the same tainted brush. IMO the cumulative effect of these rip-offs is to drive many flower buyers directly to the 'national brands' since their attempts to buy local have ended in disappintment.

In a case like Taffie's, FSI may well be driving a buyer to their WS competition.
 
Do Not Join !!!!

I have been a charter member actually one of the first 10 florists that joined after John Carruthers called me. The problem with the service is that when he bowed out to other endeavors problems started drastically!!!!! Although he still is behind the scenes. Had steady high dollar orders all up until '05 (Jan) as the year progressed I had received only 19 orders up till July $1500 worth and they never paid me for it, said I owed them for wire outs which never happened, no wire outs thru FS in 05 at all, collections called argued with me telling me it was money I did not earn wiring out so I asked them to fax all statements from beginning Oct. 02, they did and all the wire outs were year 04 so their accts people do not know how to distinguish between years. Since then no orders have come in. SO I GUESS THEY REALISED THEIR OVERSIGHT AND I AM NOT A MEMBER. As well as John promised no other shops in the towns I would fill for and that is not true, found out why the decrease. Along with that problem they have OGs all over, the main one they use is "Red Lily" which after putting 2+2 turns out their logo is a red lily, the OG is in another town from Hdqtrs , that also was promised not to have in the service.
Also here is a real big tip for ones that do fill orders and get aggravated at the low dollar orders....... when they call ,tell them you need such and such for that + your del. , they will him haul and say I need to call you back, if and make sure you are the only florist....... they will call back with the price you asked for. BE ADOMINT ABOUT IT ON YOUR PRICE!!! If they use their corp. credit card with another florist that's ok b/c you didn't get frustrated with a percentage of a $35 order.
More than likely with it being hard and slow times they will call you with what you demanded on price.
At least that happened with me last year when the orders did come in.
Hope this helped,
Cyndi
 
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