FTD July 2008 newsletter states "To do our part to assist FTD florists in this economy, we have decided to raise the delivery fee for FTD.com florist-fulfilled orders to $10." Effective June 1st. We have observed no increase in the FTD.com SRP (suggested retail pricies) on their web site. With a service charge of $14.99 and delivery fee increase to $10 for a total of $24.99. Wonder what this will do to customer perceived value? Apparantly FTD doesn't much care leaving it to the florist to cope with potential customer complaints. Any comments?
FTD Double Talk
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BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
Did you run the shopping cart to see if they are in fact charging the $10.00??
Even if they are, and *if* they are sending the $10.00 to the florist, it's still less than $7.00...net to the florist...
I think it's good that they are charging the 410.00, might make some folks search out a local florist, but... I charge $9.95 on my site and have not had a complaint and I have used that price for 3-4 years...
The consumer understands delivery charges and has little issue with them, we can hope that this move would drive consumers to search out local florists tho...
Even if they are, and *if* they are sending the $10.00 to the florist, it's still less than $7.00...net to the florist...
I think it's good that they are charging the 410.00, might make some folks search out a local florist, but... I charge $9.95 on my site and have not had a complaint and I have used that price for 3-4 years...
The consumer understands delivery charges and has little issue with them, we can hope that this move would drive consumers to search out local florists tho...
David
Well-Known Member
FTD.com is not passing on an additional $10.00 . It is included in price shown to the consumer. They did have to lower all there suggested prices by $3.00 to make the new formula work.
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
Couldn't do that - it would make me a SFO, who have always been dawgs in my not very humble opinion.
Twila talked to a guy at a meeting who told us how smooth his Valentines Day went because he suspended a week early - but still sent orders.
We thought he was yucky.
Show me da Money!....(Jerry McGuire)
Gee, I know the line isn't new but it does seem fitting here! I logged on to send a "test order" on the dotcom site and it seems that the $3 went the wrong way! The SRP did not change, they just took$$ out of the order to get the "$10" delivery but the ballsey adding of $3 to their already overpriced "service charge" is really galling. To say you hear the florists pain and screw them and make another $3 on the deal is nearly unbelievable, if we had not been taken to this hotel room before.
FTD you have got to be kidding! Are you really this short sighted? What happened to the "new owner" that wants to utilize the "potential" of the membership? Is there no one to hold dotcom in check? Why am I not feeling the love here? Grab your wallets people.
Why the HE(double hockey sticks) can some body at a "wire service" see an opportunity to make a stand for the people who are paying for the ride and "do the right thing"?
My vote is do not codify for any WS holiday overpriced crap. I'm not talking to those who are feeling so smug in their not being affiliated with a WS but to those who actually send enough that not belonging would be a pain in the as(k).
Where is the WS we can actually get coverage in to send through? Help requested here. Please, using a credit card that I have to verify 500 orders on does not work for me. Nor the new technology of the Fax machine. If some one knows something but can not say yet PM me. I am getting weary.
I'm tiyoued, soooo tiyoued. (Blazing Saddles)
Man I like "Quotes"
Keith
Gee, I know the line isn't new but it does seem fitting here! I logged on to send a "test order" on the dotcom site and it seems that the $3 went the wrong way! The SRP did not change, they just took$$ out of the order to get the "$10" delivery but the ballsey adding of $3 to their already overpriced "service charge" is really galling. To say you hear the florists pain and screw them and make another $3 on the deal is nearly unbelievable, if we had not been taken to this hotel room before.
FTD you have got to be kidding! Are you really this short sighted? What happened to the "new owner" that wants to utilize the "potential" of the membership? Is there no one to hold dotcom in check? Why am I not feeling the love here? Grab your wallets people.
Why the HE(double hockey sticks) can some body at a "wire service" see an opportunity to make a stand for the people who are paying for the ride and "do the right thing"?
My vote is do not codify for any WS holiday overpriced crap. I'm not talking to those who are feeling so smug in their not being affiliated with a WS but to those who actually send enough that not belonging would be a pain in the as(k).
Where is the WS we can actually get coverage in to send through? Help requested here. Please, using a credit card that I have to verify 500 orders on does not work for me. Nor the new technology of the Fax machine. If some one knows something but can not say yet PM me. I am getting weary.
I'm tiyoued, soooo tiyoued. (Blazing Saddles)
Man I like "Quotes"
Keith
Are you saying they skimmed $3 off the retail price before sending it the florist or they took $3 from the $14.99 service charge to up the florist's delivery portion to $10?
--------------------------------------------
Guys, this sale to United Online is not completely a "done deal". The stock price ($13.26 today) still keeps falling and is well below the 'price per share' ($15.08) offered under the purchase agreement.
From what I can see, FTD has used a bunch of very short-term tactics to prop up the numbers like:
-offering Dz roses and lily arrangements through Walmart.com for $19.99 total delivered during M Day. They announced a 12% increase in orders shortly after the holiday. We could all be up 12% if we were willing to lose money on orders.
- writing themselves a pay raise with the new delayed response fees. They make more money if the orders go unforwarded and especially unfilled. With the quarter ending 6/30, they had to have an income increase so the program had to start 6/1. Does anyone believe they're offering all customers full refunds and resending the orders? If so, I have a bridge to sell you...
All that 'delayed response revenue' is going to show up as income in the 4th quarter.
I'm hearing that florists are dropping at an alarming rate. One of my friends told me today that despite filling 800 orders a year for FTD, she's quitting. The new policy with no price increase requests and all the delayed response fees finally put her over the edge. She is the best florist - by far - in her area. Most likely on some of those 'golden lists'.
Heard rumor that bonuses are being offered if sales team members can stop the flood of shops leaving before the sale's supposed to close.
Seems FTD's team is primarily concerned with unloading the company and cashing out.
LOTAKIDS
Well-Known Member
Lower your monthly membership fee to $59.99 through Dec. 31, 2008
Effective January 1, 2009 your monthly membership fee will be $99.99
Waive Quality Assurance/FTD University Fee through Dec. 31, 2008
Waive Low Sending & Reciprocity Fees (must send the majority of your orders through FTD) (receiprocity Fees, well over $100 plus a month)
Guarantee to match or beat your current credit card processing service.
Here is my offer to stay - and even another call after no thanks to free membership for 3 months.
Still No thank you!!!
Effective January 1, 2009 your monthly membership fee will be $99.99
Waive Quality Assurance/FTD University Fee through Dec. 31, 2008
Waive Low Sending & Reciprocity Fees (must send the majority of your orders through FTD) (receiprocity Fees, well over $100 plus a month)
Guarantee to match or beat your current credit card processing service.
Here is my offer to stay - and even another call after no thanks to free membership for 3 months.
Still No thank you!!!
I specifically have asked a couple times now how many members they have lost because of DRP.
I was told "a handful".
Didn't sound like a flood to me.
I bet well over 50% of shops have no idea the program even exists. Heck make that 80% (since it's just a guess anyway).
When it comes to this program - I don't really care what their particular motivation is - I just care what it does in my world.
So they know how to cook the books - anyone surprised? Remember when they used to ship unordered products to shops "just in case they needed them"?
Being one that is tired of incompent fillers - I'm glad it exists.
Today I had a shop sit on an order for a dozen roses in Texas until 4PM Dallas time before they called to tell us they couldn't do it today - they received the order at 8:03 this morning. At 10 AM they had asked us for a price increase which I sent immediately.
This is exactly the kind of incompetence I am talking about, or at least one form of it.
Yup - I asked them to just reject it.
and they did. Guess they shouldn't have asked for that price increase.
:scatter
I refunded the customer and will have it delivered tomorrow for him, thru a competent shop.
And I do believe I saved him.
clarified
What I mean is they say they "raised" the delivery fee but di not change the price on the website. they just "allow" us to take a$10 delivery and have $3 less for the product. Hunh?? But at the same time they raise their service fee to holiday levels of $14.95.
See what Mean?
Trickeration gone wild!
Keith
What I mean is they say they "raised" the delivery fee but di not change the price on the website. they just "allow" us to take a$10 delivery and have $3 less for the product. Hunh?? But at the same time they raise their service fee to holiday levels of $14.95.
See what Mean?
Trickeration gone wild!
Keith
TOTO
New Member
We're really not SMUG Keith, just enlightened!
Sorry if any of us WS FREE boardies gave you the impression that we're SMUG with our WS FREE decisions.
That would be furthest from the TRUTH we try to impart.
It's only that, so many of us got so dizzy DANCING THE SAME DANCE in our past, we eventually had to choose to sit out the newer versions and tell those folks, our dance card was now too filled up to hear.
So many UNKEPT PAST PROMISES made from the previous buyers starting with little richard back in 1994 and kept up with his creative financing expert, small bob.
Having listed their PAST LIES in the past, I won't repeat them again.
All I can say is, the best I ever got out of it was that, they would say one thing while DOO-ING another. All during which, it enabled them to buy more time so that, they could steal MO OF YOUR CUSTOMERS by using MO OF YOUR MONEY.
Your comment of " if we had not been taken to this hotel room before " encapsulates the sad reality of what they really are and what they continue to DOO each day.
The only difference is in the fact that, it's just another new group of investment bankers putting on their newest twisted spin, and until such time as they can put their members through the NEWEST VERSION of THEIR WRINGERS, thus squeezing out the very last drop of blood from their current or newest victims.
After which, they'll FLIP IT AGAIN, and another new PLAYER game begins.
Think of it more like a GROUND HOG DAY HIT and RUN movie, with the same victims lying at the scene of the accident while the drivers continue to change after each new vehicle impacts the same group of pedestrians, albeit even FLATTER ON THEIR BACKS, than before.
HEY! It's just not quite your time yet Keith! But, my gut tells me YOUR TIME TOO, IS COMING SOON! Once you can kick the tires of a newer vehicle you like, you'll be able to boot the old one to the curb.
Sorry if any of us WS FREE boardies gave you the impression that we're SMUG with our WS FREE decisions.
That would be furthest from the TRUTH we try to impart.
It's only that, so many of us got so dizzy DANCING THE SAME DANCE in our past, we eventually had to choose to sit out the newer versions and tell those folks, our dance card was now too filled up to hear.
So many UNKEPT PAST PROMISES made from the previous buyers starting with little richard back in 1994 and kept up with his creative financing expert, small bob.
Having listed their PAST LIES in the past, I won't repeat them again.
All I can say is, the best I ever got out of it was that, they would say one thing while DOO-ING another. All during which, it enabled them to buy more time so that, they could steal MO OF YOUR CUSTOMERS by using MO OF YOUR MONEY.
Your comment of " if we had not been taken to this hotel room before " encapsulates the sad reality of what they really are and what they continue to DOO each day.
The only difference is in the fact that, it's just another new group of investment bankers putting on their newest twisted spin, and until such time as they can put their members through the NEWEST VERSION of THEIR WRINGERS, thus squeezing out the very last drop of blood from their current or newest victims.
After which, they'll FLIP IT AGAIN, and another new PLAYER game begins.
Think of it more like a GROUND HOG DAY HIT and RUN movie, with the same victims lying at the scene of the accident while the drivers continue to change after each new vehicle impacts the same group of pedestrians, albeit even FLATTER ON THEIR BACKS, than before.
HEY! It's just not quite your time yet Keith! But, my gut tells me YOUR TIME TOO, IS COMING SOON! Once you can kick the tires of a newer vehicle you like, you'll be able to boot the old one to the curb.
TOTO
New Member
Ratified
You're probably one of THE VERY FEW who picked up on their newest creative financing scam.
All the rest will only see the part where, they now get $10 in WS Wampum for their delivery efforts, and they'll consider that a RAISE and PRAISE their dealer.
Can't begin to tell you how much I really like your new word, "TRICKERATION"!
How can I phrase that?
TRICKERATION in CONSIDERATION for NO REMUNERATION?
Or, another way: Robbing Peter to pay Paul.
No matter since, most won't get it which is exactely what THEY BANK ON, ey?
You're probably one of THE VERY FEW who picked up on their newest creative financing scam.
All the rest will only see the part where, they now get $10 in WS Wampum for their delivery efforts, and they'll consider that a RAISE and PRAISE their dealer.
Can't begin to tell you how much I really like your new word, "TRICKERATION"!
How can I phrase that?
TRICKERATION in CONSIDERATION for NO REMUNERATION?
Or, another way: Robbing Peter to pay Paul.
No matter since, most won't get it which is exactely what THEY BANK ON, ey?
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
Keith, Keith, Keith....the new owners do want to "utilize" (read: USE, ABUSE, CONFUSE) the "potential" of the membership...to retire on...
No there is no one holding FTD.coN in check, they have allowed, and in fact spent millions on developing it into a monster, with the best smoke and mirrors money can buy....their goal is in NO WAY to help the florists, it's to rape the industry, con both the consumer and the florists and take the money and run.
They have no intention to "partner" with the florists...if they did, they'd be able to put TF or any of the others out of biz in a year...their intention, much like the Mongols of old is to rape and pilliage...
Get off your high horse Keith! FTD is trying to utilize the "POTENTIAL" of the membership. It sees it's florists as a cash "cow" and they feel there is more to milk from that "cow." Someone has got to pay back that 800 million dollars that United is paying and it won't be the stockholders. It won't be the Executives. So the only ones left are the florists. And keep in mind, "it's all about the value of the Brand".
It must be great to be FTD!
Things happening here too
Interflora have put membership up to ï½£102 per month excluding any of the additional charges for websites, marketing etc, Puts the cost of Interflora in the UK at just under ï½£3k ($6k) a year now and they only give executing florists 67%. They also put the delivery charge up to consumers by ï½£1 about five weeks ago but didn't pass any of it on to members, telling one it was too difficult to change the system and therefore the money would be used for development costs. That may have change in the last week or so but I am on holiday so not quite as in touch as I usually am (mainly because the pool is too tempting and the children want to play!) hence silence for the last few days.
As an aside, if anyone is interested we have done an interview with United Online. I have to say they have been a heck of a lot more approachable than FTD/Interflora who refused to be interviewed and from what I can make out actually tried to stop United talking to me. That doesn't make me like the deal ... I still think it's barking mad for everyone but it did give me a chance to ask the CEO some of the questions I had been asked by florists plus some of my own. I can either upload a PDF in a seperate thread or send it direct to people. Let me know which would be best.
Carrie
Interflora have put membership up to ï½£102 per month excluding any of the additional charges for websites, marketing etc, Puts the cost of Interflora in the UK at just under ï½£3k ($6k) a year now and they only give executing florists 67%. They also put the delivery charge up to consumers by ï½£1 about five weeks ago but didn't pass any of it on to members, telling one it was too difficult to change the system and therefore the money would be used for development costs. That may have change in the last week or so but I am on holiday so not quite as in touch as I usually am (mainly because the pool is too tempting and the children want to play!) hence silence for the last few days.
As an aside, if anyone is interested we have done an interview with United Online. I have to say they have been a heck of a lot more approachable than FTD/Interflora who refused to be interviewed and from what I can make out actually tried to stop United talking to me. That doesn't make me like the deal ... I still think it's barking mad for everyone but it did give me a chance to ask the CEO some of the questions I had been asked by florists plus some of my own. I can either upload a PDF in a seperate thread or send it direct to people. Let me know which would be best.
Carrie
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
Read the interview. Wish it was a video interview. I bet he couldn't say it all with a straight face!
This is me........ :rofl:
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