FTD Double Talk
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Great intervue, but did I miss something? Did he say anything?
I read the whole thing a couple of times and what I read was a lot of talk that said nothing. Maybe someone from the UK could translate, since it isn't in the English I am used to understanding.
I read the whole thing a couple of times and what I read was a lot of talk that said nothing. Maybe someone from the UK could translate, since it isn't in the English I am used to understanding.
All their own words
Due to the sensitivities surrounding the interview it wasn't appropriate to make any changes. Therefore, other than a handful of words taken out to avoid repetition, this is a straight reprint of the replies given to me by United and as such Mr Goldstons words, not mine or the magazines. We simply supplied the questions so sorry can't supply a translation.
Due to the sensitivities surrounding the interview it wasn't appropriate to make any changes. Therefore, other than a handful of words taken out to avoid repetition, this is a straight reprint of the replies given to me by United and as such Mr Goldstons words, not mine or the magazines. We simply supplied the questions so sorry can't supply a translation.
avenuegardensflorist
Well-Known Member
This is worth further ????
I am really beginning to doubt the new guys motives.
I have spoken to several FTD long timers and they are very optimistic, should we be???
"Show me da money!!" (Jerry Mcguire)
Keith
Does any one else feel the love?
I am really beginning to doubt the new guys motives.
I have spoken to several FTD long timers and they are very optimistic, should we be???
"Show me da money!!" (Jerry Mcguire)
Keith
Are these the same guys who were really optimistic when Perry Capital bought FTD for $125M? Seems that worked out really well, too.....
Keith, I'm guess you know how this all works, but let me kinda state the scenario...
"The Company" decides who the chief influencers are, and then goes to work to get them on board. Sometimes it only takes a nice dinner, some sweet talk, and some nods of the head... other times it takes more...
Remember when FTDI got rid of FTDA? They HAD to have FTDA gone, so they could drop ship and sign up any darn shop and SFO they wanted. So they went out and found not only some chief influencers within the florist community (who thought $25/mo association dues were ridiculous) , they also basically invited the DOJ to help see the Association had a swift demise. Viola! For a mere $14K, they got exactly what they wanted all along.
I saw Mr. Goldston telling his shareholders that the flower biz in the US was $20B. He 'forgot' the $10B of that was bedding plants ~ which don't happen to be sold via most FTD florists, and certainly aren't going to be part of FTD's monetization. Either he has failed to do his homework or he was hoodwinked by the razzle-dazzle of the crew at DG.
Anyway... these guys need some Top 100 folks on board and they know how to talk the talk. Walking the walk remains to be seen. Based on FTD's legacy of the last 14 years, what do you think?
"The Company" decides who the chief influencers are, and then goes to work to get them on board. Sometimes it only takes a nice dinner, some sweet talk, and some nods of the head... other times it takes more...
Remember when FTDI got rid of FTDA? They HAD to have FTDA gone, so they could drop ship and sign up any darn shop and SFO they wanted. So they went out and found not only some chief influencers within the florist community (who thought $25/mo association dues were ridiculous) , they also basically invited the DOJ to help see the Association had a swift demise. Viola! For a mere $14K, they got exactly what they wanted all along.
I saw Mr. Goldston telling his shareholders that the flower biz in the US was $20B. He 'forgot' the $10B of that was bedding plants ~ which don't happen to be sold via most FTD florists, and certainly aren't going to be part of FTD's monetization. Either he has failed to do his homework or he was hoodwinked by the razzle-dazzle of the crew at DG.
Anyway... these guys need some Top 100 folks on board and they know how to talk the talk. Walking the walk remains to be seen. Based on FTD's legacy of the last 14 years, what do you think?
TOTO
New Member
In the words of PT Barnum.....................
A SUCKER is born EVERY MINUTE!
Then again Cathy, who am I to throw stones.
I too, bought into the Perry Lies. I still have the copy of FTD FAMILY dated AUGUST 1994, in the Q&A SECTION where little dick told all of us that, PERRY PARTNERS were investing in FTDI for the LONG HAUL, and so, we could count on them to be OUR LONG TERM INVESTMENT PARTNERS.
Who ever knew that, an investment banker's definition of LONG HAUL was to be FOR ONLY 9 YEARS.
And, you're so right to point out that, they will need and will get, some of the endorsements by the top 100 members to seal the deal.
Back in the day, we got those too! We trusted them but then, who knew that, they were SPECIAL, and as such, were privy to those SPECIAL BEHIND THE SCENES DEALS which, in effect, bought their endorsements of the BUY OUT.
Did I mention that, TOTO WAS REALLY STUPID back then, and that he, like many other REAL FAMILY MEMBERS, got snookered?
Well, if I didn't back then, EYE SURELY DOO NOW!
The only unsavory grace is that, after having gone through Dick Boyce, the first CEO of FTDI for only 6 months, followed up with Meg Whitman, who went onto become the CEO of EBAY, we wound up with small bob from Jo-Ann Fabrics.
Now, small bob was the KING of CREATIVE FINANCING 101. That's the opinion of the SEC, not just mine, as he pled NO CONTEST for cooking their books when he was with FABRI CENTERS, AKA: Joanne Fabrics, paid a fine, and walked away from them, and backed into FTDI.
SEC v. Fabri-Centers of America, Inc. Robert L. Norton and Joseph E. Williams, Case No. 5:97CV1216 (N.D. Ohio)
I still don't think that, the auditors ever found out about all of his unsold FTDI Holiday Branded products he stowed away in hidden warehouses. Those were the ones which he had shipped out to all of the members, even though, they never ordered them. After which, he kept them on the books as SALES. And then, and when they refused or returned them, they were kept hidden in those warehouses, unbeknownst to the auditors, and so, WHO KNEW? After all, a SALE IS A SALE, even when it is not, EY?
Sure gave us a GREAT SHOW in HAWAII at the beginning with the back drop of General Patton, and here I bee, getting snookered again. I really thought that, this guy was a K-I-C-K A-S-S CEO who could make our difference.
Turned out to be JUST A SHOW and he (F) ailed (T) o (D) eliver for us!
Lots of lies though, just like little dick did with us, and from the get go!
As FORE MEE, I'm long since DONE WITH THE PHISH!
Having had enough of their BS, we began to pull our plug back in December of 2000 with the final end, just before Mother's Day of 2001.
That was after being a member for 31 years, the last 17 of those as an FTD ONLY! member, which in the end, counted for NOTHING! Thank you DOJ!
small bob couldn't take the heat on the old FTDI bulletin board, and so, he threw TOTO out of his kitchen. No big deal since, WEE BEE GONE ANYWAY, but shortly after, he made the old FTDI BULLETIN BOARD, BEE GONE TOO!
Then, don't wee all know, along came GREEN and small bob begone too, as he drove his hog off into the sunset, leaving his cannon fodder behind.
What's the lesson to be learned here?
In OZ, the WIZARDS with their EVIL FLYING MONKEYS all come and go so quickly now, but the only thing left behind, are the MUNCHKINS who are always DOO-ING ALL THE DOO anyway EVERYDAY!
Only thing which seems to be changing now though, is in the fact that, OZ is running out of MUNCHKINS faster than the NEW WIZARDS can replace them!
In closing, I'll volunteer to represent the LOLLIPOP LEAGUE and brand myself as being, one of their very first BIG SUCKERS!
Which then means that, I can be a witness to THE HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR, and emphatically state that; IT'S STILL THE SAME FREEKEN HORSE and the only difference is in the fact that, the same horses just have different riders now.
A SUCKER is born EVERY MINUTE!
Then again Cathy, who am I to throw stones.
I too, bought into the Perry Lies. I still have the copy of FTD FAMILY dated AUGUST 1994, in the Q&A SECTION where little dick told all of us that, PERRY PARTNERS were investing in FTDI for the LONG HAUL, and so, we could count on them to be OUR LONG TERM INVESTMENT PARTNERS.
Who ever knew that, an investment banker's definition of LONG HAUL was to be FOR ONLY 9 YEARS.
And, you're so right to point out that, they will need and will get, some of the endorsements by the top 100 members to seal the deal.
Back in the day, we got those too! We trusted them but then, who knew that, they were SPECIAL, and as such, were privy to those SPECIAL BEHIND THE SCENES DEALS which, in effect, bought their endorsements of the BUY OUT.
Did I mention that, TOTO WAS REALLY STUPID back then, and that he, like many other REAL FAMILY MEMBERS, got snookered?
Well, if I didn't back then, EYE SURELY DOO NOW!
The only unsavory grace is that, after having gone through Dick Boyce, the first CEO of FTDI for only 6 months, followed up with Meg Whitman, who went onto become the CEO of EBAY, we wound up with small bob from Jo-Ann Fabrics.
Now, small bob was the KING of CREATIVE FINANCING 101. That's the opinion of the SEC, not just mine, as he pled NO CONTEST for cooking their books when he was with FABRI CENTERS, AKA: Joanne Fabrics, paid a fine, and walked away from them, and backed into FTDI.
SEC v. Fabri-Centers of America, Inc. Robert L. Norton and Joseph E. Williams, Case No. 5:97CV1216 (N.D. Ohio)
I still don't think that, the auditors ever found out about all of his unsold FTDI Holiday Branded products he stowed away in hidden warehouses. Those were the ones which he had shipped out to all of the members, even though, they never ordered them. After which, he kept them on the books as SALES. And then, and when they refused or returned them, they were kept hidden in those warehouses, unbeknownst to the auditors, and so, WHO KNEW? After all, a SALE IS A SALE, even when it is not, EY?
Sure gave us a GREAT SHOW in HAWAII at the beginning with the back drop of General Patton, and here I bee, getting snookered again. I really thought that, this guy was a K-I-C-K A-S-S CEO who could make our difference.
Turned out to be JUST A SHOW and he (F) ailed (T) o (D) eliver for us!
Lots of lies though, just like little dick did with us, and from the get go!
As FORE MEE, I'm long since DONE WITH THE PHISH!
Having had enough of their BS, we began to pull our plug back in December of 2000 with the final end, just before Mother's Day of 2001.
That was after being a member for 31 years, the last 17 of those as an FTD ONLY! member, which in the end, counted for NOTHING! Thank you DOJ!
small bob couldn't take the heat on the old FTDI bulletin board, and so, he threw TOTO out of his kitchen. No big deal since, WEE BEE GONE ANYWAY, but shortly after, he made the old FTDI BULLETIN BOARD, BEE GONE TOO!
Then, don't wee all know, along came GREEN and small bob begone too, as he drove his hog off into the sunset, leaving his cannon fodder behind.
What's the lesson to be learned here?
In OZ, the WIZARDS with their EVIL FLYING MONKEYS all come and go so quickly now, but the only thing left behind, are the MUNCHKINS who are always DOO-ING ALL THE DOO anyway EVERYDAY!
Only thing which seems to be changing now though, is in the fact that, OZ is running out of MUNCHKINS faster than the NEW WIZARDS can replace them!
In closing, I'll volunteer to represent the LOLLIPOP LEAGUE and brand myself as being, one of their very first BIG SUCKERS!
Which then means that, I can be a witness to THE HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR, and emphatically state that; IT'S STILL THE SAME FREEKEN HORSE and the only difference is in the fact that, the same horses just have different riders now.
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
I doubt it...I'm pretty sure the end game of this gig will reveal that they too will sell FTD in 3-6 years, most likely for $999,999,999.99 (discount price) with about $449,999,999.50 in debt, all the while taking huge bonus' and stock options dreamed up at the Top Member party where they all laugh at the stooooopid little florists.Either he has failed to do his homework or he was hoodwinked by the razzle-dazzle of the crew at DG.
All under control Captain...we have a plan to rebate the big guys into submission....not to worry...CHR said:
The present directory for FTD shows an increasing rate of drop outs over previous directories.
Teleflora Drop Outs are substantially less, probably normal attrition as new shops opening are probably at a lower pace and shop closings are probably at an accelerated pace. Someone took a poll a short while back and that revealed that the median/average age for florists is going up.
And it is anybody's guess what is happening at 800Flowers.
When I have a one-on-one visit with a customer about sending orders via FTD, it is amazing how many have figured out that there is a middleman, be it a phantom florist [OG] or a wire service. They frankly state that they don't use my shop to send orders, they go direct so they can find out what the florist has. I applaud them and that seems to make them feel good, knowing that they are doing the right thing.
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
This is the first time that I have regretted dropping FTD last year because I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to be one of the florists sending him the "bye-bye" letter. I hope some others do and let me ride high on their stories.
lol
lol
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