Ftd Selection Guide / Fee

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ANTHYRIUM

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Nov 9, 2005
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We now have the "never ending" monthly fee for the selection guide, which we are suppose to get "new" every 2 years but this year are only getting an update. Is it worth $14.99 every month for another year ... for whenever? FSR's state this is a continuing fee but it entitles us to a new guide if ours becomes destroyed!! Expensive guide!!!:hammer:
 
no!!!

no it's NOT worth it !!! (to me) I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER COMPANY THAT TACKS ON CHARGES LIKE THE WS DOES. ALWAYS ADDING NEW CHARGES TO YOUR BILL AND HOPING TO SNEAK IT THROUGH.

teleflora charged us $400.00 for the slection guide. MULTIPLY BY 20,000 TF MEMBERS. IN WHAT PARALLEL UNIVERSE DOES A TRADE INDUSTRY PUBLICATION MAKE $8,000,000.00?!?!

I KNOW A "LOT" GOES INTO CREATING THE SELECTION GUIDE -- BUT
WHAT KIND OF BOOK THAT'S not written by stephen king makes $8,000,000.oo ?????

and WHO pays $400.oo dollars for a BOOK(unless it gets up and makes me coffee in the morning)

i don't even know how much $8,000,000.00 is

thats my rant . thanks for listening
 
If I recall correctly, that was reason # 2 for leaving FTD.......

Rock on................
 
Stupid book!!

"Who needs them? I find it easier just to go online and look at picture there.
It would be nice to opt out of this so called WS benefit."

I absolutely agree with that!!:soapbox:
 
vasestuffer said:
no it's NOT worth it !!! (to me) I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER COMPANY THAT TACKS ON CHARGES LIKE THE WS DOES. ALWAYS ADDING NEW CHARGES TO YOUR BILL AND HOPING TO SNEAK IT THROUGH.

teleflora charged us $400.00 for the slection guide. MULTIPLY BY 20,000 TF MEMBERS. IN WHAT PARALLEL UNIVERSE DOES A TRADE INDUSTRY PUBLICATION MAKE $8,000,000.00?!?!

I KNOW A "LOT" GOES INTO CREATING THE SELECTION GUIDE -- BUT
WHAT KIND OF BOOK THAT'S not written by stephen king makes $8,000,000.oo ?????

and WHO pays $400.oo dollars for a BOOK(unless it gets up and makes me coffee in the morning)

i don't even know how much $8,000,000.00 is

thats my rant . thanks for listening
Click to expand...
This was switched to a continuing fee instead of the lump sum payment a year or two ago.

The book does cost a few million $$$ to prepare. CHR outlined the various costs and problems associated with the books in a recent thread. I'm not denying that the WS make a profit on the book, but ... they ARE for profit companies. It's not reasonable to expect them to produce something at cost or below cost. Just because florists like to undervalue themselves and give away our skill and product doesn't mean our vendors have to follow suit.

The selection guide is part of the package when you sign up for a WS. If you don't want/use the book (or the images - let's remember it's the sales of the book that fund the photography), then maybe a WS isn't for you. But, if you leave or don't join, don't be using the images purchased by the florists who pay their dues.


Ryan
 
Infinite said:
This was switched to a continuing fee instead of the lump sum payment a year or two ago.

The selection guide is part of the package when you sign up for a WS. If you don't want/use the book (or the images - let's remember it's the sales of the book that fund the photography), then maybe a WS isn't for you. But, if you leave or don't join, don't be using the images purchased by the florists who pay their dues.


Ryan
Click to expand...

agreed...you are either IN, or you are out!! Every company that is involved in macro image development, and fulfilment production charges fees for it's "selection guide" and add to that, several real estate, and builders charge big bucks for their catalogues, and selection guides!!
there is a great deal of money spent on the production of this "book", and this current version is the most expensive yet, so, as I started my schpeel....
 
IMHO it is one of the biggest benefits of belonging to them. Where else can you get an image collection like this.

And I'm not talking just for the web - we use it in-store every day of the year - I love it because it reduces sticker shock for people that think a beautiful arrangement costs $30 - just like any catalog - you get to see the real prices.
 
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Last time we"bought" the guide it was $300- end of story. Now it's 14.99 per month and they will only come out every 5 years..thats quite a price increase.:hammer:
 
bloomz said:
IMHO it is one of the biggest benefits of belonging to them. Where else can you get an image collection like this.

And I'm not talking just for the web - we use it in-store every day of the year - I love it because it reduces sticker shock for people that think a beautiful arrangement costs $30 - just like any catalog - you get to see the real prices.
Click to expand...

Bloomz:

this is something that both you and I can agree upon.

Good comment!

Joe
 
Infinite said:
There are ongoing updates instead of new books.
Click to expand...

The updates are a joke.. they are all 'drop-in" arrangements that FTD.com ships mostly direct (not thru local FTD members). I am willing to pay for a selection guide that benefits ME.. and I understand there is a large cost to it. but $14.99 x 12 months x 18,000 members = $3,237,840.00 A YEAR x 5 years = $16.189,200.00. That's a lot of money for 'drop-in' styles.
So in effect we members are underwriting the new designs that FTD.com needs to advertise for direct ship orders. I just logged on to FTD.com and tried to send one of these new 'designs' locally and guess what.. it can only be done on Tuesday by FedEx. I tried several of these designs & several different zipcodes (even Boston ma)

There is a great benefit to having a book in the store..but hey this is getting out of hand. I am beginning to believe the ws free guys that FTD just adds fees for kicks & giggles because we are all willing cattle.
If FTD.com needs new pictures for direct ship items why don't they pay for it and not us??

The quality assurance fee was just raised also. the bonus was that real florists can soon log into the FTD on-line training center that was developed for grocery stores to get their designs up to par since that stream of filling florists is the one of choice for new shop sign-ups.

So.. if I take all the little fees I am now being charged (not counting things like FAH or FOL or things not mandatory) and divide it by my outgoing commissions plus rebates(I am a top 300 sender).. it is getting real close to 20%. That is a whole lot of money for diminishing benefits and the big competition FTD now directs against me in my local phone book, online and the TV & Radio & Print commercials that direct people away from local florists & to .com.

I remember big Bob saying he wanted to drop the membership to what 12,000 or less.. is the what Mike S. wants too?? I don't know, it is Sunday morning and this is all giving me a headache.. but I think maybe Mike S. just doesn't want florists like me anymore??

I have been a cheerleader for years, I have worked hard at using every program that could benefit me and not using those that do not. I have tried to be a smart user of this powerful vendor. But I am starting to become concerned that it is finally becoming cost prohibitive for the value returned.
 
Carol:

Those are excellent points!

I concur with eveything you said.

Especially the part about it becoming too cost prohibitive for its value.

Joe
 
carol said:
The quality assurance fee was just raised also. the bonus was that real florists can soon log into the FTD on-line training center that was developed for grocery stores to get their designs up to par since that stream of filling florists is the one of choice for new shop sign-ups.

I remember big Bob saying he wanted to drop the membership to what 12,000 or less.. is the what Mike S. wants too?? I don't know, it is Sunday morning and this is all giving me a headache.. but I think maybe Mike S. just doesn't want florists like me anymore??

I have been a cheerleader for years, I have worked hard at using every program that could benefit me and not using those that do not. I have tried to be a smart user of this powerful vendor. But I am starting to become concerned that it is finally becoming cost prohibitive for the value returned.
Click to expand...

Carol, you are right on target with your observations. The only thing you missed is that Mike Soenon has said a long time ago that FTD's focus has shifted to mass marketers and grocery stores. This was said at one of the quarterly stock reports. Florists are no longer of much interest to FTD, therefore raising fees, making florist's pay for services they are recieving little or no benefit is of little concern.

Even the point you brought up about raising the quality fees to fund the on-line training center, while it may be of some value to you, the main thrust of this is to get the grocery stores up to par with florists so that florists become even less and less important to FTD's overall plans. Oh FTD does love the fact that you are willing to pay all the charges they can dream up, but they could care less about delivering any real value to you in return.

There is no service FTD offers that any florist can't get at a lower cost.
 
I just spent an hour on the phone with FTD about this and all their other sneaky little charges. I was told that they set this up as monthly payments to make it easier on the florists. So KIND! I asked how many months did I have left to pay it out. Only then was I told it never pays out because at the end of two years they send you a new book and it all starts over again! There you have it.
 
Regarding Selection Guide

I have been working with Bob Shockey on the upcoming scheduled JHC Everyday Book. While we are on the topic of cost of the Wire Service Seclection Guide books, if the new JHC book has approx 300 images (about the same as both WS books minus the Sympathy/Wedding images), what does everybody think is a reasonable price....(but yet they have to make a buck or two on this)?

On this version, they will have a more friendly (Usable) image CD (purchase seperately for those wanting to use them for website images) and "hopefully" with a catchy name with a nice three sentence description.

To give you some perspective on how this new book compares to the previous book;
1. I would have more products sent in natural settings (not sure if all of them).
2. The funky background colors would would be minimized.
3. More gift basket and "snack" basket images (last one had one of each if I remember).
4. Some professionally dressed/decorated plants (not grocery store style).
5. Florist holiday product images.
6. The previous JHC Everyday Book had approx 125 images (not counting the 50 duplicate Sympathy & Wedding images in the book that were in their separate books).....this on is to have (hopefully) 250-300 everyday product images.

That brings up a subject about duplicate images in the book. I had relayed to Bob that I would like the new book to be Everyday images broken down by catagory (HB, GWS, Roses, etc.) and that Sympathy and Wedding is covered "better" in their separate books and that adding some duplicate images in this Everyday book does not does those two occasions justice. I had told him that would be a good time for his sales people to do an "add on sales" of these books....plus the prom. Any comments on this?

I have digressed........the original question would be "what would be a reasonable cost"?

Also, did I miss any "areas" that needs to be addressed on this new book?

I had releyed to Bob that I think if this book is designed and photgraphed professionally with designs that florists could sell, that this book could be the most important project for them in a while.
 
Yes - to add - the option for white background (with shadow) vs "natural settings" is important for differing website designs.

It's a fairly simple photoshop after the images are shot. Tell them not to forget that!
 
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