we could discuss my posts and gift basket program..which is originally what this was suppposed to be about.
FTD: The good, the bad, the ugly???
- Thread starter A Mood For You
- Start date
- Status
RC in Dayton and Cincinnati
New Member
Moody,
You should move your thread to the advertising section. You obviously have a product to sell. Best of luck!
RC
You should move your thread to the advertising section. You obviously have a product to sell. Best of luck!
RC
Joe Mioux
Well-Known Member
here is a hint: never include the words Wire service, ftd, teleflora, 1800 flowers, pro flowers in your title or original post.
joe
Did you really think anyone would, the real reason that you really need to come clean, is that you business is struggling ? I may be wrong but don't know for sure, then tell the truth as to what you can do and what you are selling, don't get involved with the WS service thing, cause it has a life of its own, just sinse no one told you FTD does the same as y ou, so I don't know for sure, but I am sure most get theres from them, If you want iron clad ideas and proven ways to promote your things, then ask or cut to the chase, this is what I offer, what I can do, and leave it at that..Sorry to be blunt, but that is way to earn repect of everyone on here. Don't beat around the bush, and if you think that asking the question you asked would help you it didn't,,,So now once again, be up front. and I may be interested.. untill then its in your court...
You are wrong. Our business is not struggling. In fact our profits were up around 20% for the 4th quarter. Also I at this point am not trying to SELL anything. We(A Mood For You) are building an over the counter gift basket program and I just wanted info on things that you as floral shop owners would want to make it better. Not being around floral people very much I did not know that my question would ignite such a passionate thread. I have not yet posted what I am offering because we are changing and refining the program now.
Sorry had to correct your typos there...:thumbsup :squish:
There are indeed a lot of shops who depend on others to get orders for them (not talking about Joe) - I call that a symbiosis.
Boy howdy...big ditto on that one!
Welcome to flowerchat!
Joe Mioux
Well-Known Member
if you are going to sell something to flower shops, make sure the florist can mark it up at least 4 times in order for us to make a profit when the orders come in from the OG's via the WS's.
A five times markup would be better. like a gift basket a florist could pay $10 for and sell it for $50 and have it look like $60.
joe
p.s. this isn't even close to a passionate ws debate thread.
Please don't be offended, but there is no reason for you to be a member of a wire service if you have only send three orders this month. You are throwing your money away. Wire them direct and cancel whichever WS you belong to.
With our basket program we have the floral shops making a 30% margin on each basket sold. Also we may be doing something like instead of sending the baskets straight to the customer we send it to the shop so they can put their logo on it and charge an additional delivery fee of their choosing if they want.
and wow, I dont even want to see an actual ws service debate :wide:
Joe Mioux
Well-Known Member
and that is why i made the post above.
EVery shop owner needs to find their break even point.
Personally for small shops, I wouldn't recommend adding any labor in because most designers in small shops will perform multiple tasks and not just design for 8 hours.
also add back any rebates to the fixed costs.
joe
Jeff, you made me chuckle.
Thanks for that.Do a search if you feel like some headbanging entertainment.
V
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
Mood, I say this humorously, YOU have'n't seen a real WS debate yet. It gets worse than this.
However, the debates on Flowerchat are nothing compared to some of the debates that happened during the Norton era.
However, the debates on Flowerchat are nothing compared to some of the debates that happened during the Norton era.
Flowerchatter03
Co-Owner and Floral Composer
I'm not sure if the drop ship and getting 30% would be interesting to the floral industry as a whole. Basically, if one of our customers wanted a $50 basket, the florist would get $15. I don't know about other shops, but being a very small business, I would rather have the customer spend the $50 in my shop, with my products, and I would probably make more than $15 ( I am a very savvy buyer).
Dorothy's idea of purchasing the baskets for sale inside ones own business might be appealing to smaller shops.
Thank you for having an open mind and gathering ideas from others!
Joe Mioux
Well-Known Member
that 30 pct isn't anywhere good enough to earn a profit.
Most flower shops markup their fresh goods 200 pct or 3 times markup. 300 pct markup or 4 times markup is even better and probably necessary these days.
If you are asking us to sell your product for 30 cents over every the dollar spent, it doesn't make financial sense.
The WS business give florists 73 pct on the dollar.
If we have to use your product to fill WS orders, then forget it. It simply is a money loser.
Even local business doesn't make much sense based on earning 30 cents for the dollar spent, when I can sell flowers and earn $3 for every dollar spent.
joe
Oh my heavens, You didn't have to get defensive, so 30 percent off the sale, well that is really nothing, when I think about it, but then I haven't seen one of your baskets,,,or know of anyone that has got one, but So instead of this back and forth thing, just this is it, sell my baskets for 50.00 and you get 30 percent and be done with it. Why not contact FTD, I am sure they would love to do business with you,,:rofl:
Ditto that - they only way I would belong were if membership was free - and yes that can be negotiated.
You also have the competition of the ftd webgifts baskets, where you get a service charge (guess you would with your products as well, but 20% and a rebate.
Just fyi
With the program we arent asking for any in store inventory. But if shops wanted to order baskets at wholesale prices and keep them in their stores they could mark them up however much they wanted. Because off our site we will not be selling baskets to the general public. We charge a $150 yearly fee and with the 30% margin think its fair when all your doing is taking the orders. And our baskets range from around twenty dollars into a hundred and for every occasion. BUT this is the exact reason I am making this thread so we can customize our program to you as a floral shop owners and see to your needs....
also, please roycegifts. None of my posts are meant for you so please stop groaning at me. You've been attacking me since my intro thread and I feel its unwarranted. :ghug: thanks
www.amoodforyou.com it is still undergoing some changes. please be patient.
also, please roycegifts. None of my posts are meant for you so please stop groaning at me. You've been attacking me since my intro thread and I feel its unwarranted. :ghug: thanks
www.amoodforyou.com it is still undergoing some changes. please be patient.
Joe Mioux
Well-Known Member
I have to be careful how I word what I am about to type given my position with accepting WS business.
Note: This sale would act as a substitute sale for a more profitable flower arrangement sale.
In the WS business, I am accepting additional business, not a substitute sale.
with that stated.....
the markup of 30 pct from your gift basket would be a substitute sale and that sale isn't going to help me pay overhead, when I can sell a product with 100-400 pct markup.
in other words, I have no incentive to sell your product when I can sell a more profitable product out of my stores.
joe
Joe - the reason I added links to webgifts on my site was looking for additional sales.
My thought process was that there is a faction of people who wanted drop ship items.
Amazing the price some pay for it as well - yesterday I sold a Black Forest cake and the vig was very close to $100.
I could be wrong, but I don't think that person was going to buy flowers anyway. And the way webgifts is structured you get the same commish on an outgoing order as any flower order.
Now a local sale is a different animal...I also would rather they buy flowers, but if it is an incremental sale I would not have gotten otherwise - I'd rather sell them a gift basket. Yes even drop shipped.
I may be wrong, just my opinion on it.
and you know what that wacko bloomz sez about opinions...
My thought process was that there is a faction of people who wanted drop ship items.
Amazing the price some pay for it as well - yesterday I sold a Black Forest cake and the vig was very close to $100.
I could be wrong, but I don't think that person was going to buy flowers anyway. And the way webgifts is structured you get the same commish on an outgoing order as any flower order.
Now a local sale is a different animal...I also would rather they buy flowers, but if it is an incremental sale I would not have gotten otherwise - I'd rather sell them a gift basket. Yes even drop shipped.
I may be wrong, just my opinion on it.
and you know what that wacko bloomz sez about opinions...
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