Today, we've been receiving internet orders from our FTD website for FTD drop-ship floral products, with instructions to forward them to an FTD code number for fulfillment. Example: the FTD "Here In My Heart Tulip Bouquet" of 15 stems of tulips and a glass vase, to be delivered (locally!) overnight by FedEx, for a total of $54.98. FTD tells us that they're aware of the problem, that it affects everyone, and that they're trying to fix it. Considering that it's been an issue for us all morning and no one else has commented here makes me uneasy (not to say that I wasn't uneasy from the first!). Anyone else affected? Anyone aware of a solution?
Ftd Website Valentine's Nightmare?
- Thread starter Tom
- Start date
Yes, aware, and it's affecting all FTD websites from the look of things.
We posted about it on FB this morning, and I was just coming in here to post as well. What an absolute shame for florists to have to deal with this on the busiest days of the year.
FTD says it's a glitch that should be fixed within a couple days ... hopefully sooner!
We posted about it on FB this morning, and I was just coming in here to post as well. What an absolute shame for florists to have to deal with this on the busiest days of the year.
FTD says it's a glitch that should be fixed within a couple days ... hopefully sooner!
And, except for when we called them to inquire, there is absolute silence from FTD? No GEN broadcast message? Nothing on their website that I can see.
we luckily had only had 2 orders and had the product to fill
called ftd to get it off of our site, they said to call customer service after
vd for comp on delivery charges etc, not to optimistic on the compensation
but if this is my biggest problem the next couple of days i'll be happy
called ftd to get it off of our site, they said to call customer service after
vd for comp on delivery charges etc, not to optimistic on the compensation
but if this is my biggest problem the next couple of days i'll be happy
Earlier this evening it appeared that the products no longer appeared on my website, BUT... I just found that the product photos and prices do still appear on the mobile version under "ground ship" and "overnight ship" categories. When clicking on the products a message appears saying that product is no longer available. It wouldn't take much for a reasonably bright consumer to decide to wander over to the ftd.com website to see if the product is available there. I have trouble thinking that it is an accident that ftd.com's direct ship products just happened to appear on our websites two days prior to Valentine's Day, and that it might take FTD a couple of days to fix it.
If you lay with dogs, you are going to get fleas
bootcampguy
Well-Known Member
Never trust a host who is also a competitor. 'Whoops' my *ss. Somebody needed to increase 'shareholder value' and hoped locals would be too busy to notice?
I can not believe more people are not upset with this! But maybe the people on this site are smart enough not to be members of FTD or any wire service. I am glad it happened so maybe florists will drop FTD. It obviously was not a glitch or an accident. We CAN do this without a wire service, if florists were free of these wire services that do not care about OUR customers our industry as a whole would be so much better! Our service and our quality would improve without them.
There are many many florists that never even look at their wire service hosted web sites, and probably have no idea this even happened. For those that do know, I would hope it would be a wake up call. Even if you need/want to be in the wires you certainly don't need them for a web side provider! There are plenty of good web sites available independent of the WS that will do as well if not better, IF you take the time to keep it up to date and learn SEO or pay someone to do it for you. Unfortunately, most of us older florists are not willing to change and learn the new ways and will continue doing the same old same old until retirement or bankruptcy.
Recently, I have taken the "big step" of not having a membership to any of the "wire services". I found it extremely frustrating trying to decipher the statement every month, and challenging to keep up with the constant checking on my website provided by one of the services. Prices on the arrangements were not to value for the items that mysteriously appeared on my site, that were not there the day before. With the patience of my bookkeeper and accountant showing me exactly what I needed to see. The numbers do not lie. Once you truly understand the wire service statements and dissect it down to the last penny, you will then realize why you are losing money. I had my best Valentine's in a very long time this year and you know what is the best part, I didn't have to give any profits to any of the services. I am sorry to hear that there were "issues" at Valentine's for those florist who still believe it is best to stay with the "wire services". We all work really hard for our money, it is time to work really smart for it as well. There is a bit of fear attached to leaving, but believe me, if you can get beyond it and talk to those of us that have moved on it is well worth it in the end.
yep, had dinner with a bunch of florist colleagues couple days after Val. One has a wire service hosted site. They had spent HOURS a couple weeks before the event, changing prices, eliminating items they deemed to costly to mass produce or boring 
or that needed a specific container.
THEN
Low and behold, Monday morning of the week of, they looked at their site and found all that work had disappeared. The wire service had changed back all the prices, reloaded all the eliminated stuff and added a bunch of other junk.
They immediately called and had the whole site pulled down. I wonder how much business they lost? Not sure they do a bang up job and had a good holiday.
BUT who needs to deal with that???
Independent sites are the way to go.
or that needed a specific container.THEN
Low and behold, Monday morning of the week of, they looked at their site and found all that work had disappeared. The wire service had changed back all the prices, reloaded all the eliminated stuff and added a bunch of other junk.
They immediately called and had the whole site pulled down. I wonder how much business they lost? Not sure they do a bang up job and had a good holiday.
BUT who needs to deal with that???
Independent sites are the way to go.